Women's Volleyball | 8/13/2026 2:35:00 PM

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – For the fourth consecutive season, the Gannon volleyball team has been picked to finish first in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division Preseason Poll.

The Golden Knights were the unanimous choice atop the Western Division, receiving seven first-place votes. IUP received the remaining first-place vote and was picked second, followed by Pitt-Johnstown and Clarion. California was selected fifth, followed by Seton Hill, Edinboro and Slippery Rock.

Gannon enters the 2026 season following another successful campaign that saw the Golden Knights finish 27-8 overall and 13-1 in PSAC West action.

Gannon finished as the runner-up in the PSAC Tournament before capturing its second consecutive NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional championship and advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight for the ninth time in program history.

The Golden Knights closed the 2025 season ranked No. 23 in the final AVCA Division II Top 25 Poll. Gannon has now made 16 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and 22 overall while winning four Atlantic Regional championships in the last five seasons.

Gannon returns three All-PSAC West honorees from last year's squad in right side Sydney Wake (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson), middle blocker Lauren Atwell (Mars, Pa./Mars Area) and outside hitter Nehir Yazicioglu (Ankara, Turkey). Wake and Atwell earned first team All-PSAC West honors, while Yazicioglu was a second team selection.

Atwell and Wake went on to earn AVCA All-America honors for the first time in their careers. The duo was also named first team AVCA All-Atlantic Region and second team D2CCA All-Atlantic Region.

Atwell was a force at the net for the Golden Knights, leading the team with 108 total blocks. She recorded team highs with 28 solo blocks and 80 block assists while ranking third on the team with 266 kills.

Wake emerged as Gannon's leading hitter after entering the season with 82 career kills. She finished the year with a team-high 352 kills while ranking third on the team with a .288 hitting percentage. Wake also totaled 67 blocks and 144 digs.

Head coach Matt Darling enters his 20th season leading the Golden Knights in 2026. During his first 19 seasons, Darling became the program's all-time wins leader with 459 and transformed Gannon into a perennial contender on the conference, regional and national levels.

Shippensburg was selected as the preseason favorite in the Eastern Division with five first-place votes. Shepherd received two first-place votes and was picked second, while defending PSAC champion East Stroudsburg received the remaining first-place vote and was selected third. Kutztown was picked fourth, followed by West Chester, Lock Haven, Bloomsburg and Millersville.

 2026 PSAC VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON POLLS

WESTERN DIVISION

1. GANNON (7)
2. IUP (1)
3. Pitt-Johnstown
4. Clarion
5. California
6. Seton Hill
7. Edinboro
8. Slippery Rock

 
EASTERN DIVISION

1. Shippensburg (5)
2. Shepherd (2)
3. East Stroudsburg (1)
4. Kutztown
5. West Chester
6. Lock Haven
7. Bloomsburg
8. Millersville