Nebraska Tops Volleyball's Preseason Poll as Two $1 Million Events Loom
By faNILy Team ·
Football gets the August headlines, but some of the first big college events of the fall belong to women's volleyball. The AVCA preseason coaches poll is out, and two million-dollar events are on the calendar for the season's opening week.
Nebraska on top again
Nebraska starts 2026 at No. 1 in the AVCA preseason coaches poll, with 57 first-place votes, according to Sports Illustrated. Texas is No. 2 and Kentucky is No. 3.
The Huskers went 33-1 last season before falling to Texas A&M in the NCAA Tournament's Lincoln Regional Final. SI noted it's Nebraska's third preseason No. 1 ranking in the past five years, joining 2025 and 2022, and that the program holds the record for most weeks ranked No. 1 in AVCA history.
A schedule with no warmup
SI reported Nebraska has 11 regular-season matches against preseason top-25 teams, including four ranked in the top 10. The season starts August 27 against No. 17 Florida in Arlington, Texas, followed by the Players Era Showcase in Las Vegas with a matchup against No. 2 Texas.
Volleyball's big-stage moment
Those two late-August events are a story of their own. According to the Associated Press, the Players Era Volleyball Showcase at T-Mobile Arena on August 29-30 will offer $1 million in NIL opportunities, with Nebraska, UNLV, Texas, and TCU in the field. It's the second volleyball event that week with $1 million on the line, following Spikes Under the Lights at AT&T Stadium on August 27, which features Nebraska, Florida, Penn State, and SMU.
There's one key difference. The AP reported the Spikes matches are exhibitions, while the Las Vegas matches count toward the regular season.
Players Era CEO Seth Berger called NCAA women's volleyball "one of the fastest growing sports in the country, with record ratings and surging attendance."
Why fans should pay attention early
Volleyball's regular season is short and packed, and a lot of the action happens before football fans have even settled in. Big neutral-site events in NFL stadiums and Las Vegas arenas are a sign organizers think the audience is there.
That makes August the best time to start following players you want to keep up with. Learn the names on the preseason lists, follow them on social, and catch a match early. By the time conference play starts, you'll know the story, and you'll have a reason to care about every set.
Dates to save
- Aug. 27: Spikes Under the Lights, AT&T Stadium, Arlington
- Aug. 29: Players Era: Nebraska vs. UNLV; Texas vs. TCU
- Aug. 30: Players Era: Nebraska vs. Texas; TCU vs. UNLV