DALLAS – WKU was selected as the 2026 preseason favorite in Conference USA by the league’s 10 head coaches. WKU’s outside hitter Alivia Skidmore was chosen as the CUSA Preseason Player of the Year.
WKU, the 2025 CUSA Champions, earned nine first-place votes with a total score of 81 after finishing last season with a 27-6 overall mark and a 15-1 league record. The Hilltoppers enter the season receiving votes in the preseason AVCA poll, marking the 17th-staight season that WKU has either received votes or been ranked.
Liberty (20-10, 8-8 CUSA) was picked to finish second in the league with one first-place vote and a total score of 67 as the Flames return majority of their point production from last season. Kennesaw State (19-9, 12-4 CUSA) and NM State (14-16, 7-9 CUSA) tied for third in the preseason poll.
Skidmore, a junior at WKU, was selected as the CUSA Preseason Player of the Year. The 2025 CUSA First Team All-Conference member, CUSA All-Tournament Team and AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention competed in all 33 matches and led the Hilltoppers with 369 kills for an average of 3.42 per set and a .294 hitting percentage. The Florence, Ky., native finished fourth in CUSA in kills per set (3.62), sixth in points (204) and ninth in hitting percentage (.313.). During the 2025 CUSA Championship match against FIU, Skidmore logged a career-high 25 kills with a .400 hitting clip.
CUSA teams will compete in a single division this season with the top eight teams qualifying for the 2026 CUSA Volleyball Championship. WKU will host the single-elimination tournament November 20-22 in Bowling Green, Ky.
2026 CUSA Preseason Player of the Year
Alivia Skidmore, WKU
2026 CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team
|
Pos.
|
Name, School
|
Year
|
Hometown
|
|
OH
|
Jillian Huckabey, FIU
|
Jr.
|
Olathe, Kan.
|
|
MB
|
Olivia Burrage, Kennesaw State
|
5th
|
Jefferson, Ga.
|
|
OH
|
Carly O’Brien, Liberty
|
Jr.
|
Pauline, S.C.
|
|
OH
|
Jenna Otts, Liberty
|
Sr.
|
Saint Johns, Fla.
|
|
OPP
|
Paige Overcash, Liberty
|
Jr.
|
Warrensville, N.C.
|
|
S/OPP
|
Hannah Gardner, Missouri State
|
So.
|
Springfield, Mo.
|
|
OH
|
Maggie Lightheart, NM State
|
Sr.
|
Las Cruces, N.M.
|
|
L
|
Tayler Baron, WKU
|
Jr.
|
Lascassas, Tenn.
|
|
OPP
|
Kaira Knox, WKU
|
So.
|
Nolensville, Tenn.
|
|
OH
|
Alivia Skidmore, WKU
|
Jr.
|
Florence, Ky.
|
|
MB
|
Izzy Van De Wiele, WKU
|
Sr.
|
Bettendorf, Iowa
|
|
MB
|
Faith Young, WKU
|
Jr.
|
Harrison, Ohio
|
2026 Preseason Poll
|
Rank
|
School (first-place votes)
|
Total
|
|
1.
|
WKU (9)
|
81
|
|
2.
|
Liberty (1)
|
67
|
|
T-3.
|
Kennesaw State
|
57
|
|
T-3.
|
NM State
|
57
|
|
5.
|
FIU
|
52
|
|
6.
|
Missouri State
|
43
|
|
7.
|
Delaware
|
40
|
|
T-8.
|
Jax State
|
18
|
|
T-8.
|
MTSU
|
18
|
|
10.
|
Sam Houston
|
17
|