KANSAS CITY, Mo.- The MIAA announced its 2026 Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll on Monday morning. Washburn and Nebraska Kearney tied for the top spot, with Washburn tabbing five first place points and Nebraska Kearney tabbing four first place votes (both scoring 134 total points). The Jets tallied 23 points total, taking the 12th spot in the coaches poll. 

2026 MIAA VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
T1. Washburn [5] – 134 points
T1. Nebraska Kearney [4] – 134 points
3. Missouri Western [2] – 123 points
4. Emporia State [2] – 107 points 
5. Central Oklahoma – 104 points
6. Central Missouri – 90 points
7. Pittsburg State – 81 points
8. Fort Hays State – 63 points
9. Northwest Missouri – 57 points
10. Missouri Southern – 46 points
11. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 40 points
12. Newman – 23 points
13. Northeastern State – 12 points 
[#] - First Place Votes

Head Coach Tori Provencio enters her first season leading Jets Volleyball after spending the 2025 season as an assistant coach at Butler Community College, where she helped the Grizzlies to a 20-12 record and five All-KJCCC selections. Prior to Butler, Provencio spent nine seasons at Hutchinson Community College, helping the Blue Dragons to two Jayhawk West Championships and two Region 6 titles. During her time at Hutch, she coached three NJCAA All-Americans and 39 All-KJCCC honorees.

The Jets return five key contributors from last season in Madalyn Hoot, Isabella Lamb, Hannah Tymitz, Avery Kelley, and Sky Miller. Hoot led Newman with 757 assists and averaged 8.41 assists per set, while Lamb totaled 213 kills and a team-best 2.64 hitting percentage. Tymitz recorded 230 kills, averaging 2.56 kills per set, while Kelley added 103 kills and 52 digs. Miller led the Jets with 256 kills and 37 service aces. 

The team welcomes eight transfers for the 2026 season, including several key junior college additions. Kierny Follmer joins from Hutchinson Community College after recording 181 kills and 65 blocks in 2025, while Reese Daugherty comes from Johnson County Community College after helping JCCC to a 25-9 record, Region 6/District Championship and NJCAA Division II National Tournament berth. MaddyLynn Shumway joins from Northeastern Junior College after recording 254 digs and helping NJC to a third-place finish at the 2025 NJCAA National Tournament. Fellow Northeastern transfer Ashlyn Warburton also joins the Jets, along with Sophia Neihouse (Butler CC), Natalie Martinez (Pratt CC), and Priscilla Raschen (Hutch CC).

Jets Volleyball opens the 2026 season on August 28 at the Drury Invitational before continuing non-conference tournament play at Cameron and Truman State. The Jets will make their home debut on September 8 against Emporia State (non-conference game), before opening MIAA play on the road against Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western. Newman will also face Oklahoma Christian and Northwestern Oklahoma State in a pair of non-conference matchups outside of tournament play.

The Jets open their home conference slate September 25-26 against Missouri Southern and Central Missouri before hosting the MIAA In-Season Tournament in October. Newman will face Northeastern State and Pittsburg State during the tournament, which will also feature a neutral-site matchup between the Riverhawks and Gorillas. The Jets will close out their home schedule October 24 against Fort Hays State on Senior Day before wrapping up the regular season on the road at Emporia State and Pittsburg State.

The top eight teams from the regular season advance to the 2026 MIAA Volleyball Championship.