BEVERLY, Mass. - The 2026 Conference of New England (CNE) women’s volleyball season is ready to get underway as teams across the league return to the court with their sights set on the conference crown. Wentworth Institute of Technology enters the fall as the defending CNE champion after capturing the title a season ago, while the rest of the conference looks to make its push toward the top. With a new season ahead, the race for the 2026 CNE Championship is set to begin.

Curry College
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 10 | graduated: 3 | newcomers: 6)
2025 Results (5-20, 0-10 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: 11th place
 
The Colonels will be under new leadership this season, as Kiana Hernandez takes over as head coach after spending last year as an assistant coach. She inherits a team that last year won the program’s most games in five seasons.
 
The five top kill getters return this year, lead by Meghan Abbott and Morgan Kramer, both of whom eclipsed 100 kills last year. Also back is Jasmyne Filippini, the main setter for the Colonels. She had 345 set assists last season, the 6th most in program history.
 
The Colonels will look to start the season on a high note, as they host a tri-match on September 4th with Fisher and SUNY Canton.
 
Endicott College
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 16 | graduated: 3 | newcomers: 6)
2025 Results (17-12, 9-1 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: No. 3 seed, CNE Runner-Up
 
The Endicott women’s volleyball team opens up its 2026 season on the road against UMass-Dartmouth and Coast Guard on Friday, September 4 at 5/7 PM. Endicott brings back four All-Conference honorees including two-time CNE Player of the Year Hadley Helenbrook and All-Region honoree setter Hannah Maguire. Offensively, the Gulls return their top three kill leaders- Helenbrook, Ava Grace Dresback, and Angelina Fitzharris. Endicott will look to secure their 11th conference championship in program history after falling to Wentworth in last season’s championship match. The Blue and Green square off with six teams that competed in the NCAA Tournament last season.
 
Gordon College
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 11 | graduated: 3 | newcomers: 4)
2025 Results (22-9, 7-3 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: 4th place
 
Gordon returns 11 veterans for the 2026 season and adds four newcomers. The Fighting Scots finished last fall with a 22-9 overall record to go with a 7-3 mark in the Conference of New England while reaching the CNE Tournament semifinals.
 
Annika Schmitt collected All-CNE first team honors last season while Haley Hutzler claimed All-CNE second team accolades and Annie Zimmerman earned a spot on the All-CNE third team.
 
Led by second-year head coach Derek Schmitt, Gordon opens the 2026 campaign at home against Salem State September 1. The Fighting Scots begin Conference of New England competition September 23 at Curry.

Johnson & Wales University (Providence) Volleyball
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (graduated: 3 | newcomers: 9)
2025 Results (15-12, 5-5 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish:

JWU enters the 2026 women's volleyball season hoping to make it 12 consecutive winning seasons after finishing with a 15-12 mark last fall to earn the No. 5 seed in its first season in the Conference of New England. The Wildcats return a strong core, led by junior middle hitter Bailey Koopman, sophomore outside hitter Vivi Mansfield, junior outside hitter Nevaeh Arnold, and sophomore setter Sophia Santacroce. Mansfield led the team with 279 kills and was named CNE Rookie of the Year honors, while Koopman and Arnold will provide proven offensive and defensive production at the net. With a talented group of returners and promising newcomers, JWU will look to build on last season's playoff appearance while improving its consistency against the conference's top teams. If the Wildcats can replace key defensive departures and integrate their newcomers quickly, they have the potential to move up the CNE standings and make a deeper postseason run in 2026.

 
University of New England
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 12 | graduated: 3 | newcomers: 7)
2025 Results (12-13, 5-5 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: CNE 1st Round (#6 Seed)
 
The University of New England and 7th-year head coach Ian Blanchard return four starters from the 2025 edition of the program that went 5-5 in league action. Senior outside hitter Hannah Nowell was a third team all-conference selection a year ago, averaging 2.64 kills/set and 2.40 digs. Senior middle Kendall Gallaugher posted a team-high .268 hitting percentage, junior outside hitter Chloe Miracle was third-best in points (2.20) and digs (2.26), and junior setter Hayley Shult provided 6.53 assists along with 2.06 digs.
 
Sophomore middle Josie Eliot, sophomore defensive specialist Lylah Shumway, sophomore setter Abby Zamora, and more will be in the mix as well when the Nor'easters open 2026 on September 4 against Maine Maritime Academy.
 
 
Nichols College
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 7| graduated: 5 | newcomers: 11)
2025 Results (8-19, 2-8 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: 10th place
 
The Nichols College women's volleyball team enters the 2026 season looking to build on its 2025 campaign as head coach Caryn Sibiskie begins her second season at the helm. The Bison return seven players while welcoming 11 newcomers, bringing a young and talented group to Dudley.
 
Sophomore Alyssa Morse headlines the returning group after leading Nichols with 196 kills as a freshman while hitting .215. She also added 21 service aces and ranked second on the team with 258 digs. Junior Gabrielle McKayle returns after recording 23 blocks and 41 kills, while senior libero Elizabeth Mullen anchors the back row after totaling 320 digs, which ranked 10th in the CNE, along with 50 assists and 25 service aces.
 
The Bison's 11 newcomers include transfers Lauren Decoteau from Anna Maria College and Sabiya Esquivel from Pasadena City College, along with nine freshmen set to make their collegiate debuts.
 
The Bison open the 2026 campaign on Tuesday, September 1st, hosting Colby-Sawyer College at the Nichols Athletics Center at 6 p.m.
 
University of Hartford
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 9 | graduated: 2 | newcomers: 8)
2025 Results (7-16, 2-8 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats
 
The University of Hartford women’s volleyball team enters a new beginning in 2026 after Johan Dulfer was hired as the next head coach of the program on December 22nd of 2025. Dulfer brings more than two decades of collegiate coaching experience to Hartford, highlighted by success across multiple NCAA programs. Most recently, Dulfer served as head volleyball coach at Ithaca College from 2016- 2023, where he led the Bombers to eight consecutive NCAA Tournament selections. During his tenure, Ithaca would win back-to-back Liberty League championships in 2022 and 2023. Johan would also lead the Bombers into the sweet sixteen on three occasions in 2018, 2019, and 2023, an elite eight finish in 2018, and a final four appearance in 2017.
 
The Hawks finished 2025 with a 7-16 record and a 2-8 CNE record missing the postseason. Hartford will only have nine returners from last season while bringing in eight newcomers including two transfers.
 
The Hawks have 25 regular season matches on the schedule in 2026, with 15 taking place in Chase Arena. Hartford opens the season hosting the University of Saint Joseph on September 3rd with a 7:00 PM start time.
 
Roger Williams University
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 10 | graduated: 7 | newcomers: 7)
2025 Results (15-11, 9-1 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: No. 2 Seed, Lost in CNE Semifinals
 
After bowing out of the CNE Tournament as the No. 2 seed in 2025, the Hawks will look to return to the tournament in Head Coach Danielle Davis’ 11th season leading RWU. The Hawks graduated seven seniors from the 2025 roster.
 
The Hawks do return four of their six All-Conference honorees, while Davis is coming off of a coach of the year campaign.  Among the returners is Kaydence Fish (Bedford, N.H.) who was named to the second team after ranking second in the league in blocks per game.
 
Three Hawks return after being Third Team All-Conference honorees, with libero Marianna Hernandez (Norwalk, Conn.) along with Peyton Felix and Angela West, who each had productive offensive and defensive seasons in 2025.
 
RWU will open up their season on Sept. 1 at home against in-state rival Salve Regina.
 
 
SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 14 | graduated: 5 | newcomers: 8)
2025 Results (11-16, 5-5 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: Did not qualify
 
Suffolk women's volleyball enters 2026 with a new-look roster after graduating five players from last season's squad. The Rams return 14 players and welcome eight newcomers as they look to build a new identity and work their way back into the CNE Tournament after finishing 11-16 overall and 5-5 in conference play in 2025.
 
Emmy Thomander looks to build off an impressive rookie campaign in which she tallied 136 kills, 51 blocks and 26 digs. Alongside her is outside hitter Emily Norgrove, who produced 153 kills, 89 digs and 24 blocks to go with 18 service aces last season.
 
Kathy Mo returns in the libero position after leading the Rams defensively with 359 digs. Mo also contributed 56 assists in 2025 and will provide experience to a Suffolk squad looking to make its way back into the postseason.
 
The Rams open the 2026 season with a pair of road dates, beginning Friday, Sept. 4, against Farmingdale State at 3:00 p.m. Suffolk then heads to a tri-match the following day featuring Merchant Marine and St. Elizabeth, taking on Merchant Marine at 11:00 a.m. before facing St. Elizabeth at 1:00 p.m.
 
 
 
Wentworth Institute of Technology
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 19 | graduated: 3 | newcomers: 4)
2025 Results (23-5, 9-1 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: CNE Champions, NCAA First Round
Nick Baldecchi enters his fourth season at the helm of the program as the defending Conference of New England champions bring back 19 players from last year’s squad, including CNE Tournament Most Outstanding Players Emma Sanders. The Leopards will also see the return of 2025 All-CNE First Team selection Kate McLane and All-CNE Second Team Olivia Vaughn for their senior seasons. Adding to the offense is Ava Roccio, Elena Davenport and Kinsey Lutz, all returning for Wentworth.
Ainsley Gregson and Kate Koliopoulos will take over for last season’s CNE Libero of the Year, Amanda Zweifler, as defensive specialists. Sydnee Smith, two-time CNE Rookie of the Week, returns to provide setter depth for the Leopards. Wentworth also brings in four newcomers, eager to make their mark on the program.
The season opens on September 1 with a tri-match against Emmanuel and Emerson.
 
 
Western New England University
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 16 | graduated: 3 | newcomers: 4)
2025 Results (9-19, 2-8 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: Did not qualify
 
With plenty of underclassmen gaining experience in 2025, the Western New England women’s volleyball team will look to climb back into the top six in the Conference of New England standings this upcoming season, as 16 players return to the floor alongside four newcomers under fourth-year head coach Matt Lein.
 
Western New England’s top two outside hitters are set to lead the offense again this season, with rising junior Léa Barber (Bethany, Conn.) and rising sophomore Charlei Henkel (Centerton, Ark.) returning after emerging as two of the Golden Bears’ top offensive weapons during the 2025 campaign. Barber led WNE with 296 kills last season over 1,016 attack attempts, while posting a .122 hitting percentage from the floor. Henkel impressed in her first season as a Golden Bear, recording 218 kills on 748 attack attempts while picking up a .174 hitting percentage.
 
The Golden Bears relied on the duo of Deana Baez (Providence, R.I.) and Madison Stauss (Wallkill, N.Y.) to set up the offense last season, with Baez leading the way with 358 assists and Stauss recording 254. On defense, WNE saw both Barber (292) and Henkel (290) lead the way in digs, while returners Evelyn Taylor (Reading, Mass.), Lauren Chagnon (York, Maine), Katie Garland (Nashua, N.H.), Stauss, and Baez all recorded more than 100 digs last season.
 
Western New England opens the 2026 season with a match at Bard College on Tuesday, September 1 at 6:00 PM before traveling out west for three matches in California over Labor Day weekend.