A method of forming a net shape preform for a high performance ballistic helmet includes preparing one or more full prepreg plies, preparing one or more filler prepreg plies, wherein a shape and orientation of one filler prepreg ply of the one or more filler prepreg plies is different from a shape and orientation of another filler prepreg ply of the one or more filler prepreg plies, layering the one or more full prepreg plies with one or more filler prepreg plies to form a ply stack and deforming a portion of the ply stack while constraining the ply stack by applying in-plane tensional force to the ply stack to form the net-shape preform.