MOSCOW, Idaho - On Wednesday, the Big Sky Conference announced the volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll and All-Conference team in anticipation of the 2026 season. The new-look league is just over a week away from getting started, as 11 teams will compete for eight spots in the Big Sky Tournament for a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Idaho Volleyball was selected ninth among the eleven teams in the Big Sky, ahead of Eastern Washington and Southern Utah. The Vandals swept the Eagles in 2025, the first season sweep for the program since 2020, and the Thunderbirds are coming off of a 3-21 2025 campaign and looking to take the next step under second-year head coach Danielle Jensen.
UI is coming off the first step of the rebuild designed to take the black and gold back to the postseason, where the six wins in 2025 tied the three previous seasons combined. Sarah Sullivan, Koen Makaula, and Kiana Greer are among the returners who led the Vandals last season and are joined by newcomers such as Anika Hudson, Allie Ferrin, Sophie Danielson, and Keira Kleidon among others on a mission to secure Idaho's first bid to the Big Sky Tournament in a non-pandemic season since 2019.
In the preseason polls, Northern Colorado, last year's tournament champion, earned the top spot in the projections, narrowly topping Northern Arizona by just three points. Both teams each earned four of the eleven first-place votes, with the other three going to Montana (2) and Utah Tech (1).
Listed below are the full preseason all-conference teams and polls.
Preseason MVP
Hanah Stoddard, Northern Arizona
Preseason All-Conference Team
Hanah Stoddard, Northern Arizona (Preseason MVP)
Rose Moore, Weber State
Delaney Russell, MontanaJaydin Watts, Idaho State
Alayna Tessena, Northern Colorado
Gigi Greenlee, Northern Arizona
Alivia Eikenberg, Portland State
Joelie Spelts, Montana State
Nerea Alvarez Jorge, Northern Colorado
Teagan Jaynes, Montana State
Gracie Cagle, Montana
Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Northern Colorado (4) - 88
2. Northern Arizona (4) - 85
T3. Idaho State - 72
T3. Montana (2) - 72
5. Weber State - 69
6. Montana State - 61
7. Utah Tech (1) - 57
8. Portland State - 43
9. Idaho – 25
10. Eastern Washington – 18
11. Southern Utah - 15
*() Indicates first place vote
Idaho will officially kick off the 2026 season at the Tiger Invitational in Columbia, Missouri, taking on the Towson Tigers on Aug. 28. First serve is set for 1:00 PM CST/11:00 AM PST.
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