A year after coming up one match shy of the Final Four, Nebraska Cornhuskers women's volleyball opens 2026 atop the NCAA preseason rankings. The list, released last week, sees Kentucky and Texas follow at No. 2 and 3. Stanford, Wisconsin, Pitt, Purdue, Louisville, SMU, and Texas A&M fill out the rest of the NCAA women's volleyball Power 10 field.
Cornhuskers Lead NCAA Women's Volleyball Preseason Favorites
The case for Nebraska championship run this year starts with continuity.
Andi Jackson, Harper Murray, and Bergen Reilly all return for their final year, anchoring a group that went 33-1 last season and swept the Big Ten at 20-0 to claim a third straight league title. That run ended only when Texas A&M pushed the Huskers to five sets in a surprise regional final loss.
Right behind them, Kentucky slots in at No. 2 with its own score to settle. The 2025 national runner-up pairs returning star Brooklyn DeLeye with transfer Morgan Gaerte. The Wildcats also lead the AVCA Player of the Year Watch List heading into the season.
Last year's ACC co-champions carry momentum into the Top 10, too.
Stanford, Pitt Women's Volleyball Earn Top 10 Nods
Pitt women's volleyball checks in at No. 6 after sharing the 2025 league crown.
Meanwhile, Stanford women's volleyball sits two spots higher at No. 4. That rise follows a 29-5 finish and its first-ever ACC title, claimed alongside the Panthers. The Cardinal also topped the ACC preseason poll with 10 first-place votes.
Defending national champion Texas A&M slid to No. 10 after losing Logan Lednicky, Ifenna Cos-Okpalla, and Maddie Waak from its title-winning lineup. But Aggies returner Kyndal Stowers and transfer Natalie Ring are early picks for AVCA Player of Year so Texas A&M still looks threatening during its rebuild season.
The 2026 season opens August 21st at the AVCA First Serve in Milwaukee, with Texas A&M facing Louisville in the tournament's headline match. Teams outside the event begin regular-season play on August 28th.
