ODESSA, Texas (August 20, 2026) – Heading into the 2026 UT Permian Basin volleyball season under the direction of new Head Coach Melissa Avila, the Falcons had three athletes named to the Lone Star Conference preseason players to watch list. As a team, UTPB is projected to finish 12th in the conference, receiving 410 total points.

UTPB finished its 2025 season 11-16 overall and 9-8 in the LSC, and tied for ninth place in the conference standings. It was the second year in a row that the Falcons finished with nine wins in the LSC, and was the second consecutive season the Falcons finished above .500 in the Lone Star Conference – the first time in program history they have accomplished that feat. During the month of October the Falcons earned big conference wins 3-0 on the road at Oklahoma Christian University (Oct. 4) and Dallas Baptist University (Oct. 24). In was arguably its most impressive performance of the year, the Falcons won the first set against the Lady Patriots 25-23 thanks to an 8-0 run to close it out. Then in their season finale (Nov. 15), the Falcons defeated Texas A&M University-Kingsville 3-1 on Senior Day inside the Falcon Dome, dropping the Javelinas to the No. 8 seed for the LSC Tournament. It was an inspiring win for the Falcons as the Javelinas were slated 10th in the NCAA's NCAA D2 Volleyball Regional Rankings.

UTPB's preseason players to watch included sophomore right-side hitter/outside hitter Makenna Grimes (Offensive Player to Watch), sophomore libero Kyndall Torres (Defensive Player to Watch), and junior setter Kierra Freeman (Setter to Watch). It was the first-such recognition for all three players, who last year played in all 27 matches for the Falcons.

Grimes led the Falcons with 96 sets played as a rookie and was tied for second on the team with 25 starts. She ranked second on the team with 210 kills, 2.19 kills per set and 654 attempts and was third with 238 points and 2.48 points per set. Grimes recorded double-digit kills in 10 matches, including a season-high 18 kills vs. Stanislaus State (Sept. 13), and had a streak of three straight matches with double-digit kills twice during the season.

Torres was fourth on the team in sets played (92) during her freshman season. She led the team with 294 digs and 3.20 digs per set, recorded double-digit digs in 16 matches, and reached 20-plus digs in five matches. She had a streak of three straight matches with double-digit digs three times on the season, and reached double-digits in four of the last five matches of the season. Torres posted a season-high in digs (27) at Sul Ross State (Oct. 28), had 21 digs in back-to-back matches in her first two career home matches vs. St. Edward's (Sept. 26) and St. Mary's (Sept. 27), and added 10 digs for her first double-digit dig performance four matches into her collegiate career in UTPB's first win over the season vs. Arkansas-Monticello (Sept. 6). Torres also made the most of her first starting libero opportunity with nine digs in the opening set before finishing with another then season-high 17 total digs at Vanguard (Sept. 13).

Freeman led the team with 26 starts last season and saw action in 90 sets. She totaled 705 assists and averaged 7.83 assists per set, led the team with 34 service aces, and also ranked second with 249 digs (2.77 D/S). Freeman recorded double-digit assists in all 27 matches and dished out 20-plus assists in all but seven matches. She also reached 30-plus assists in nine matches and 40-plus assists in five matches. She reached 20-plus assists for 10 straight matches (Sept. 12-Oct. 7) and also had 20-plus assists in each of the final seven matches of the season (Oct. 28-Nov. 15). Freeman set a new career-high in assists five times during the season, including a career-high 51 assists vs. Eastern New Mexico (Nov. 1), and led the Falcons with 12 double-doubles (assists & digs).

LSC PRESEASON POLL
In the preseason poll, Angelo State is predicted win a second consecutive LSC volleyball title. ASU totaled 951 points and collected 41 of the possible 54 first-place votes. Head coach Chuck Waddington's Rambelles went 26-8 overall and 15-2 in league play last season. They won their 12th LSC regular season championship, second straight and 12th overall LSC tournament title and reached the NCAA Division II South Central Regional final.

West Texas A&M, who has won a record 22 LSC regular season titles, is picked as the conference runner-up with 883 points and seven first-place votes. The Buffs went 23-8 overall and 14-3 in LSC play last season en route to an NCAA tournament berth.

Lubbock Christian, who shared the LSC regular season title with ASU last season, is predicted to finish in third place with 837 points and three first-place votes. The Lady Chaps went 25-8 overall and 15-2 in league play last season. LCU reached the conference tournament title game and advanced to the NCAA tournament.

UT Tyler is the fourth-place pick with 778 points. The Patriots went 17-12 overall and 12-5 last season.

St. Mary's is the fifth-place selections with 698 points. The Rattlers, who went 15-13 overall and 12-5 in LSC action last year, picked up one first-place vote.

Texas Woman's is picked to finish sixth with 691 points, followed by Oklahoma Christian (645 points), Texas A&M-Kingsville (585 points) and 2023 LSC regular season champion DBU (527 points) to round out what would be the potential nine qualifiers for the LSC tournament. TWU and DBU picked up one first-place vote each.

Midwestern State is predicted to finish 10th with 509 points. St. Edward's (463 points) is the No. 11 spot, followed by UT Permian Basin (410 points), UT Dallas (347 points), Western New Mexico (287 points), Texas A&M International (210 points), 1998 LSC champion Cameron (172 points), 1993 LSC champion Eastern New Mexico (167 points) and Sul Ross State (74 points).

The preseason poll and preseason players of the year are voted on by LSC head coaches, sports information directors and media members.

The LSC volleyball season begins as early as August 27. To see the league schedule, click here. All 18 LSC volleyball teams are eligible to win the regular season title and advance to the LSC and NCAA Division II postseason tournaments. The nine-team LSC Volleyball Championship will be November 11-14 at the site of the No. 1 seed. The NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship is set for December 3-5 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. All LSC volleyball regular season and tournament matches can be viewed live on FloCollege.

The Falcons will once again be at Angelo State University when they kick off the season, taking on Fort Lewis College (9:30 a.m.) and Minnesota State University Moorhead (2 p.m.) on Friday, September 4, at the Kathleen Brasfield Invitational. The next day, the Falcons will face Colorado State University Pueblo (1 p.m.) and East Central University (5:30 p.m.).