DETROIT -- For the second year in a row, the Wayne State University volleyball team was picked to finish third out of 11 schools in the 2026 GLIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll as announced on Monday by the league office.  WSU, the league's defending Regluar-Season and Tournament Champion, has now been selected that high overall three times in the previous five seasons.

The top five squads in the poll consisted of Ferris State (99 points, nine first-place nods), Grand Valley State (90 points, two first-place votes), the Warriors (78 points), Northern Michigan (73 points), and Parkside (69 points).  The entire poll can be found below:

1. Ferris State - 99 (9)
2. Grand Valley State - 90 (2)
3. Wayne State - 78
4. Northern Michigan - 73
5. Parkside - 69
6. Davenport - 52
7. Michigan Tech - 49
8. Purdue Northwest - 34
9. Saginaw Valley State - 32
10. Lake Superior State - 16
11. Roosevelt - 13

SEASON PREVIEW - HEAD COACH
Tim Koth, the now three-time GLIAC Coach of the Year (twice at WSU), returned for his 13th season at the helm of WSU in the fall of 2026.  With the Green and Gold, Koth ows a record of 179-149 (.546 winning percentage), which includes a conference mark of 108-88 (.551).  Not only will Koth look to lead the Warriors to the GLIAC Tournament for the third straight campaign, but the 2025 Regular-Season Champion hopes to repeat as Tournament Champion after the first such feat in program history a season ago.  That installment of the Warriors went 24-6 overall, including 13-3 in conference action, and made their fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

ROSTER
Wayne State's roster of 18 student-athletes features 13 returners and five newcomers, all of which are true freshmen.  Maybe most importantly, WSU returns 2025 AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, 2025 GLIAC Setter of the Year (first in school history) and three-time All-GLIAC performer, senior Kayla Dulgar (Warsaw, Ohio / River View).  Since joining the program in the fall of 2023, Dulgar has played (and started) in every single one of Wayne State's 86 matches.  Ranking fifth all-time in assists for a career with 3,313, the team captain needs just 785 more assists to take over sole possession of third place in the Warrior record book.

Also back are senior outside hitter Paige Giehtbrock (Clarkston, Mich. [Rider]), who paced the Green and Gold in attack attempts in 2025 with 1,007, as well as the 2025 GLIAC Freshman of the Year and Honorable Mention All-GLIAC honoree in sophomore middle blocker Katerina Stout (Macomb, Mich. / Dakota).  For the campaign as a whole, Stout tied Kayla Giroux for the team lead and ranked 44th nationally for blocks per set (1.10) as well as 38th in the country for total stops (119; 19 solo and 100 assisted), second on the squad to Giroux's 124.

Setter - 3
Dulgar
Abby Baushke - R-Fr. (Decatur, Mich.)
Abby Parrish - Fr. (Chesterton, Ind.)

Defensive Specialist/Libero - 3
Marley Onken - So. (Portage, Mich. / Portage Northern)
Giselle Burlingame - Fr. (Northville, Mich.)
Bryn Mullins - Fr. (Port Huron, Mich.)

Outside Hitter/Opposite - 9
Giehtbrock
Katie Smith - Sr. (Macomb, Mich. / Utica Eisenhower)
Aubree Garcia - R-Jr. (Mount Pleasant, Mich.)
Saige Martin - Jr. (Westphalia, Mich. / Pewamo-Westphalia)
Kyleigh Weck - Jr. (Hersey, Mich. / Reed City)
Lauren Essenpreis - So. (Amherstburg, Ont. / North Star S.S.)
Amelia Kloss - So. (Chesterfield, Mich. / Anchor Bay)
Alina Ike - R-Fr. (Grand Blanc, Mich.)
Skyye Frailey - Fr. (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Troy Athens)

Middle Blocker - 3
Nicole Dupre - Jr. (Lake Mary, Fla. / Seminole)
Stout
Doga Muhtaroglu - Fr. (Izmir, Turkey / Okyanus Koleji)

SCHEDULE
The Warriors are set to play a total of 27 regular-season matches, including 23 against Midwest Region opponents, 16 as part of GLIAC action and 12 at home inside the Matthaei Center.

"The 2026 schedule is loaded with great competition," said head coach Tim Koth.  "Opening with the Warrior Invitational, we will see several strong in-region opponents to start the year. The second weekend will see the Warriors compete against nationally competitive teams at the Gannon Invitational.  The GLIAC will once again be fiercely competitive with all the traditionally strong programs looking great, and several others ready to take a big jump.  No match will be easy in 2026, which makes for great excitement when fans come to watch the Warriors."

The fall campaign kicks off on August 28-29 with four matches in two days as part of the 11th installment of the Warrior Invitational (WSU has gone 27-8 in the previous 10) inside the Matthaei.  Wayne State will see Quincy and Hillsdale on Friday before facing Northwood and IUP on day two.  Then, WSU will continue its non-conference slate with four opponents at the Gannon Invitational on Friday-Saturday, September 4-5.  In Erie, Pa., the Warriors will be opposite Eckerd and the host Golden Knights on Friday before Clarion and Malone the following Saturday.

GLIAC wise, Wayne State will face the following teams twice including once at home and once on the road:  Grand Valley State, Ferris State, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, Roosevelt, and Parkside.  The Warriors will have just one regular-season meeting against Saginaw Valley State (home), Lake Superior State (away), Davenport (home), and Purdue Northwest (away).  Those 16 league dates will sandwich WSU's three matches as part of the Midwest Regional Crossover in Hammond, Ind. on October 16-17.

Following the conclusion of the regular season on Nov. 7 at home against UWP, the league's top four seeds will host a GLIAC Tournament quarterfinal contest on Nov. 11 with the winners advancing to the weekend. The top remaining seed will host the two semifinal matchups and the title match on Nov. 14-15.