FOREST, Va. – The Old Dominion Athletic Conference has released its preseason poll for the 2026 Women's Volleyball season and the Yellow Jackets were picked to finish fifth.
 
Last season, the Lemon and Black won eight of their first 10 matches of the season, propelling them to their 28th consecutive postseason berth.
 
Defending ODAC champion Washington and Lee tops the poll with 11 first place votes and 143 total points. Lynchburg was picked second with 126 points and two first place votes, followed by Batten, who garnered 124 points.
 
After finishing as the ODAC runner-up, Bridgewater was tabbed in the fourth spot, totaling 116 points. Rounding out the top-five is Randolph-Macon, as the Yellow Jackets totaled 89 points.
 
Following RMC in the sixth slot is Shenandoah, who received 86 points, with Roanoke (83), Guilford (72), Randolph (52) and Eastern Mennonite (46) completing the top-10. The final three spaces are occupied by Averett (38), Hollins (27) and Sweet Briar (12).
 
The program returns its 2025 All-ODAC Third-Team outside hitter in Mia Goode (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory), as she compiled team-highs in total attacks (652) and kills (226), while finishing second in service aces (36) in 2025. Sydney Wade (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) returns for her senior season, after pacing RMC with a career-high 91 sets played. Furthermore, Caitlin Smith (Greensboro, N.C./Greensboro Day School) gears up for her sophomore season, after finishing fifth in the ODAC in assists per set (7.19) and fourth in service aces per set (.59).
 
Randolph-Macon opens its season on Tuesday, Sept. 1 against St. Mary's College of Maryland. The contest will begin at 7:00 p.m. in St. Mary's City, Md.