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Hollister High’s boys volleyball team entered the 2026 season knowing it would be a year full of adjustments.
After losing nine seniors from last year’s squad and bringing on a new head coach, the team spent much of the season building chemistry and developing younger players at the varsity level.
Despite finishing with a 9-21 overall record and a 3-6 mark in Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan division play, the Haybalers closed the regular season with a 3-1 win over Palma on May 5 and continued to show improvement throughout the year.
First-year head coach Michael Curto said the season brought plenty of change for both the players and coaching staff.
“It was definitely a transition year for our whole coaching staff and our whole team,” Curto said. “But now they’ve started becoming more unified.”
Curto, who previously served as an assistant coach in the program, stepped into the head coaching role after the former coach resigned.
“I definitely knew it was going to be rough,” Curto said. “But it actually turned out to be one of my funnest years. This team is just so much fun.”
The Haybalers featured a balanced roster made up of six seniors, four juniors and two sophomores. Younger players such as sophomore Jaiden Herra and sophomore Adrian Martinez took on bigger varsity roles this season after previously competing at the junior varsity level.
Curto said one of the team’s biggest strengths was its energy and chemistry throughout the year.
“Our team is definitely full of energy,” Curto said. “They’re all friends, they all love each other, and they’re unified.”
Senior captain and starting outside hitter Rony Salas-Ramirez was among the players who assumed a larger role this season.
“He really stepped up, not just by skill, but by leadership too,” Curto said. “He was more on the shy side last year, but this year he became much more vocal.”
Herra also became one of the younger influences on the team during the season. The sophomore said the group’s teamwork helped keep the team connected throughout the ups and downs of the year.
“I think what makes the team so special is honestly our teamwork and the way we treat each other on the court,” Herra said. “Whether it’s on the bench or starting, it’s just the energy that comes along with it.”
Herra, who began playing volleyball after watching his two older sisters compete, described himself as a leader and reliable defender for the Haybalers. He said he spent the season focusing on improving his defense, serving consistency and overall play.
He credited Curto for bringing both positivity and accountability to the program during his first season as head coach.
“I think he’s a very positive coach,” Herra said. “While he is positive, he can also bring that toughness that comes along with being a coach and enforcing effort.”
According to Curto, one of the main goals throughout the season was to compete while building a strong culture for the future.
“What I really want to focus on now is just discipline,” Curto said. “You can make so many mistakes, but as long as you give me your best effort, that’s all that matters.”
The BenitoLink Internship Program is a paid, skill-building program that prepares local youth for a professional career. This program is supported by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation AT&T Golf Tour and Taylor Farms.
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