The 2025 Point Loma volleyball team had their finest season in school history, sharing the PacWest title, winning the NCAA West Region crown and advancing all the way to the NCAA Final Four.

This Fall, the PacWest coaches see more success for the Sea Lions, selecting them to win the 2026 conference crown in the annual preseason poll.  

Point Loma earned 95 poll points and seven first-place votes, with Chaminade next with 89 points and a pair of first place nods. Hawai`i Hilo is third with 77 points and a first place vote, followed by Biola with 70 points. 

Point Loma lost to graduation Abigail Nua, one of the best players in school and conference history. But they return First Team All-PacWest setter Sophia Baugh and Second Team All-Conference outside hitter Saren Rogers. In all, head coach Jonathan Scott (13th season) returns 12 players off that banner team, and adds Texas A&M-Texarkana outside hitter Kaitlyn Cabral, a First Team All-Red River Athletic Conference selection, who averaged 3.46 kills per set.

The Sea Lions finished 28-5 last year and were 11-1 in PacWest play, tying Fresno Pacific for the conference title. PLNU beat FPU in the final regular season match, lost to the Sunbirds in five sets in the PacWest title match and won four matches in NCAA postseason play before falling to perennial power Concordia-St. Paul in the NCAA semi's.

No stranger to volleyball success in the PacWest is the No. 2 preseason team, Chaminade. Head coach Kahala Kabalis Hoke (15th season) returns 12 players off a squad that went 9-3 in PacWest play last year, including all-conference selections Tabby Allen and Reina Krueger, along with PacWest Co-Freshman of the Year Lillie Hinton. The Silverswords also have four transfers on the roster, including three from the Division I level. 

Hawai`i Hilo made the PacWest tournament a year ago, under first-year coach Reed Sunihara. The Vulcans went 9-3 in conference play and 20-9 overall and return starters Alohi Garcia (OH, Sr.), LC Nakagawa (L, Sr.), and Chase Koepke (MB/OPP, Sr.). Like Chaminade, Hawaii Hilo also signed four transfers to go with seven returning players. 

The conference will get a sneak peak at Chaminade and Hawaii Hilo this week when the Vulcans host the Hawai`i-Alaska Challenge, Thursday through Saturday, taking on Alaska Fairbanks and Alaska Anchorage.

Biola snagged the fourth spot in the preseason poll. The Eagles, under third-year coach Brian Fallinger, went 7-5 in PacWest play in 2025 and 17-10 overall. Fallinger welcomes back 14 returnees including Second Team All-PacWest setter Hannah Hanson along with three underclass transfers. 

Concordia is fifth with 59 poll points. The Golden Eagles, under third-year head coach Eryn Leja-Martin, have an impressive three returning all-conference players in Kayden Croy (Sr., OH, 2nd Team All-PacWest); Delaney Gregg (Jr., MB, Second Team All-PacWest); and Emma Wegleitner (R-Jr., OH, 2nd Team All-PacWest). Leja-Martin has 14 returnees overall.

Vanguard, who will host the 2026 PacWest Championships on November 13-14 in Costa Mesa, is sixth in the preseason poll with 50 poll points. Head coach JP Dorn (tenth season) has four starters back including Second Team All-PacWest pick Kayla Robinson. The Lions went 18-8 overall last year and were an even 6-6 in conference play.

Westmont is next (42 poll points). The Warriors lead the way with seven returning starters and 14 returnees overall. Head coach Ruth McGolpin (seventh season) led her team to a 6-6 PacWest record in 2025 and a 12-14 overall record.

Hawaii Pacific is eighth (30 poll points). Head coach Jenic Tumaneng (tenth season) has 12 returnees, including six with starting experience. Five in that group are seniors or grad players. Additionally, Tumaneng signed six transfers. Jessup is next (21). First-year coach and former Warrior player Taylor Jacky is starting anew (no returning starters) but does have six returning players and a pair of transfers to work with. Dominican follows (17). Head coach Tim Loesch (3rd season) has six starters back and ten letterwinners returning. 

After the Vulcans and Silverswords get the action kicked-off this week, the rest of the PacWest will open 2026 the following week (Aug. 27-29) at tournaments hosted by CSU San Bernardino, Central Washington, Dallas Baptist, Fresno Pacific and CSU Monterey Bay. PacWest play begins the week of September 9-12, with each squad playing a home-and-home slate of 18 matches.