GRINNELL, Iowa – The Illinois College volleyball team was picked to tie for fourth place in the annual Midwest Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league announced today.
The Lady Blues are coming off a season in which they posted a 5-3 MWC record and a 10-21 overall record. IC qualified for the annual conference tournament for the sixth consecutive season.
IC will look to the returning seniors,
Riley Drake and Maddy Salisbury, to lead a young and talented Lady Blues squad in 2026.
Cornell – winners of 13 consecutive Midwest Conference titles and owners of a 114-2 MWC record since 2012 – was selected by the league's coaches to win the conference again.
Lawrence – the league runner-up a season ago – received three first-place votes and 75 total points to come in second. Grinnell was slotted third with 59 points, while Monmouth and IC each received 54 points to round out the top half of the poll.
Seven points separated the next three schools, as Luther (39 points), Ripon (36 points) and Lake Forest (32 points) came in sixth through eighth, respectively. Knox (14 points) and Beloit (8 points) finished out the poll.
MWC schools compete in a single-round robin format during the regular season. The team with the highest winning percentage will be crowned the league's Champion and earn the right to host the end-of-season tournament.
For the first time, the Midwest Conference Volleyball Tournament takes on an expanded format in 2026. The top six teams in the regular season standings will compete for the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. MWC Tournament quarterfinals are set for Tuesday, November 10, while the semifinals and final are scheduled for Friday and Saturday (November 13-14).
2026 MWC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll Results
1. Cornell College (7 first-place votes) - 79 points
2. Lawrence University (3) - 75 points
3. Grinnell College - 59 points
T4. Monmouth College - 54 points
T4. Illinois College - 54 points
6. Luther College - 39 points
7. Ripon College - 36 points
8. Lake Forest College - 32 points
9. Knox College - 14 points
10. Beloit College - 8 points
( ) – indicates first-place votes
