Defending Peach Belt Conference tournament champions and regular season co-champions, Flagler College, have been selected as unanimous favorites for the 2026 season. The Saints received five first place votes from the league’s coaches, with reigning PBC regular season co-champions Augusta receiving one. GCSU, USCA, Lander and Middle Georgia round out the voting. Salem is an associate member and will only participate in the PBC Tournament, not the regular season and is not eligible for the preseason poll.
The Saints secured a share of the PBC Regular Season title in 2025. They also hosted the PBC Tournament as the #1 seed for the first time since 2021. The Saints secured the PBC Tournament title for second year in a row, and their third in four years. Flagler received the #5 seed in the NCAA Southeast Region, defeating #4 Carson-Newman before falling to #1 Wingate. Three PBC All-Conference selections, Marley Middlebrooks, Katherine Rank and Gracie Fleming, return for the 2026 season.
Augusta secured a share of the PBC Regular Season title in 2025, their third title in four years. The Jaguars closed out the regular season with a 12-3 record in PBC play and received the #2 seed in the PBC Tournament. Augusta defeated Salem in the first round before falling to Lander in the semifinals. The Jaguars received the #6 seed in the NCAA Southeast Region and closed out their season with a 25-9 overall record. PBC Freshman of the Year Sofiia Snitsarevych and All-Conference selection Layne Witherspoon highlight the Jaguar’s returning class.
| 2026 PBC Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll |
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
| 1. |
Flagler (5) |
25 |
| 2. |
Augusta (1) |
20 |
| 3. |
GCSU |
15 |
| 4. |
USCA |
13 |
| 5. |
Lander |
12 |
| 6. |
Middle Georgia |
5 |
|
Salem |
|
PBC Volleyball Preseason All-Conference
Sofiia Snitsarevych, Augusta
Sophomore, Middle Blocker
- Played in all 34 matches
- Recorded 280 kills, averaging 2.17 kills per set
- Totaled 139 blocks, 1.08 blocks per set, 67 digs and 11 service aces
- PBC Freshman of the Year
- PBC All-Conference Second Team
Layne Witherspoon, Augusta
Senior, Middle Hitter
- Played in all 34 matches
- Recorded 346 kills, averaging 2.75 kills per set
- Added 168 digs, 84 total blocks and 38 service aces
- PBC All-Conference First Team
- AVCA All-Southeast Region, Honorable Mention
- AVCA All-American Honorable Mention
Gracie Fleming, Flagler
Senior, Middle Hitter
- Played in 33 matches
- Recorded 279 kills, averaging 2.25 per set
- Totaled 96 blocks, 0.77 blocks per set, 29 digs and 5 aces
- PBC All-Conference Second Team
- AVCA All-Southeast Region, Honorable Mention
- AVCA All-American, Honorable Mention
Marley Middlebrooks, Flagler
Junior, Outside Hitter
- Played in all 34 matches
- Recorded 491 kills, averaging 3.75 kills per set
- Totaled 350 digs, 2.67 digs per set, 46 aces and five blocks with 15 double doubles
- PBC All-Conference First Team
- PBC Tournament MVP
- AVCA All-Southeast Region, First Team
- D2CCA All-Southeast Region, Second Team
- AVCA All-American, Honorable Mention
Karson Browning, Lander
Junior, Opposite Hitter
- Played in 31 matches
- Recorded 272 kills, averaging 2.31 kills per set
- Totaled 83 blocks, 26 digs and 2 service aces
- PBC All Conference Second Team
- PBC All-Tournament Team
Alli Bishop, USCA
Senior, Right-Side Hitter
- Played in 31 matches
- Recorded 244 kills, averaging 2.35 kills per set
- Totaled 79 blocks and 49 digs