PLAINVIEW --- The Wayland Baptist Beach Volleyball team are receiving votes in the 2026 NAIA Women's Beach Volleyball Preseason Coaches Top 10 Poll, per the NAIA offices.
To view the full 2026 NAIA Beach Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Top 10 Poll, please visit
here.
The Pioneers are looking to continue their impressive upward trajectory as a program, being this is the second season of the program's inception. 2025 was their inaugural season, and they made a statement by taking 3
rd place at the AVCA Small Beach College Championships in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
The 2026 squad will look similar to the 2025 squad as Head Coach Lucie Mahelova has 11 players returning headlined by
Selma Sutaj,
Jordan Schlageter,
Frida Espeseth,
Luiza Valentim, and
Lilou Henry-Souquet-Bressand. Other key returners include
Averi Penner,
Rachel Russell,
Martyna Lewinska,
Carlee Heidebrecht,
Emma Scott,
Aubrie Sierra, and
Ilgin Cacaron.
The Pioneers also brought in five key transfers (
Alaina Baran,
Ana Clara Patruni,
Taisiia Kalchenko,
Davanee McKinney, and
Deniz Yileri) and a talented freshman (
Milena Alliot-Maslankiewicz).
The Pioneers will open their 2026 season with two scrimmages at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas on Saturday, February 14
th, at 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM.
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