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Kansas Volleyball Picked Third in 2026 Big 12 Preseason Coaches’ Poll
8/11/2026 10:05:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Lawrence, Kan. – Coming off a Sweet 16 campaign in 2025, Kansas Volleyball has been picked to finish third in the 2026 Big 12 Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the conference today.
The Jayhawks earned 159 points, trailing Arizona State (194 points, 12 first-place votes) and TCU (177 points, three first-place votes). The 2026 third-place prediction marks the seventh-consecutive season Kansas has been slotted fifth or higher in the Big 12 Preseason Coaches' Poll. Conference coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team in the preseason poll.
In addition to the team recognition, Kansas placed two student-athletes on the 2026 All-Big 12 Team as well as a third being recognized as the Preseason Freshman of the Year.
Sophomore setter Reese Messer and junior middle blocker Reese Ptacek earned preseason All-Big 12 honors, while pin hitter Taylor Stanley earned the Preseason Freshman of the Year nod. Messer, an All-Big 10 first team selection and AVCA All-Pacific Region honoree joins the Jayhawks after spending her freshman season at USC. Ptacek, an AVCA All-American Honorable Mention selection last year, along with being named an All-Big 12 First Team honoree and unanimous preseason selection, returns as a force at the net. Stanley, an AVCA High School Region Player of the Year and a highly touted newcomer, is Preseason Freshman of the Year.
Kansas will open its 2026 season at the Opening Spike Classic on August 28 with a match against No. 4 Pittsburgh and will then face No. 5 Stanford two days later. The Jayhawks make their home debut on September 8 against Wichita State.
2026 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Poll
First-place votes in parentheses.
2026 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year
Noemie Glover, Arizona State
2026 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Freshman of the Year
Taylor Stanley, Kansas
2026 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Team
Carlie Cisneros, Arizona, OH, Jr. ^
Aniya Clinton, Arizona State , OH, Sr. ^
Noemie Glover, Arizona State, RS, Sr.*#
Una Vajagic, Arizona State, OH, Jr.
Ksenia Rakhmanchik, Baylor, OH, So.*#!
Alex Bower, BYU, S, Jr. #
Brielle Kemavor, BYU, MB, Sr.*#
Claire Little Chambers, BYU, OH, Sr.^
Avah Armour, UCF, OH, Sr.*#
Sydney Nolan, Cincinnati, OH, Sr.#
Ana Burilovic, Colorado, OH, Sr.*#
Cayla Payne, Colorado, MB, Sr.^
Rachel Van Gorp, Iowa State, L, Jr.*#
Reese Messer, Kansas, S, So.
Reese Ptacek, Kansas, MB, Jr.*#
Jalyn Gibson, TCU, OPP, Gr.
Evan Hendrix, TCU, OH, Jr.*#
Becca Kelley, TCU, OH, Sr. ^
Kamryn Gibadlo, Utah, OH, Sr. #
Players are listed alphabetically by school.
* indicates unanimous selection.
# - 2025 All-Big 12 First Team
^ - 2025 All-Big 12 Second Team
! – 2025 All-Big 12 Rookie Team
The Jayhawks earned 159 points, trailing Arizona State (194 points, 12 first-place votes) and TCU (177 points, three first-place votes). The 2026 third-place prediction marks the seventh-consecutive season Kansas has been slotted fifth or higher in the Big 12 Preseason Coaches' Poll. Conference coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team in the preseason poll.
In addition to the team recognition, Kansas placed two student-athletes on the 2026 All-Big 12 Team as well as a third being recognized as the Preseason Freshman of the Year.
Sophomore setter Reese Messer and junior middle blocker Reese Ptacek earned preseason All-Big 12 honors, while pin hitter Taylor Stanley earned the Preseason Freshman of the Year nod. Messer, an All-Big 10 first team selection and AVCA All-Pacific Region honoree joins the Jayhawks after spending her freshman season at USC. Ptacek, an AVCA All-American Honorable Mention selection last year, along with being named an All-Big 12 First Team honoree and unanimous preseason selection, returns as a force at the net. Stanley, an AVCA High School Region Player of the Year and a highly touted newcomer, is Preseason Freshman of the Year.
Kansas will open its 2026 season at the Opening Spike Classic on August 28 with a match against No. 4 Pittsburgh and will then face No. 5 Stanford two days later. The Jayhawks make their home debut on September 8 against Wichita State.
2026 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Poll
- Arizona State (12),194 points
- TCU (3), 177 points
- Kansas, 159 points
- Baylor, 152 points
- Colorado, 143 points
- Iowa State, 131 points
- BYU, 122 points
- Utah, 118 points
- UCF, 84 points
- Arizona, 77 points
- Kansas State, 65 points
- Cincinnati, 60 points
- West Virginia, 39 points
- Houston, 35 points
- Texas Tech, 19 points
First-place votes in parentheses.
2026 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year
Noemie Glover, Arizona State
2026 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Freshman of the Year
Taylor Stanley, Kansas
2026 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Team
Carlie Cisneros, Arizona, OH, Jr. ^
Aniya Clinton, Arizona State , OH, Sr. ^
Noemie Glover, Arizona State, RS, Sr.*#
Una Vajagic, Arizona State, OH, Jr.
Ksenia Rakhmanchik, Baylor, OH, So.*#!
Alex Bower, BYU, S, Jr. #
Brielle Kemavor, BYU, MB, Sr.*#
Claire Little Chambers, BYU, OH, Sr.^
Avah Armour, UCF, OH, Sr.*#
Sydney Nolan, Cincinnati, OH, Sr.#
Ana Burilovic, Colorado, OH, Sr.*#
Cayla Payne, Colorado, MB, Sr.^
Rachel Van Gorp, Iowa State, L, Jr.*#
Reese Messer, Kansas, S, So.
Reese Ptacek, Kansas, MB, Jr.*#
Jalyn Gibson, TCU, OPP, Gr.
Evan Hendrix, TCU, OH, Jr.*#
Becca Kelley, TCU, OH, Sr. ^
Kamryn Gibadlo, Utah, OH, Sr. #
Players are listed alphabetically by school.
* indicates unanimous selection.
# - 2025 All-Big 12 First Team
^ - 2025 All-Big 12 Second Team
! – 2025 All-Big 12 Rookie Team
Players Mentioned
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