Women's Volleyball

Bentley Leads NE10 Volleyball Programs Into 2026 Season

Falcons Earn Top Spot in Coaches' Poll

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Coming off its third consecutive East Region title and NCAA Division II quarterfinal appearance, Bentley has been chosen first in the Northeast 10 Conference Volleyball Coaches' Poll - as announced by the league office on Friday morning. 

Bentley received 80 points and eight first-place votes from opposing head coaches, leading all NE10 programs in the poll for the second straight season. Adelphi finished second with 72 points and two first-place votes, while AIC and SCSU - the other two NE10 Championship semifinalists from a year ago - took third and fourth, respectively. 

Bentley finished with a 27-5 record last season, which included a remarkable run of 23 victories in a row. The Falcons won their first NE10 Championship title since 2019 - and its conference-record 11th in program history. Bentley has advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals in each of the past three seasons with Joey Pacis, the reigning NE10 Sandy Hoffman Coach of the Year.

In 2025, Adelphi had its fourth straight season with at least 23 wins under head coach Danielle MacKnight. AIC finished as NE10 Championship finalist and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for a fifth consecutive year, while SCSU advanced to the NE10 Championship semifinals for the first time since 2022. 

Saint Anselm finished fifth in the poll, followed by Saint Michael's, Pace, Franklin Pierce, Assumption and SNHU. 

The 2026 NE10 season opens on Thursday, August 27th, with four teams in action - including Bentley hosting Grand Valley State in the Sandy Hoffman Memorial Tournament. All home games and conference games can be watched this season on NE10 NOW on FloSports. 

2026 NE10 Volleyball Coaches' Poll
Rank Team Votes (1st Place)
1 Bentley 80 (8)
2 Adelphi 72 (2)
3    AIC 66
4 SCSU 58
5 Saint Anselm 46
6 Saint Michael's 34
7 Pace 32
8 Franklin Pierce 30
9 Assumption 18
10 SNHU 14

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
 
Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season.  The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast 10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.