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Rice University Athletics
Volleyball Picked First in American; Three Owls Named Preseason All-Conference
8/19/2026 2:02:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
IRVING – The Rice volleyball team was picked to win the American Conference for the third consecutive season, the league announced Wednesday afternoon, while three Owls were selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
The Owls earned the maximum 12 first-place votes and 144 points overall, after winning the regular-season championship last year. Tulsa came in at second and finished with 120 points.
"It is always meaningful to have the respect of your peers, so we are honored to receive the No. 1 spot in the preseason voting. That said, it is not something we will focus on or spend much time discussing. Our approach will remain process-driven, with an emphasis on making consistent improvements to our game every day. I expect the American to be extremely competitive once again, and we are looking forward to the opportunity to compete this fall," head coach Genny Volpe said.
Senior setter Kaia Mateo, senior middle blocker Arissa Smith and sophomore outside hitter Aaliyah Smith were all named to the American Preseason All-Conference Team.
Mateo had a standout season last year, earning first-team all-conference honors and three Setter of the Week honors, along with three honorable mentions. She totaled 790 assists and averaged 10.67 assists per set in conference play.
Arissa Smith earned second-team all-conference and all-tournament team honors last season. She led the Owls with 133 total blocks and twice recorded a season-high 10 blocks, against Wichita State and Tulsa. She averaged 1.21 blocks per set last season.
Aaliyah Smith played in 92 sets across 29 matches last season. She was unanimously selected to the American All-Freshman Team and earned Freshman of the Week honors twice. She averaged 2.66 kills per set and recorded 13 matches with 10 or more kills.
The Owls add eight newcomers to the roster this season, including three from Power Four conferences. The roster features an even split of eight upperclassmen and eight underclassmen.
"We are extremely excited about this year's squad. There is a tremendous amount of focus and attention to detail in the gym, and that is a direct reflection of our players' commitment to being the best they can be," Volpe said.
Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased online here for the 2026 season.
