IRVING, Texas – For the second straight year, the Rice Owls have been selected as the preseason favorite in the 2025 American Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll, announced Tuesday. The poll was voted on by the league’s head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own team or players.
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).
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.
Andrade and UAB junior opposite Jorda Crook were unanimous selections to the American Preseason All-Conference Team. Rice senior middle blocker Lademi Ogunlana also earned preseason honors after being named to the 2024 All-Conference First Team.
Additional honorees from a season ago include Florida Atlantic senior setter Victoria Hensley (second team all-conference), Rice sophomore setter Savannah Skopal (second team all-conference; all-freshman team) and North Texas sophomore middle blocker Ryann Vik (all-freshman team).
Rice led all programs with four preseason selections, followed by East Carolina with three. South Florida placed two on the team, while UAB, Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Tulane, Tulsa, and Wichita State each had one representative.
American Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll
- Rice (9) 141
- South Florida (4) 136
- Wichita State 120
- East Carolina 106
- Florida Atlantic 100
- Tulsa 91
- UAB 63
- Tulane 62
- UTSA 46
- Temple 43
- Charlotte 39
North Texas 39
13. Memphis 28
(#) denotes first place votes
Preseason Player of the Year
Maria Clara Andrade, Sr., OH, South Florida
Preseason All-Conference Team
Jorda Crook, Jr., OPP, UAB*
Kristen Birmingham, Charlotte
Kai Bailey, Jr., MB, East Carolina
Taryn Gilreath, So., S, East Carolina
Ellie Pate, Jr., OH, East Carolina
Victoria Hensley, Sr., S, Florida Atlantic
Ryann Vik, So., MB, North Texas
Lademi Ogunlana, Sr., MB, Rice
Taylor Preston, Sr., OH, Rice
Savannah Skopal, So., S, Rice
Cindy Tchouangwa, Jr., OH, Rice
Ally Cavanaugh, R-So., OH, South Florida
Maria Clara Andrade, Sr., OH, South Florida*
Avery Burks, Jr., OH, Tulane
Brayden Hipp, Sr., S, Tulsa
Brooklyn Leggett, R-Sr., RS/OH, Wichita State
* denotes unanimous selection
