ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany women's volleyball team opens the 2026 season at the Black Knight Invitational on Saturday, August 29, playing Iowa at 3:00 p.m. and Sacred Heart at 7:00 p.m. in West Point, New York. The Great Danes will finish out their opening tournament with a 2:00 p.m. match-up against the host, Army, on Sunday.
 
SEASON GOALS
UAlbany aims to win its first America East tournament title since 2019 and the eighth in program history, while pushing for the program's 11th America East regular-season crown.
 
"We are looking to play our best volleyball at the end of the year," said head coach Josh Pickard. "We have a great group who has been competing every day in the gym and I'm excited to get out there and see them learn and grow." 
 
2025 REVIEW
UAlbany finished 14-12 overall and 6-4 in America East play. The Great Danes clinched an America East tournament berth with a third-place conference finish, then swept second-seeded Bryant in the semifinals to reach the championship match. UAlbany fell to the host, UMBC, 3-1, in the final, but the team battled as each set was a close finish with two of the four sets going into extra points. Individually, the Great Danes say goodbye to phenomenal key starters that helped make the 2025 postseason push, including OH Shynelle Woroniuk, S Maria Olga Siapani and MB Gabriella Karman. Woroniuk earned First Team All-Conference and All-Academic Team, and surpassed 1,000 career kills against Binghamton. Siapani was recognized as the America East Setter of the Year and earned First Team All-Conference honors, posting 15 double-doubles and leading the conference in assists per set (9.26) and total assists (852). Karman earned Second Team All-Conference honors. 
 
THE SQUAD
Having graduated nearly all starters, the returners for the Great Danes will be significant players in getting UAlbany back in the postseason. Key contributors, MB Campbell Robinson, DS/L Kiki Provatas, and DS/L Kasia Barletta are back for the 2026 season. Returning players OH Sophie Burkey, OH Duri Harden, and OH Nia Gibson will also be players to watch. Newcomers include transfers OH Pinar Erol and S/OH Madison Hess, as well as freshmen Addy Bianchini, Lily Lott, Madison Kyle, and Nil Özer.
 
AMERICA EAST PRESEASON POLL AND TEAM
Reigning 2025 America East Champion, UMBC, was unanimously selected to finish first in the conference. Bryant collected UMBC's first-place vote to earn second while Binghamton took third. The Great Danes were voted to round out the top four.
 
America East Preseason Coaches' Poll

1. UMBC - 25 (5)
2. Bryant - 20 (1)
3. Binghamton - 16
4. UAlbany - 12
5. New Hampshire - 11
6. Bryant - 6

 
America East Preseason All-Conference
Jalynn Brown - OH - UMBC
Lucy Chertock - OH - New Hampshire
Maya Coblentz-Brown - RS - Binghamton
Victoria Dimitrova - RS - Binghamton
Rachel Grier - MB - New Hampshire
Hannah Howard - DS/L - UMBC
Madison Koeller - S - Bryant
Brookelyn Talmadge - MB - Bryant
 
SCHEDULE OVERVIEW
The Great Danes are set to open the season at Army's Black Knight Invitational before competing in an additional three tournaments. September will see the Cornell Invitational (Sept. 4-5) in Ithaca, New York, as well as a trip to Colgate (Sept. 11-13) and Purdue (Sept. 17-18) for their respective tournament weekends. 
 
UAlbany will open the conference season at home against UMBC (Sept. 25) and will continue their home-opening weekend against FDU (Sept. 27). The remaining home schedule will include conference games against New Hampshire, NJIT, Binghamton, and Bryant.
 
HOW TO WATCH
All UAlbany home matches will be streamed live on AE.TV, available to fans worldwide, including international viewers. Streaming links for each match can be found on the UAlbany volleyball schedule page.
 
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