IRVING, Texas – For the third consecutive season Rice has been named the preseason favorite in volleyball in the American Conference, as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
The Owls earned a maximum of 12 first-place votes from peer institutions and scored 144 points to finish atop the 2026 preseason coaches poll. Defending American tournament champion Tulsa checked in second in the poll with 120 voting points, while South Florida rounded out the top three teams with 117 points. Wichita State was fourth with 111 points and Florida Atlantic was fifth with 106 points. Other team placements included North Texas in sixth (78 points), UTSA in seventh (73 points), East Carolina in eighth (71 points), Charlotte in ninth (64 points), Memphis in 10th (45 points), Temple in 11th (36 points), Tulane in 12th (26 points) and UAB in 13th (23 points).
The American also announced the volleyball preseason all-conference team highlighted by Tulsa sophomore middle blocker Jill Hanson, who was tabbed as the 2026 American Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year. Additional returning first-team all-conference selections from last season joining Hanson on the preseason all-conference team were Rice senior setter Kaia Mateo and Tulane senior outside hitter Avery Burks.
Rice led the way with three preseason all-conference honorees that included Mateo, sophomore outside hitter Aaliyah Smith and senior middle blocker Arissa Smith. Tulsa boasted two selections with Hanson and senior outside hitter Olivia Vance, while East Carolina added two preseason all-conference choices in fifth year outside hitter Angeles Alderete and junior setter Taryn Gilreath. Along with Tulane’s Burks, other preseason all-conference selections included Florida Atlantic junior outside hitter Olivia Hart, Memphis senior outside hitter/right side Amanda Hardt, North Texas fifth year middle blocker Loredana Fouonji, South Florida senior outside hitter Laila Ivey, Temple junior outside hitter Christiana Greene and Wichita State senior setter Jordan Heatherly.
2026 American Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
| 1 |
Rice (12) |
144 |
| 2 |
Tulsa (1) |
120 |
| 3 |
South Florida |
117 |
| 4 |
Wichita State |
111 |
| 5 |
Florida Atlantic |
106 |
| 6 |
North Texas |
78 |
| 7 |
UTSA |
73 |
| 8 |
East Carolina |
71 |
| 9 |
Charlotte |
64 |
| 10 |
Memphis |
45 |
| 11 |
Temple |
36 |
| 12 |
Tulane |
26 |
| 13 |
UAB |
23 |
Note: First-place votes denoted in parenthesis
2026 American Conference Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year
Jill Hanson, So., MB, Tulsa
2026 American Conference Volleyball Preseason All-Conference
Angeles Alderete, 5th, OH, East Carolina
Taryn Gilreath, Jr., S, East Carolina
Olivia Hart, Jr., OH, Florida Atlantic
Amanda Hardt, Sr., OH/RS, Memphis
Loredana Fouonji, 5th, MB, North Texas
Kaia Mateo, Sr., S, Rice
Aaliyah Smith, So., OH, Rice
Arissa Smith, Sr., MB, Rice
Laila Ivey, Sr., OH, South Florida
Christiana Greene, Jr., OH, Temple
Avery Burks, Sr., OH, Tulane
Jill Hanson, So., MB, Tulsa
Olivia Vance, Sr., OH, Tulsa
Jordan Heatherly, Sr., S, Wichita State