LOCK HAVEN, Pa.- The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) released its volleyball preseason coaches poll on Thursday afternoon, and West Chester was picked to finish fifth in the PSAC East after returning to the PSAC Tournament for the first time since 2022 last fall.
West Chester heads into 2026 after a resurgent 2025 campaign, which saw the team finish a win shy of the 20-win mark at 19-10 overall, while going 7-7 in league play, which was enough to qualify for the PSAC Tournament for the first time since 2022. Led by a trio of All-Conference selections in
Zoe Haines,
Abiah Lane, and Lacey Brown, who all walked across the stage last Spring, West Chester earned the fourth seed in the PSAC Tournament and made the trek across the state to take on Gannon in the PSAC Quarterfinals, eventually falling to the Golden Knights to bring the 2025 season to a close.
Shippensburg, who received five first-place votes, is the preseason favorite in the East, followed by Shepherd and East Stroudsburg with two and one first-place vote, respectively. Kutztown was picked fourth, followed by West Chester, Lock Haven, Bloomsburg, and Millersville to round out the preseason poll.
Gannon is the unanimous favorite in the PSAC West as the Golden Knights received all seven available first-place votes, followed by IUP, Pitt-Johnstown, Clarion, and California to round out the top five. Seton Hill, Edinboro, and Slippery Rock completed the Western Division poll.
West Chester opened camp on Monday morning in preparation for its season opener on Friday, August 28, at home against Caldwell, beginning at 1 p.m., before hosting Lincoln later that afternoon as part of the PSAC East Kickoff Tournament in Hollinger Field House on opening weekend.
