CHARLOTTE, N.C. (SMU/ACC) – Junior middle blocker Favor Anyanwu and sophomore outside hitter Suli Davis were both recognized on the 2026 Preseason All-ACC Team, voted on by the league's coaches, the conference office announced on Thursday. The Mustangs were also picked to finish fourth in the Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Anyanwu earns her second consecutive preseason All-ACC recognition, while Davis, transferring in from BYU, earns the first preseason honor of her career.
Anyanwu started all 33 matches in 2025 for SMU, earning All-ACC Second Team, First Team All-Region and AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honors. She totaled 206 kills, hitting .409, the second-highest hitting percentage for a single season in program history. She also had 178 total blocks, which ranked 5th best in the nation. It marks the second preseason honor for the Rowlett, Texas, native who was named to the AVCA Player of the Year Watch List earlier this week.
Davis won the Big 12 and Region Freshman of the Year, Big 12 First Team and AVCA Second Team All-America status after putting together a record-breaking season in her first collegiate campaign. She played in all 31 matches for the Cougars, tallying 541 kills, a program record for a freshman. She logged 30 double-digit kill matches, third most in the rally scoring era at BYU, and became the 27th player in Big 12 history with 500 or more kills in a season. The Euless, Texas, native Davis joined Anyanwu on the AVCA Player of the Year Watch List this week.
The Mustangs were picked 4th in the preseason poll. Stanford was slotted No. 1, receiving 10 first-place votes, with Pittsburgh ranked No. 2, receiving seven first-place votes, and Louisville right in front of SMU at No. 3 with one first-place vote. The Mustangs finished third in the ACC a season ago and reached the NCAA Regional Semifinal for the first time in program history.
2026 ACC Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Stanford, 280 | 10 First-Place Votes
2. Pittsburgh, 277 | 7 First-Place Votes
3. Louisville, 257 | 1 First-Place Vote
4. SMU, 245
5. North Carolina, 225
6. Georgia Tech, 198
7. Miami, 193
8. Florida State, 180
9. NC State, 148
10. Wake Forest, 131
11. Virginia, 119
12. Notre Dame, 104
13. California, 93
14. Clemson, 89
15. Boston College, 87
16. Duke, 70
17. Syracuse, 37
18. Virginia Tech, 21
***These are in alphabetical order and there were no ties
2026 Preseason All-ACC Volleyball Team
Kyleene Filimaua, Florida State
Nayelis Cabello, Louisville
Kalyssa Blackshear, Louisville
Chloe Chicoine, Louisville
Payton Petersen, Louisville
Ariana Rodriguez, Miami
Safi Hampton, North Carolina
Chelsea Thorpe, North Carolina
Blaire Bayless, Pitt
Olivia Babcock, Pitt
Izzy Starck, Pitt
Favor Anyanwu, SMU
Suli Davis, SMU
Lizzy Andrew, Stanford
Julia Blyashov, Stanford
Spencer Etzler, Stanford
Jordyn Harvey, Stanford
Logan Parks, Stanford
