INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – With the 2026 season drawing near, the Horizon League announced its volleyball preseason poll on Tuesday. The reigning regular season champion Northern Kentucky Norse have high expectations coming into the upcoming season, as the Norse were picked to finish second in the league in the poll, voted on by the league's coaches. 

In 2025, the Norse set a new program record for conference wins since joining Division I, as Northern Kentucky finished 22-9 overall and 17-1 in Horizon League play. Northern Kentucky returns all three All-League First Team selections in Sydney Bray, Allison Risley, and Abby Pickard, the latter also being named the league's Freshman of the Year in 2025, while head coach Liz Hart earned Horizon League Coach of the Year honors. NKU returns 13 of 16 players from its 2025 roster, including 99.5% of kills, 97.8% of blocks, and 97.5% of points from the defending regular season Horizon League Champions. 

2026 Under Armour #HLVB Preseason Poll
Place. Team – Points
Wright State – 117
Northern Kentucky – 114
IU Indianapolis – 91
Milwaukee – 76
Green Bay – 73
Youngstown State – 68
NIU – 57
Cleveland State – 48
Oakland – 38
RMU – 26
Purdue Fort Wayne – 18

Coach Hart and the Norse open the season this weekend, taking on Fresno State, Bowling Green, and Ohio State in Columbus at the Jim Stone Challenge, hosted by the Buckeyes. 

FOLLOW NORSE VOLLEYBALL
Get in the game and follow Northern Kentucky's NCAA Division I women's volleyball team through @NKUNorseVB on X, @NKUNorseVBall on Instagram, nkunorsevball on Facebook and subscribe to the NKU Norse YouTube channel.