Newtown, Pa. (Women's Volleyball) - The Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom coaches have released their preseason poll ahead of the 2026 women's volleyball season, and defending conference champion Stevens is the favorite to keep its run going.
Stevens claimed seven of the nine possible first-place votes and totaled 63 points to top the preseason poll. The Ducks enter the season looking to defend a fifth straight MAC Freedom title, won last November in a five-set thriller at Misericordia's Anderson Center.
Misericordia was picked second with 56 points and two first-place votes, followed by DeSales in third with 51 points. Lebanon Valley rounds out the top four at 44 points, with Arcadia fifth at 35.
The full preseason order: Stevens (63 points, 7 first-place votes), Misericordia (56, 2), DeSales (51), Lebanon Valley (44), Arcadia (35), Marywood (25), FDU-Florham (24), King's (17) and Delaware Valley (9).
2026 MAC Freedom Season Preview
Stevens enters the fall as the favorite to make it six straight MAC Freedom titles after a dramatic five-set win over Misericordia in last year's championship match. The Ducks will need to replace First Team middle hitter Vivian Lisboa, a graduated senior, but return 2025 MAC Freedom Rookie of the Year Alyssa O'Neal, an outside hitter who ranked among the conference's kills leaders as a true freshman and now heads into her sophomore season. Second Team returners Ella Boland and Sarah Bolduc, both sophomores heading into their junior seasons, along with Honorable Mention setter Molly Harris, a junior-turned-senior, give Stevens plenty of continuity after last year's title run.
Misericordia enters as the closest challenger after falling just short in a heartbreaking five-set championship loss. The Cougars will need to replace reigning back-to-back MAC Freedom Player of the Year Jenna Schuda and Second Team outside hitter Meghan Peters, both graduated seniors, but return the reigning MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Year in sophomore-turned-junior middle hitter Keira McCaffrey, along with Honorable Mention junior-turned-senior outside hitter Cassandra Genduso. Head coach Colleen Stengel, last year's Coach of the Year in just her second season with the program, will look to build the Cougars' next title push around that returning core.
DeSales and Lebanon Valley sit right behind at three and four. DeSales returns First Team sophomore-turned-junior pieces in libero Kylie Campbell and outside hitter Allison Reimer, giving the Bulldogs one of the more complete First Team tandems in the league. Lebanon Valley brings back Second Team sophomore-turned-junior libero Kylie Nagle and outside hitter Jillian Jefferys after a 12-15 season that still reached the tournament field.
Further down the poll, Marywood, FDU-Florham, King's and Delaware Valley will be looking to climb into postseason position. FDU-Florham returns Honorable Mention sophomore-turned-junior setter Amaya Ocasio after a share of sixth place a year ago.
2025 MAC Freedom Championship Notes
Misericordia entered the 2025 MAC Freedom Tournament as the No. 1 seed after a perfect 7-0 run through conference play and reached the championship match for the second straight year, hosting the title game for the first time in program history. But Stevens, the No. 2 seed, rallied from a two-sets-to-one deficit to win the final two sets — including a 15-13 fifth-set thriller — and claim a fifth straight MAC Freedom title. Meghan Peters led Misericordia with 18 kills and Keira McCaffrey added 15, while Jenna Schuda finished with 46 assists and 12 digs in the loss. The result sent Stevens to the NCAA Division III Tournament with the conference's automatic bid.
2026 Postseason Schedule
The MAC Freedom is expanding its postseason field to five teams for 2026, adding a play-in game between the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds ahead of the semifinals.
- Play-in game (No. 4 vs. No. 5): November 10, 2026
- Semifinals: November 12, 2026
- Championship: November 14, 2026