OSHKOSH, Wis. -- Ripon College Volleyball is expected to finish seventh in the Midwest Conference (MWC) this season, according to the 2026 MWC Preseason Coaches' Poll released Wednesday morning.

The Red Hawks finished the 2025 season in sixth place in the MWC standings and will look to move up the conference standings in 2026. Ripon returns All-MWC honoree, junior Makenna Harren (Rosemount, Minn., Rosemount HS), who will help lead the Red Hawks this season. Cornell College, which received seven first-place votes, is the preseason favorite to claim the MWC title, followed by Lawrence University with three first-place votes.

Full poll results are as follows:

2026 MWC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll Results
1. Cornell College (7) - 79 points
2. Lawrence University (3) - 75 points
3. Grinnell College - 59 points
T4. Monmouth College - 54 points
T4. Illinois College - 54 points
6. Luther College - 39 points
7. Ripon College - 36 points
8. Lake Forest College - 32 points
9. Knox College - 14 points
10. Beloit College - 8 points
() – indicates first-place votes
Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own teams.

Ripon Volleyball opens its 2026 season with a home match against St. Norbert College on Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 7pm. For the full MWC release on the Coaches' Poll, go to midwestconference.org.