CARMEL, Ind. -- The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference has announced the results from the 2026 Volleyball Preseason Poll, conducted by the league's head coaches. Rose-Hulman has been selected to finish fifth in the conference in this year's poll results.
The Fightin' Engineers landed the fifth spot in the poll, earning 48 points. Transylvania has been picked as a favorite to win the league, earning 78 points and six first-place votes. Hanover ranked second in the poll with 71 points and two first-place votes. Earlham rounded out the top three teams with 66 points and two first-place votes.
Last season, the Fightin' Engineers got off to a strong start, winning their first nine matches of the season. Their 9-0 record matched the best start to a season in program history, previously done in 2010. The team finished the year at 16-12 overall and 4-5 in the HCAC. Rose-Hulman earned the six seed in the HCAC Tournament and fell short in the first round to the three-seeded Mount St. Joseph Lions.
Rose-Hulman returns three of their All-HCAC honorees from last season, including Second Team All-HCAC and Newcomer of the Year outside hitter
Greta Carlson. Other Second Team All-HCAC returners include middle blocker
Keira Ohse and outside hitter
Emma Blanton.
The team is led by Head Coach
Rachel Delsi, entering her ninth season at the helm of the Fightin' Engineers volleyball program.
Rose-Hulman will open their 2026 season on the road against Spalding on Tuesday, September 1, at 6 PM.
HCAC VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON POLL RESULTS:
1) Transylvania - 78 (6)
2) Hanover - 71 (2)
3) Earlham - 66 (2)
4) Mount St. Joseph - 59
5) Rose-Hulman - 48
6) Franklin - 39
7) Manchester - 37
8) Bluffton - 23
9) Anderson - 18
10) Berea - 11
