Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Pitt
Volleyball Opens 2026 Season at AVCA First Serve Tournament
08.21.26 | Volleyball
CINCINNATI – Xavier volleyball heads to Milwaukee, Wis. for the AVCA First Serve Tournament where they will compete against nationally ranked #4 Pitt on Monday, Aug. 24 at 6 p.m. EST.
AUGUST 21
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#8 Texas A&M Aggies vs. #7 Louisville Cardinals – 6:00 p.m. EST
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#6 Wisconsin Badgers vs. #3 Kentucky Wildcats – 8:00 p.m. EST
AUGUST 22
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#6 Wisconsin Badgers vs. #7 Louisville Cardinals – 4:00 p.m. EST
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#2 Texas Longhorns vs. #12 Arizona State Sundevils – 7:00 p.m. EST
AUGUST 23
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#8 Texas A&M Aggies vs. #11 SMU Mustangs – 1:00 p.m. EST
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#4 Pittsburgh Panthers vs. #3 Kentucky Wildcats – 4:00 p.m. EST
AUGUST 24
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Xavier Musketeers vs. #4 Pittsburgh Panthers – 6:00 p.m. EST
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Live Stats - bit.ly/3SsyHTl
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Watch - bit.ly/4gLrWFm
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Marquette Golden Eagles vs. #2 Texas Longhorns – 8:00 p.m. EST
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McKinley Boehm, Macy Hatkevich and Margo Kemp were named to the 2026 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
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Hatkevich earned a unanimous bid to the preseason team by the league's coaches.
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The Musketeers were picked to finish fourth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll.
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Xavier returns Charlotte Moriarty and Kemp, who each had over 200 kills in the 2025 season.
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Libero Kelsey Niesen returns for her junior season after totaling 439 digs in 2025 and ranking fifth in digs per set in the BIG EAST with 3.85.
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Head Coach Christy Pfeffenberger added four freshmen to the team with outside hitters Sadie Kroeger and Cami Sher, middle blocker Gabby Semona, and setter Addie Haberthy.
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XU added middle blocker Iyanna Battle as a grad transfer from FGCU.
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Pfeffenberger returns for her 12th season as head coach with assistant coach Lainey Stephenson and graduate assistant Ben Rosenow.
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Pitt went 30-5 overall and 18-2 in the ACC in 2025.
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In 2025, the Panthers fell to Texas A&M in the NCAA Semifinals.
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In the AVCA-Teraflex Preseason Top 25 Poll, Pitt was ranked fourth receiving 1,383 poll points and was the highest ranked ACC school.
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Pitt had three additions to the ACC Preseason Team, including 2025 AVCA Player of the Year Olivia Babcock.
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Xavier is 0-2 against Pitt last playing in 2000.
BIG EAST Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
(first place votes)
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Creighton, 100 (10)
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Villanova, 86
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Marquette, 82 (1)
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Xavier, 75
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DePaul, 62
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Georgetown, 49
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UConn, 48
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St. John's, 36
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Butler, 34
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Providence, 20
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Seton Hall, 13
Preseason BIG EAST Volleyball Player of the Year
Abby Harrell, Sr., OH, Villanova
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team^
Elise Ward, Sr., OH, Butler
Abbey Hayes, So., OH, Creighton
Ayden Ames, Jr., MB, Creighton
Jaya Johnson, Sr., RS/MB, Creighton*
Kendall Timme, So., OH, DePaul*
Kamryn Lee-Caracci, So., MB, Georgetown
Carson Tyler, Jr., OH, Marquette
Rashanny Solano Smith, Sr., L, St. John's
Abby Harrell, Sr., OH, Villanova
Campbell McKinnon, Jr., MB, Villanova*
Macy Hatkevich, Sr., S, Xavier*
Margo Kemp, Rs-Jr., MB, Xavier
McKinley Boehm, Rs-So., MB, Xavier
*Denotes unanimous selection
^Denotes tie in voting
