ROCK HILL, S.C. (theSAC.com) – Fresh off a 23-win season and a trip to the Southeast regional final of the NCAA Tournament, the Anderson Trojans were voted the preseason favorites in the SAC Volleyball Coaches’ Poll. The Trojans edged out Wingate to earn the top spot.

Anderson earned eight of the 12 first-place votes to accumulate 116 points. The Trojans return four All-Conference selections from a year ago, all of whom earned a spot on the Preseason All-Conference squad. Ellie Nieporte, Emily Campbell, Mia Elder and Ava Reeves make up a solid core of returners who look to lead Anderson to another successful season.

Wingate slots in at second in the poll, earning three first-place votes and 109 points. It will be a new-look Wingate squad under first-year head coach Molly Lambillotte. The Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA National Quarterfinals in Sioux Falls a season ago, dropping a 3-2 heartbreaker to MSU Denver. Wingate went 31-2 but lost several key contributors from that team.

Lenoir-Rhyne earned a first-place vote and came in third in the preseason poll with 101 points. The Bears were the No. 2 seed in the Southeast Region in 2025 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. LR has earned three straight NCAA Tournament bids under head coach Nicole Barringer and placed Emmaleigh Allen and Averie Dale on the Preseason All-Conference team.

Carson-Newman is in the fourth spot of the preseason poll, totaling 97 points. All-American Emerson Ahsmuhs returns for the Eagles and is joined by Blair Cherry and Maddie Hurst on the Preseason All-Conference team. The Eagles were 24-6 last year and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

UVA Wise slots in at No. 5 with 71 points, followed by Coker in sixth with 61 points. Tusculum received 55 points to come in seventh, while Catawba followed in eighth with 52 points.
Newberry, Lincoln Memorial, Mars Hill and Emory & Henry rounded out the poll.

In addition to the Coaches’ Poll and Preseason All-Conference Team, the league announced its Players to Watch list, highlighting potential standouts from each institution.

2026 SAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
 

Rank	School (First Place Votes)	Points
1.	Anderson (8)	116
2.	Wingate (3)	109
3.	Lenoir-Rhyne (1)	101
4.	Carson-Newman	97
5.	UVA Wise	71
6.	Coker	61
7.	Tusculum	55
8.	Catawba	52
9.	Newberry	42
10.	Lincoln Memorial	40
11.	Mars Hill	37
12.	Emory & Henry	11

Preseason All-Conference
Emerson Ahsmuhs, Carson-Newman
Maddie Hurst, Carson-Newman
Ellie Nieporte, Anderson
Emmaleigh Allen, Lenoir-Rhyne
Emily Campbell, Anderson
Blair Cherry, Carson-Newman
Averie Dale, Lenoir-Rhyne
Mia Elder, Anderson
Ava Reeves, Anderson

Players to Watch:

Anderson
Maura Kindel

Catawba
Lillie Kate Rogers
Riley Hill
Sydney McCutcheon

Carson-Newman
Annie Dziczkowski

Coker
Addie Bittner
Cheyenne Bird
Cayla Gilmore

Emory & Henry
Tori Boling
Journey Hinz
Zoie Pace

Lenoir-Rhyne
Morgan Blankenship

Lincoln Memorial
Kaytlin Johnson
Laney Inman
Lauren Jacob

Mars Hill
Ioana Poenaru
Alyssa Kornegay
Skylar Ogden

Newberry
Carole Ann Hussey
Carley Raleigh
Anna Schneider

Tusculum
Karris Oller
Mackenzie Land
Mary Katherine Hall

UVA Wise
Abigail Curtis 
Mable James 
Riley Brandon 

Wingate
Lillian Edwards
Hailey Green
Grace Woodring