BURNSVILLE, Minn. – The University of Sioux Falls Volleyball team has been selected to finish fifth in the 2026 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the conference office today. Sophomore middle blocker Ella Walker was also recognized as the Cougars' Player to Watch entering the 2026 campaign.
USF received 158 points in the preseason poll, finishing just behind fourth-place Southwest Minnesota State and ahead of Minnesota State with 168 points. Concordia-St. Paul claimed the top spot with 220 points and 11 first-place votes, followed by Wayne State (207) and St. Cloud State (199).
Head coach Dan Mathews believes this year's squad is ready to embrace a new chapter after graduating four starters from last season's team.
"We graduated four starters from our 2025 team, so this year represents a passing of the torch to a younger group," said Mathews. "I expect that the competitiveness in our gym will be reinvigorated as we seek to find our identity. I am excited about the new energy these players will bring to the court. I look forward to the challenge of preparing them to perform at a high level against an excellent conference."
Walker enters the season after emerging as one of the NSIC's premier middle blockers during her redshirt freshman campaign. She earned First Team All-NSIC honors after appearing in all 30 matches and totaling 230 kills while hitting an impressive .408. The Duluth, Minnesota native also recorded 98 total blocks, including 21 solo blocks, while posting 10 matches with double-digit kills.
Her breakout season included a career-high 14 kills and 17 points in a victory over then-No. 14 Minnesota Duluth, while she also collected a season-best eight blocks against Montevallo. Walker was twice named the Dave & Buster's USF Athlete of the Week during the 2025 season.
Mathews believes Walker's impact extends well beyond the stat sheet.
"Ella comes to every practice with a smile on her face and shows up to every match with an expectation of excellence," Mathews said. "She has an old-school mindset about hard work, a blue-collar attitude about training, and a chip on her shoulder to prove something. She embodies the team culture we are seeking to create, and she has been a leader on our team since the moment she arrived on campus. She is exciting to watch because her athleticism is off the charts and her enthusiasm on the court is unmatched."
New this season, the NSIC Network is powered by Midco Sports Plus, providing fans with live and on-demand streaming access to every home regular season conference and non-conference volleyball match, along with NSIC championship events.
Sioux Falls opens the 2026 season at the CSU-Monterey Bay Tournament against Northwest Nazarene, before returning to the Stewart Center to host the USF Volleyball Classic presented by KAJ Hospitality September 3-5.
SINGLE GAME & SEASON TICKETS
Single game tickets are now available for the 2026 season. Upon purchase, fans will receive an order confirmation via email. Tickets will be accessible through their online account, and fans are encouraged to download and save tickets to their Apple Wallet or Google Wallet for the most efficient entry on gameday.
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