RICE SELECTED PRESEASON FAVORITES
For the second straight year, the Rice Owls have been selected as the preseason favorite in the 2025 American Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Rice collected nine first-place votes and 141 total points to claim the top spot. South Florida, the defending regular-season champion, followed closely in second with 136 points and the remaining four first-place votes. Wichita State, last year’s American tournament champion, ranked third with 120 points, while East Carolina (106) and Florida Atlantic (100) rounded out the top five.
Tulsa (91) was selected sixth, followed by UAB (63), Tulane (62), UTSA (46), Temple (43), Charlotte and North Texas (39 each), and Memphis (28).
MARIA CLARA ANDRADE VOTED PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
South Florida senior outside hitter Maria Clara Andrade, the reigning American Player of the Year, was named the 2025 American Preseason Player of the Year. Andrade led the conference last season in kills per set (4.68) and points per set (5.23), recording double-digit kills in all 16 league matches.
Built to Rise
The American Conference officially launched a dynamic modernization of its brand identity in July, marking a new era for the league and the communities it serves. The conference has retired the names “American Athletic Conference” and “AAC.” The league will now be referred to as “American Conference” on first reference and simply “American” thereafter.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29
East Carolina vs Florida A&M__________________ 10 a.m.
UAB vs Jacksonville___________________________ 11 a.m.
Memphis vs USC Upstate_____________________ 11 a.m.
North Texas vs Little Rock____________________ 11 a.m.
Florida Atlantic vs Kent State_________________ 12 p.m.
South Florida vs 15 Purdue_____________________ 12 p.m.
Charlotte vs William & Mary___________________ 1 p.m.
East Carolina vs Maryland Eastern Shore_______ 2 p.m.
Tulane vs McNeese___________________________ 2 p.m.
Temple vs Bowling Green______________________ 3 p.m.
UAB vs UNC Asheville_________________________ 4:30 p.m.
North Texas vs Providence____________________ 5 p.m.
RV Rice vs 9 Texas A&M________________________ 7 p.m.
South Florida at RV Tennessee_________________ 7 p.m.
UTSA vs SFA_________________________________ 7 p.m.
Florida Atlantic vs Texas Tech_________________ 7 p.m.
Memphis vs Northwestern State_______________ 8 p.m.
Wichita State vs Kennesaw State______________ 8 p.m.
Tulane vs Southern Illinois____________________ 8 p.m.
Tulsa at Wyoming____________________________ 8:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 30
East Carolina at Hampton_____________________ 10 a.m.
Tulane at Sam Houston_______________________ 1 p.m.
Temple at North Dakota State_________________ 1 p.m.
Florida Atlantic vs Western Carolina____________ 1 p.m.
Memphis vs Tennessee State_________________ 1:30 p.m.
North Texas at East Texas A&M________________ 3 p.m.
Tulsa vs Colorado____________________________ 3 p.m.
UAB at Alabama______________________________ 4 p.m.
Charlotte at Winthrop________________________ 6 p.m.
UTSA vs Texas State__________________________ 7 p.m.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 31
Tulsa vs Cleveland State______________________ 12:30 p.m.
Temple at North Dakota_______________________ 1 p.m.
Charlotte vs Davidson________________________ 1 p.m.
RV Rice vs Central Arkansas____________________ 2 p.m.
Wichita State vs RV Arkansas__________________ 2 p.m.
All times ET and subject to change
