Explore every episode of the podcast SummitVBFan | Covering Summit League Volleyball

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O0V_NwwW_M In this episode: the evolution of Summit League volleyball, five-year program trends, returning award winners, the setters setting the standard, impact transfers, freshmen to watch, a comparison of the non-conference schedules, 25 opportunities against Top 100 opponents, and my goals for the 2026 Summit League volleyball season. Also, my apologies in advance for every name I mispronounce. I'll keep working to get better as the season goes on! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here’s my official introduction to the SummitVBFan feed — disclaimers, biggest influencers, commitments, wish list, upcoming shows, and how to connect and follow along. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2026 Summit League Volleyball Team Preview: South Dakota State Jackrabbits The two-time defending Summit League champions enter 2026 after 50 wins and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Tommies have made one of the biggest jumps in the Summit League, improving from three wins in 2021 to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2025. Can they take the next step and challenge for a conference championship? In this preview, we break down: Head coach Thanh Pham and his remarkable coaching career Returning stars Morgan Kealy (Setter of the Year) and Anya Schmidt (Freshman of the Year) Key departures, including First Team All-Summit selections Megan Wetter and Tezra Rudzitis Position-by-position depth charts Newcomers and recruiting impact The challenging non-conference schedule Biggest strengths, concerns, and expectations for 2026 Will St. Thomas continue its rapid rise and become a legitimate title contender this season? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A first look at the 2026 South Dakota State Jackrabbits following Saturday's Yellow & Blue Scrimmage, plus my conversation with head coach Dan Georgalas about a team with high expectations entering the season. We cover Brooklyn Meyer’s return to volleyball in front of fans, an impressive showing from freshman Marisa Michaelis, and the unfortunate news that Madison Burr will miss the season. Coach Georgalas also discusses why he believes this is the best level of talent he's had at South Dakota State, what he likes about the size, physicality and options provided by his four true middle blockers, and why he believes the Jackrabbits have the best setter duo in the Summit League. Plus, we talk about the growth of SDSU volleyball and the overall state of the program as the Jackrabbits prepare for 2026. #GoJacks #SummitLeague #CollegeVolleyball #NCAAVolleyball #SummitVBFan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don't sleep on the Mavericks in 2026. I really like the potential of this roster. Matt Buttermore has built one of the Summit League's most successful programs, and Omaha has added some intriguing pieces around returning All-Freshman selection Faith Venable. In Preview #5, I break down: 🏐 Why I'm higher on Omaha than last year's record might suggest 🏐 Faith Venable and the returning core 🏐 The additions of Madi Corf, Hayden Hart and Maddie Stuesser 🏐 Omaha's size and potential across the front row 🏐 Position-by-position depth charts 🏐 What the Mavericks must replace from Kali Jurgensmeier and Emily Huss 🏐 The 2026 non-conference schedule 🏐 My expectations for Omaha in the Summit League race Is Omaha a bounce-back candidate in 2026? I think the pieces are there to make things interesting. Subscribe for more Summit League volleyball team previews and coverage throughout the 2026 season. #SummitLeague #OmahaVB #CollegeVolleyball #NCAAVolleyball #SummitVBFan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With 66% of their points and 75% of their sets played returning, can North Dakota State take another step toward the top of the conference? In this episode, we break down: Head Coach Jennifer Lopez and the program's recent success Returning All-Summit performers Lauren Jansen and Arianna Blohm The impact of All-Freshman libero Rya Borer Position-by-position depth charts Incoming recruiting class and transfer additions The complete 2026 non-conference schedule Biggest strengths, questions, and expectations entering the season Can the Bison challenge South Dakota State, South Dakota, and St. Thomas for a Summit League championship in 2026? Subscribe for continuing 2026 Summit League Volleyball Team Previews, recruiting news, match analysis, and weekly coverage throughout the season. #SummitLeague #NDSU #Bison #CollegeVolleyball #Volleyball #NCAAVolleyball #SummitVBFan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

College volleyball deserves a bigger voice. SummitVBFan was created to help tell the stories of Summit League volleyball — eight programs, passionate communities, great players and coaches, and a league trying to make its mark on the national stage. The volleyball is big-time, but it still feels like what college athletics was meant to be. Whether you already have a favorite team or you're discovering the Summit League for the first time, follow along this season. Pick a team. Cheer for the league. Independent coverage of Summit League volleyball. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Summit League. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new era begins for North Dakota volleyball in 2026. New head coach David Nguyen takes over a Fighting Hawks program looking to climb the Summit League standings, and he’ll do it with an almost completely rebuilt roster. UND returns just 19% of its points and 37% of its sets played from last season after losing First Team All-Summit outside hitter Paige Barber and several other key contributors. But there are plenty of new faces to watch. In this preview, I break down the roster position-by-position, including international additions Elena Stefanov and Ela Vlaisavljevic, transfers Andrea Zaric, Lilliana Montes and Tessa Jacobson, and North Dakota recruits Ellee McIntosh and Mackenzie Dufner. We’ll also look at UND’s non-conference schedule, the late addition of two home matches against Mercer, what David Nguyen inherits in Year 1, and the biggest questions facing the Fighting Hawks entering 2026. Can a new coach and a dramatically different roster start changing the direction of UND volleyball? #UNDVolleyball #SummitLeague #CollegeVolleyball #NCAAVolleyball #SummitVBFan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

College volleyball will look a little different in 2026. On this episode of SummitVBFan, I break down the new NCAA women’s volleyball rules and what fans should watch for this season. We’ll cover the changes you’re most likely to notice, including fewer bench switches, the new center-line rule, video review changes, serving-team screening, the new pursuit rule and more. No rulebook required — just a quick look at what’s changing before the first serve of the 2026 season. 🏐 Summit League volleyball coverage all season long. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After back-to-back difficult seasons, Kansas City enters 2026 looking to change the direction of the program. Head coach Christi Posey is back for her 16th season after a 3-26 campaign, but this is a program that isn't far removed from going 22-9 overall and 12-4 in the Summit League in 2023. There are plenty of questions, but also some intriguing pieces. Ryanne Wattree returns after leading the Roos in kills last season. Mia Weaver and Emry Brown bring experience back on the outside, while Kansas City adds Midland College transfer Ipek Kusoglu and a group of newcomers that could create significantly more competition throughout the roster. The setter position will also look different following the loss of Lyla Jones, with Coco Burschhorn returning and highly regarded freshman Savy Repinski joining the program. In this preview, I break down the roster position-by-position, the biggest losses, newcomers who could make an immediate impact, Kansas City's non-conference schedule, and what needs to happen for the Roos to start moving back up the Summit League standings. Kansas City has shown it can win under Christi Posey. Can this revamped roster begin the climb back in 2026? Pick a team. Cheer for the league. #SummitLeague #KansasCityRoos #CollegeVolleyball #NCAAVolleyball #SummitVBFan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Golden Eagles return just 25% of last season’s points and 21% of sets played after finishing 3-25 overall and 1-15 in Summit League play. The biggest returning piece is Cortnee Smith, a Summit League Second Team selection who averaged 3.03 kills per set last season. Beyond Smith, however, there are new faces everywhere. ORU rebuilt through both the transfer portal and freshman recruiting, adding Olivia Burns and Quincey McCoy from Eastern Washington, Tarcy Mayah from Chicago State, Sienna Wnetrzak from UT Martin, and several intriguing freshmen. In this preview, I break down: Just how extensive the roster turnover is Every position group The importance of Cortnee Smith A completely new-look setter room ORU's newcomers and transfers The Golden Eagles' non-conference schedule What realistic progress could look like in Year 2 under Nolan Albrecht There are a lot more questions than answers in Tulsa, but with an almost entirely new roster, this should be a fascinating team to watch develop in 2026. #SummitLeague #ORUVolleyball #OralRoberts #CollegeVolleyball #SummitVBFan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices