DALLAS (SMU) – SMU Volleyball opens the fifth season under Head Coach Sam Erger, ranked No. 11 in the AVCA-Taraflex Division I Preseason Poll, the association announced on Monday.  

It marks the second straight season that the Mustangs are ranked entering the year.  

SMU's opening opponent is No. 8-ranked Texas A&M. The Mustangs and Aggies will face off in the AVCA First Serve on August 23 in Milwaukee.   

Nine opponents on SMU's schedule are ranked in the AVCA Preseason Poll, five of which sit in the top 10. The nine opponents in the poll include: No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Kentucky, No. 4 Pittsburgh, No. 5 Stanford, No. 7 Louisville, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 9 Purdue, No. 18 TCU and No. 19 North Carolina.   

The Mustangs also will face No. 10 Penn State and potentially No. 1 Nebraska or No. 17 Florida in the Spikes Under the Lights exhibition showcase at AT&T Stadium on Aug. 27.  

Five other teams on the schedule are receiving votes: Miami (Fla.), Georgia Tech, Rice, San Diego and Florida State.   

The Mustangs are one of five ACC programs on the list, with three of the five in the top 10.  

Fans will get their first look at the 2026 Mustangs on Wednesday when they compete against each other in the Red vs. Blue Scrimmage at 7 pm in Moody Coliseum. Admission is free for the scrimmage.   

AVCA-Taraflex Preseason Top 25: 
1. Nebraska 
2. Texas  
3. Kentucky 
4. Pittsburgh 
5. Stanford 
6. Wisconsin 
7. Louisville 
8. Texas A&M
9. Purdue 
10. Penn State 
11. SMU 
12. Arizona State 
13. Creighton 
14. Minnesota 
15. Kansas 
16. Indiana 
17. Florida 
18. TCU 
19. North Carolina 
20. Southern California 
21. Baylor 
22. Tennessee 
23. Colorado 
24. BYU 
25. Oregon 

Others receiving votes and listed on two or more ballots: Miami (FL) 124; Iowa State 104; Georgia Tech 77; UCLA 61; Cal Poly 58; Utah 41; San Diego 34; Western Kentucky 33; Marquette 28; Northern Iowa 27; Dayton 22; Rice 14; Kansas State 10; Michigan State 10; Arizona 8; Illinois 7; Florida State 3; Villanova 3