ALLENDALE, MICH. – The Grand Valley State women's volleyball team was selected to finish second in the GLIAC preseason coaches' poll. The Lakers received two first-place votes and totaled 90 points.
 
Ferris State led the way in the poll, garnering the remaining nine first-place votes to earn 99 total points. Following the Lakers were Wayne State, Northern Michigan, and Parkside to round out the top five. Davenport was sixth, with Michigan Tech, Purdue Northwest, SVSU, LSSU, and Roosevelt behind them.
 
The Lakers are coming off a 19-9 campaign a season ago, finishing fourth in the conference and advancing to the tournament semifinals. Four seniors graduated off last year's team, replaced by four freshman and one transfer.
 
Returning for head coach Jason Johnson are All-GLIAC performers Brianna Stawski, Kennedy Arp, Paige Sanders, and Kate Goudreau. Also back are setter Gabby Orlet, who earned two GLIAC Setter of the Week awards, as well as libero Lexi Armstrong, and outside hitters Grace Busold and Sara Pahl.
 
GVSU begins their season this weekend out in Massachusetts, playing in the Bentley Tournament. The Lakers will play games against host Bentley on Thursday, then take on Barry and Lynn on Friday, before closing out with a Saturday match against Central Missouri.


2026 GLIAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll

1 Ferris State			99 (9)
2 Grand Valley State			90 (2)
3 Wayne State			78
4 Northern Michigan			73
5 Parkside			69
6 Davenport			52
7 Michigan Tech			49
8 Purdue Northwest			34
9 Saginaw Valley State			32
10 Lake Superior State			16
11 Roosevelt			13