TURLOCK, Calif.--- After earning back-to-back California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament appearances and advancing to the conference tournament for the third time in the past four years, Stan State volleyball has been picked to finish fifth in the 2026 CCAA Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll.

The Warriors received 134 points in the preseason voting, just three points behind fourth-place Fresno Pacific. The fifth-place selection ties the highest the Warriors have been picked in the CCAA Preseason Coaches' Poll under head coach Lauren Flowers, as Stan State was also picked fifth prior to the 2025 season.

Cal Poly Pomona was selected as the CCAA preseason favorite with 188 points and nine first-place votes. Cal State San Bernardino received one first-place vote and 178 points to finish second, while Cal State LA collected two first-place votes and 163 points for third. Fresno Pacific received two first-place votes and 137 points to finish fourth.

Three CCAA teams are ranked or receiving votes in the Aug. 17 AVCA/TARAFLEX Division II Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll. Fresno Pacific enters the season ranked No. 11 nationally, while Cal State San Bernardino is No. 25. CCAA preseason favorite Cal Poly Pomona is receiving votes with 79 points.

Stan State enters the 2026 season looking to build on its recent success both on the court and in the classroom. The Warriors followed their historic 2024 CCAA Championship season with another postseason appearance in 2025, finishing 13-13 overall and 11-7 in conference play. Their .611 CCAA winning percentage tied for the second-best mark in program history and earned the Warriors the No. 4 seed in the CCAA Tournament. This summer, the Warriors were also recognized for their success in the classroom, earning the AVCA Team Academic Award for the fourth consecutive year.

After opening last season 2-6, Stan State rebounded to win 11 conference matches, including seven of its first eight CCAA contests. The Warriors ranked 21st in NCAA Division II in blocks per set and closed the regular season with consecutive five-set road victories over Cal State Los Angeles and nationally ranked Cal Poly Pomona. Stan State hosted a CCAA Tournament quarterfinal for the second consecutive season, falling in five sets to San Francisco State.

Fifth-year head coach Lauren Flowers welcomes back an experienced core for the 2026 campaign. The Warriors' roster features five seniors and eight juniors, along with two sophomores and two freshmen. The senior class consists of Leah Mendoza, Irene London, Emily Meyer, Lauren Hamilton and Maggie Olson. The junior class includes Reagan Wilkerson, Sydney Hoffman, Ireland Avalos, Rylee Szyszka, Paige Taylor, Laila Greene, Fallon Freeman and Victoria Plumb. Lauren Gonzales and Gabriella Valencia make up the sophomore class, while freshmen Soraya Forbes and Bailey Morrison join the Warriors this season.

Stan State opens the 2026 season Aug. 27-29 at the Sunbird Classic in Fresno against Western Oregon, Hawai'i Hilo and Jessup before playing four matches Sept. 4-5 in Denton, Texas. The Warriors begin CCAA play Sept. 10 at Cal Poly Humboldt and will host a conference pod featuring San Francisco State and Cal State East Bay Sept. 24-26. Four of Stan State's final five regular season matches will be at Fitzpatrick Arena, concluding with Senior Day against Cal State San Marcos on Nov. 7.

The 2026 CCAA Volleyball Tournament begins Tuesday, Nov. 10, with three quarterfinal matches played at campus sites. The top seed receives a bye into the semifinals, which will be held Friday, Nov. 13, at Pioneer Gym on the campus of Cal State East Bay in Hayward. The CCAA Championship match is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14.

2026 CCAA VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

Rank	Team	Points
1	Cal Poly Pomona (9)	188
2	Cal State San Bernardino (1)	178
3	Cal State Los Angeles (2)	163
4	Fresno Pacific (2)	137
5	Stan State	134
6	San Francisco State	131
7	Cal State East Bay	130
8	Cal State Monterey Bay	82
9	Cal State San Marcos	74
10	Cal State Dominguez Hills	71
11	Chico State	70
12	Cal Poly Humboldt	46
T-13	UC Merced	33
T-13	Menlo	33

First-place votes in parentheses.