CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) - Atlantic Coast Conference Volleyball begins its 46th season on Friday, August 21, with the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) First Serve featuring No. 4 Pitt, No. 7 Louisville and No. 11 SMU.
The Panthers, Cardinals and Mustangs will travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as part of 10 teams to help kick off the first eight matches of the 2026 NCAA Division I Volleyball season. Eight of the 10 teams featured in this year's event earned a spot in the Preseason AVCA Poll (No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Kentucky, No. 4 Pitt, No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 7 Louisville, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 11 SMU and No. 12 Arizona State).
Louisville will hit the court to take on No. 8 Texas A&M at 6 p.m. ET on Friday and against No. 6 Wisconsin at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 22. SMU will also face off against the Aggies on Sunday, August 23, at 1 p.m. ET. The Panthers will take on No. 3 Kentucky on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN, before facing off against Xavier on Monday, August 24, at 6 p.m. ET.
Pitt had three student-athletes named to the Preseason All-ACC Team. Senior outside hitter Blaire Bayless and junior setter Izzy Starck both earned spots on the preseason team for the first time. Senior opposite Olivia Babcock rounded out the three Pitt picks while also being named to the 2026 AVCA Division I Player of the Year Watch List. The back-to-back AVCA Division I Player of the Year is joined by Starck, who made the list for the second time in her collegiate career. The ACC head volleyball coaches predicted the reigning Co-ACC Champion Panthers to finish second in the league this season.
Louisville had four student-athletes named to the Preseason All-ACC Team in junior setter Nayelis Cabello, sophomore opposite Kalyssa Blackshear, senior outside hitter Chloe Chicoine and junior outside hitter Payton Petersen. Cabello and Chicoine were both named to the AVCA Division I Player of the Year Preseason Watch List. Louisville was picked to finish third in the conference.
SMU junior middle blocker Favor Anyanwu and sophomore outside hitter Suli Davis were both named to the 2026 Preseason All-ACC Team and were both named to the 2026 AVCA Division I Player of the Year Preseason Watch List. The Mustangs were picked to finish fourth in the league.
In the AVCA/Taraflex Preseason Poll, Pitt led the ACC in the No. 4 spot with Stanford (No. 5), Louisville (No. 7), SMU (No. 11) and North Carolina (No. 19) filling out the rest of the top 25. This year marks the first season since 2017 that the Tar Heels have been ranked in the preseason poll.
AVCA First-Serve Showcase (All Times Eastern) | Milwaukee, WI
Friday, August 21
#7 Louisville vs. #8 Texas A&M | 6 p.m. | ESPN2
Saturday, August 22
#7 Louisville vs. #6 Wisconsin | 4 p.m. | FOX
Sunday, August 23
#11 SMU vs. #8 Texas A&M | 1 p.m. | ESPN2
#4 Pitt vs. #3 Kentucky | 4 p.m. | ESPN
Monday, August 24
#4 Pitt vs. Xavier | 6 p.m. | FS2
Noting ACC Volleyball
- Pitt led the ACC in the No. 4 spot in the AVCA/Taraflex Preseason Poll and was followed by Stanford (No. 5), Louisville (No. 7), SMU (No. 11) and North Carolina (No. 19) filling out the rest of the top 25. This year marks the first season since 2017 that the Tar Heels were ranked in the preseason poll.
- Stanford was voted the preseason favorite to win the 2026 ACC Volleyball Championship by the league’s volleyball head coaches for the first time since joining the league.
- Eight ACC standouts were named to the AVCA Division I Player of the Year Watch List. The list included Louisville’s Nayelis Cabello and Chloe Chicoine, Pitt’s Olivia Babcock and Izzy Starck, SMU’s Favor Anyanwu and Suli Davis, and Stanford’s Lizzy Andrew and Logan Parks.
- Duke’s Ahen Kim and Florida State’s Lindsay Allman are both entering their first seasons as head coaches of their respective programs.
- Listen to the SiriusXM 2026 ACC Volleyball Preview show here: https://sxm.app.link/ACCVolleyball2026.