American Volleyball Coaches Association adds Louisville and Arizona State stars to 2026 Player of the Year Watch List

The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) released its 2026 Division I National Player of the Year preseason watch list, naming 30 athletes from 16 schools. University of Louisville junior setter Nayelis Cabello and senior outside hitter Chloe Chicoine were both selected, marking Louisville as one of ten programs with multiple honorees. Cabello, a native of Clermont, Fla., posted 1,271 assists in 2025, ranking second in the ACC and ninth nationally, while Chicoine, from Lafayette, Ind., recorded 413 kills and 340 digs in the same season. Arizona State senior opposite Noemie Glover also made the list, becoming the sole Big 12 representative among the 30. Glover earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors in 2025, led the Sun Devils with 423 kills, and was an AVCA First Team All‑American. The watch list will be updated mid‑season in October, with semifinalists announced in November and finalists in December before the Player of the Year is crowned at the AVCA Awards Banquet in San Antonio.