KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) released the 2025-26 Men's Volleyball Preseason Poll Wednesday, tabbing Campbellsville University as the #9 team in the country.
The Tigers, led by Head Coach Alfonso Alvarez, enter the new year looking to build upon a dominant 2025 campaign that saw them compile a 23-8 overall record and a 14-2 mark in River States Conference play. Campbellsville earned 48 points in the national poll, solidifying their status as a top-10 contender. Defending national champion The Master's (Calif.) topped the poll with all first-place votes, followed by Saint Xavier (Ill.) and St. Thomas (Fla.).
Campbellsville's ranking sets the stage for a highly competitive race within the conference, as rival Georgetown College (Ky.) enters the season ranked #4.
The Tigers boast a veteran-laden roster for the 2026 campaign, returning the majority of their offensive production. Sophomore outside hitter Ayoube Hamadache returns after leading the team with 298 kills (3.10 per set) last season, alongside junior outside hitter Denzel Madrigal, who tallied 287 kills. Junior setter Alonzo Vega is back to quarterback the attack after a prolific junior year where he recorded 1,019 assists, averaging over 10 assists per set.
Defensively, the Tigers will look to senior David Barcan and sophomore Andrew Ovalle to maintain the standard set in 2025, where the team held opponents to a .205 hitting percentage.
The #9 Tigers open their season this Friday, January 23, inside Gosser Gymnasium when they host Truett McConnell University at 12 p.m. ET, kicking off a weekend long pod.
| RANK |
INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES] |
2025 RECORD |
POINTS |
| 1 |
 The Master's (Calif.) [6] |
27-0 |
100 |
| 2 |
 Saint Xavier (Ill.) |
31-1 |
95 |
| 3 |
 St. Thomas (Fla.) |
25-2 |
89 |
| 4 |
 Georgetown (Ky.) |
24-5 |
74 |
| 5 |
 Missouri Valley (Mo.) |
22-5 |
73 |
| 6 |
 Missouri Baptist |
27-6 |
65 |
| 7 |
 Lawrence Tech (Mich.) |
27-3 |
64 |
| 8 |
 Park (Mo.) |
20-7 |
62 |
| 9 |
 Campbellsville (Ky.) |
23-8 |
48 |
| 10 |
 Benedictine Mesa (Ariz.) |
18-7 |
38 |
| 11 |
 Grand View (Iowa) |
19-8 |
35 |
| 12 |
 Hope International (Calif.) |
16-8 |
32 |
| 12 |
 Mount Mercy (Iowa) |
22-8 |
32 |
| 14 |
 Westcliff (Calif.) |
17-5 |
30 |
| 15 |
 William Penn (Iowa) |
16-11 |
20 |
Receiving Votes: Cornerstone (Mich.) 12, OUAZ (Ariz.) 11, Webber International (Fla.) 11, Governors State (Ill.) 9, Indiana Tech 8, Bethel (Ind.) 7, Lourdes (Ohio) 6, Reinhardt (Ga.) 6, Cumberland (Tenn.) 3
