LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The Christopher Newport volleyball team will start the 2026 season ranked No. 19 in the nation according tot he AVCA-Taraflex Division III Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll released on Thursday. It marks the highest preseason ranking for the Captains since 2016.
After finishing the 2025 campaign at No. 18 in the nation, the Captains will start the 2026 season retaining a spot in the top-20. Wisconsin-Oshkosh collected all 76 first-place votes and is the preseason favorite while the rest of the top five includes Trinity (Texas), Berry, East Texas Baptist, and Colby, in order.
This year, the Captains were a unanimous selection to win the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference volleyball championship, hauling in seven of the possible eight first-place votes. CNU is coming off a year in which they captured a second straight and ninth conference title in 12 seasons since joining the conference in 2013. The Captains advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 18th consecutive season and danced all the way to the NCAA Regional Championship for the second year in a row. That run included a momentous 3-0 shutout against No. 8 Juniara, snapping the Eagle's 19-match NCAA Tournament winning streak.
The Captains are scheduled to play ten matches against teams at least receiving votes in the AVCA-Taraflex Preseason Poll, including three in the top-15. Matches against No. 4 East Texas Baptist, No. 7 Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and No. 12 Juniata litter the front end of the schedule while the Captains will play home-and-home series against a pair of teams receiving votes, Salisbury and Washington and Lee, at the end of the regular season slate. CNU is also scheduled to play No. 22 Batten, No. 25 NYU, and William Smith, also receiving votes in the poll.
Despite the challenge of replacing three seniors including All-American
Alyssa Dozier, the Captains return a veteran lineup in 2026 that is poised to meet the expectations of the preseason billing. Sophomore setter
Fielding Croft collected All-American honors after her first season and was named the AVCA Region Rookie of the Year, Conference Rookie of the Year, and first team All-Conference. She was joined on the All-Conference team by first team selections
Samantha Dorn and
Maddie Hanes, back for their senior campaigns.
The season is set to begin on Tuesday, September 1 as the Captains welcome Regent University for a 6:00 p.m. first serve against the Royals at the Freeman Center. Live stats and a live video webcast will be available with links found at CNUsports.com.
Aug. 27 AVCA-Taraflex Division III WVB Preseason Poll
|
Rank
|
School (First-Place Votes Adjusted)
|
Total Points Adjusted
|
Record
|
Previous Week
|
|
1
|
Wisconsin-Oshkosh [76]
|
1,900
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
2
|
Trinity (Texas)
|
1,622
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
3
|
Berry
|
1,600
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
4
|
East Texas Baptist
|
1,556
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
5
|
Colby
|
1,453
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
6
|
La Verne
|
1,406
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
7
|
Wisconsin-Eau Claire
|
1,290
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
8
|
Illinois Wesleyan
|
1,215
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
9
|
Calvin
|
1,177
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
10
|
MIT
|
1,125
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
11
|
Johns Hopkins
|
1,102
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
12
|
Juniata
|
985
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
13
|
Tufts
|
902
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
14
|
Washington-St. Louis
|
842
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
15
|
Wesleyan (Conn.)
|
801
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
16
|
Wisconsin-Whitewater
|
781
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
17
|
Hope
|
765
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
18
|
Ithaca
|
740
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
19
|
Christopher Newport
|
603
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
20
|
Carnegie-Mellon
|
482
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
21
|
Emory
|
408
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
22
|
Batten (formerly Va. Wesleyan)
|
343
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
23
|
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
|
307
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
24
|
Dubuque
|
216
|
0-0
|
NA
|
|
25
|
NYU
|
172
|
0-0
|
NA
|
