ALISO VIEJO, Calif. – The two-time reigning conference champion Cal Poly Pomona volleyball team has been selected first in the 2026 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Preseason Coaches' Poll, it was announced on Thursday morning. The Broncos received 188 points and nine of 14 first-place votes in the poll as they enter the fall looking to capture a third consecutive CCAA regular season title.
 
Cal State San Bernardino was picked second with 178 points and one first-place vote, while Cal State LA collected 163 points and two first-place votes to take third. New CCAA member Fresno Pacific received the other two first-place votes and was picked fourth with 137 points.
 
2026 CCAA Preseason Poll
1. Cal Poly Pomona – 188 pts (9)
2. Cal State San Bernardino – 178 pts (1)
3. Cal State LA – 163 pts (2)
4. Fresno Pacific – 137 pts (2)
5. Stanislaus State – 134 pts
6. San Francisco State – 131 pts
7. Cal State East Bay – 130 pts
8. Cal State Monterey Bay – 82 pts
9. Cal State San Marcos – 74 pts
10. Cal State Dominguez Hills – 71 pts
11. Chico State – 70 pts
12. Cal Poly Humboldt – 46 pts
13. UC Merced – 33 pts
13. Menlo – 33 pts
 
"Winning back-to-back championships is something we are incredibly proud of, and this team understands that last year's success doesn't guarantee us anything this season," said eighth-year head coach Traci Dahl. "We want to compete for a third straight title. This is a talented group of young women that are committed to the process and embrace the expectations."
 
The Broncos are coming off a 2025 campaign in which they went 19-6 overall and 17-1 in CCAA play, capturing their second consecutive regular season conference championship for the first time in program history. CPP's 17 conference victories tied the program record, while its 17-match winning streak from September through November was the third-longest in school history. The Broncos have gone 34-2 in CCAA play over the past two seasons.
 
CPP returns an experienced core led by seniors Sarah Ybarra, Charlotte Koerber, Alexia Athans, and Renee Nachtigall, along with Elle Walker, who emerged as one of the conference's top attackers last season.
 
Ybarra enters her senior campaign after one of the most decorated individual seasons in program history. The La Habra native was named the 2025 CCAA Player of the Year, AVCA All-America First Team, D2CCA All-America Second Team, and All-CCAA First Team after leading the conference with 4.83 kills and 5.36 points per set. She also broke the CPP single-match record with 45 kills against Cal State East Bay and collected a conference-record five CCAA Offensive Player of the Week awards during the season.
 
Walker earned CCAA Newcomer of the Year and All-CCAA First Team honors after finishing second on the team with 333 kills and averaging 3.70 kills per set. Koerber joined Ybarra and Walker on the All-CCAA First Team, while Athans earned All-CCAA Honorable Mention recognition for the second consecutive season after leading CPP with 80 total blocks.
 
"The experience on this team is invaluable," said Dahl. "Sarah, Charlotte, Renee, Elle, and Lexy have worked tirelessly to build and grow the culture of this program every season. They have won big matches, faced adversity, and understand the expectations of our program. That experience brings a level of confidence and composure to our entire team."
 
That returning group gives the Broncos a strong foundation as they enter the seventh season (eighth year) under Dahl, who owns a 121-45 (.729) record at CPP and has guided the program to three CCAA titles.
 
"Our biggest strengths are our experience, competitiveness, and program success," continued Dahl. "We have a strong core of returners that know how to win, and our coaching staff has added some talented players who are hungry to make an impact. There is a lot of depth in our gym, and that competition is going to push us every day."
 
CPP's newcomers include freshmen Keira Limbrick, Kiyomi Kohno, Hadassah Makama, Abryannah Mama, and Paige Bowyer, along with transfers Bronwyn Rowse and Dylyn Williams. Rowse arrives in Pomona after playing at Carroll University, while Williams, a Fullerton native and Sunny Hills High School graduate, joins the Broncos from the University of the Incarnate Word.
 
"All of our newcomers have an opportunity to make an impact this season, and that starts with challenging each other every day in practice," added Dahl. "They are talented and have a bright future here at CPP."
 
The Broncos will open the 2026 season at the Coyote Classic Showcase on Thursday, August 27, taking on Vanguard at noon in San Bernardino. CPP will also face Seattle Pacific and Westmont on August 28 before hosting Concordia Irvine for its home opener on Saturday, August 29 at 1:30 p.m. inside Kellogg Arena.
 
Cal Poly Pomona will then host the Bronco Classic from September 3-5, welcoming Central Washington, Western Washington, Cal State LA, Cal State San Bernardino, and Simon Fraser to Kellogg Arena. The Broncos open CCAA play at home against Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday, September 11 at 5 p.m.
 
The CCAA schedule will feature a new format in 2026, with the Broncos playing 13 conference matches, down from 18 in previous seasons. The CCAA Tournament will also take on a new look, with opening-round matches being played on campus sites and the No. 1 seed receiving a bye into the semifinals. The four remaining teams will then advance to Hayward, where Cal State East Bay will host the semifinal and championship rounds of the tournament.
 
Tickets
Cal Poly Pomona Athletics enters the second year of a partnership with vivenu, a ticketing company committed to simplifying the ticket purchasing experience for college sports fans. Tickets are available to purchase online for the entire 2026 season HERE.
 

• Adults - $12
• Military/First Responder - $7
• Senior (Ages 65+) - $7
• Children (Ages 6-17) - $5
• Visiting Students (with ID) - $5
• CPP Students (with ID) – FREE

 
CCAA on FloCollege
All CCAA-sponsored events, including conference postseason games, will be broadcast on FloCollege. Prices start at $9.99 per month for the annual plan, or $24.99 per month for the monthly plan. To sign up, please click HERE.