BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – With the collegiate volleyball season set to begin in one week, the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) released its annual women's volleyball preseason poll ahead of the upcoming year. The Geneva College women's volleyball team was picked to finish in 11^th place by coaches throughout the conference. Last year's champion, Grove City College, was selected as the top team in the conference heading into the fall.

Head coach Wendy Smith enters her 27^th season leading the Golden Tornadoes' program in 2026. She will attempt to lead the women in a rebounding effort this year after the team finished with a 5-24 overall record last season.

Smith's two most important weapons this year will be two seniors who were named Players to Watch by the PAC: middle hitter Daphne Alexander and right-side Katie Seboe. Alexander is coming off a career year in which she started all 29 matches and led the team with 203 kills on a career-best .241 hitting percentage. She was also the team leader in blocks last season with 32. Seboe, despite battling injuries for parts of 2025, ended the season with 97 kills and 18 blocks and is primed for a strong final year. Rounding out the senior class is middle hitter Gracyn Lee, who will be a valuable depth option for Geneva especially on the block.

Laura Goonewardene headlines the junior class for Geneva, entering the fall as the top setter on the roster after recording 5.18 assists per set as a sophomore. The two other juniors on the roster, outside hitters Madi DeRuiter and Tirzah George, are both returning to play after each missing the entire 2025 season due to injury.

All four members of the sophomore class look to play important roles on the team this year. Ruthie Land will provide valuable passing skill on the Golden Tornadoes' back line, and hitters Kendall Anderson and Rachel Baird will each have an opportunity to contribute at the pins. Middle hitter Amanda Mitan, who transferred to Geneva prior to the spring semester of last year, looks to slot into the starting rotation immediately.

Coach Smith has brought in a group of eight freshman to bolster the roster this year. Combined with the transfer Mitan, there are nine total newcomers, many of whom will likely see significant playing time early in the season.

The women begin their season with a road contest at Mount Aloysius on Tuesday, September 1, before traveling to Elmira for a weekend tournament starting September 4. The Golden Tornadoes' home opener will be against Penn State Shenango on September 9.

Through purposeful learning in a community reflecting the full spectrum of God's kingdom, a Geneva College experience inspires students to discover a faith-life calling in service to God and neighbor. Offering 195+ traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality and affordability. Geneva was founded and is governed by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) and is a founding member of both the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and the International Association for Christian Education (IACE).