NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Yale volleyball has been selected to finish second in the official Ivy League preseason poll, a vote comprised of 16 communication contacts and members of the media.

The Bulldogs finished second in the poll behind Princeton, receiving four first-place votes and 115 points overall. Cornell was picked third, followed by Brown, Penn, Harvard, Dartmouth and Columbia.

In 2025, the Bulldogs went 10-4 in the Ivy League and 15-9 overall, reaching the Ivy League Tournament Championship Game for the fourth-straight season. 

This year, Yale returns the reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year, outside hitter Ava Poinsett, along with First Team All-Ivy middle blocker Laurece Abraham, First Team All-Ivy right side hitter Betsy Goodenow, and Second-Team All-Ivy libero Arya Jue. 

Head coach Erin Appleman, the winningest active coach in the Ivy League and tied for No. 15 nationally, is two wins away from reaching the 400-win plateau. She will be the first Ivy coach to reach that mark since Princeton's Glenn Nelson. 

Yale opens the season at home against Hofstra on Friday, Sept. 4 at 6 p.m. and begins Ivy League play on the road against Brown on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 4 p.m.

2026 Ivy League Volleyball Preseason Poll

Predicted Order of Finish (First-Place Votes)

1. Princeton 122 (11)
2. Yale 115 (4)
3. Cornell 87
4. Brown 82 (1)
5. Penn 65
6. Harvard 49
7. Dartmouth 36
8. Columbia 20