Andrew Hopman couldn’t help but take a step back to digest what his team had just done.
On the other side of the net at Franklin HS, his Old Bridge girls volleyball squad was hugging, cheering, and hoisting their first-ever state championship trophy. Hopman, the head coach, stood on the other side and enjoyed the moment. It was something that never happened before.
The Old Bridge girls volleyball team played Westfield in the 2025 NJSIAA/Wilson Group 4 state finals - a rematch of the 2022 championship game that saw OB lose.
The current seniors were freshmen on that team, and they held on to the bitter feeling of that loss. Hopman made sure to remind them of it.
It was not going to be easy garnering a Group 4 state title, but Old Bridge prevailed in impressive fashion. They won the Greater Middlesex Tournament championship over a fellow state champion in Mother Seton.
The Knights then downed a perennial powerhouse in Hunterdon Central in the Central Jersey Group 4 sectional tournament. They moved on to face then-top-ranked Williamstown on the road, and defeated them in straight sets to snap their 43-match winning streak.
It all led to the state finals, opposing a familiar foe. Old Bridge gritted out a wild and epic opening set 33-31 win to stamp the tone, and won the overall match in five frames.
Old Bridge ended the year with 17 straight wins, a 33-1 record, and seven total ranked victories. It gave them the No. 1 spot in the NJ.com Top 20, which earns them the NJ.com Team of the Year Award for the 2025 season.
“From day one, there was the confidence that we can beat anyone. Were we ready to beat them? Probably not at first,” Hopman said.
”But, this is the first team I’ve ever coached who wanted to put in an extreme amount of extra work. Extra practices, extra scenarios, putting in five-hour days of practice and film led us to this point."
Old Bridge’s only loss of the year came against Williamstown during a tri-match with Princeton. The Knights redeemed themselves with a win over the Braves in the state semifinals.
“Defeating all these unbelievable teams really feels like we earned it. It makes it that much more special,” said Ashley Markle, a junior star.
Old Bridge 2025 Key Wins
Old Bridge is one of the most dominant boys volleyball programs in New Jersey history. The Knights have six state titles, which is tied for the third-most ever. Markle’s brother, Troy was part of the most recent championship team in the 2025 spring.
He motivated her and the rest of the team to get their own trophy.
“Troy has always been an inspiration to me. He taught me to be a strong leader and to always stay calm, and I think that helped me a lot,” Markle said.
Markle finished eighth in the state with 405 kills. She was also sixth in aces with 98.
Junior Maya Lupinski placed second in New Jersey in assists with 776.
Four players logged 100 or more kills: Markle (405), Weronika Malinsowski (212), Tatum Jones (124), Tetiana Kontsohrada (112).
Jannah Khalil’s 320 digs were fifth-most in the GMC. Olivia Grubb (28) and Jones (27) finished fourth and fifth in the conference, respectively in blocks.
Old Bridge 2025 Statewide Honors
Old Bridge 2025 Season Stats (minimum 20 sets played)
“This was a dream season. I love this team. I love the energy they brought every day. I love that we were able to represent the GMC in this light,” Hopman said.