SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- The Bryant University women's volleyball team's 2026 season gets underway Friday, Aug. 28 against Charlotte at 6 p.m. The Bulldogs have their eyes set on an America East conference tournament title a year after co-clinching the league's regular season title in 2025.
"Our goal is to win the conference regular season again and then go win the conference tournament," said head coach
Theresa Garlacy. "It's a good expectation to have."
Garlacy returns for her 31st season leading the program. She holds a career coaching record of 630-418 (.601), ranking 10th among active Division I head coaches in wins.
The Bulldogs posted their sixth straight season with a winning record in 2025 following a 16-12 (7-2 AE) finish. They will look to replace the offensive firepower of reigning America East Player of the Year
Arianna Ugolini, who graduated this past spring.
Eleven returners and seven freshmen make up Bryant's 2026 roster. The Bulldogs were ranked second in the America East Preseason Poll, their highest placement ever since joining the conference.
"It's awesome to see people think that highly of us," said senior
Carrina Barron. "But we're not going to be content. The goal is still always to be number one. We're going to let that motivate us."
Barron, Madison Koeller and
Brookelyn Talmadge will lead the Bulldogs as senior captains in 2026. Koeller and Talmadge were named America East Preseason All-Conference earlier this August.
"We've been working really hard this preseason, and I think it's going to show," said Koeller. "I'm looking forward to how I can push my teammates and help develop them."
Koeller recorded a career-high 815 assists, the eighth-most in a single season in Bryant's DI history and the second-most in the America East, last year.
"I'm excited to prove why I'm preseason all-conference," said Talmadge. "Being there for all the freshmen and helping them get through everything as much as I can is really important," she added.
Talmadge was named to the America East All-Conference Second Team in 2025 after producing 178 kills and 72 blocks.
Ochelli and Curran were named to the America East All-Rookie Team in 2025. Ochelli racked up 204 kills while Curran totaled 202 kills, good for the second- and third-most kills on the Bulldogs last season.
"The freshmen are going to have to make an impact right away because there's so many of them," said Garlacy. "They're going to have to learn our offense quickly, which they've done a very good job of so far."
Bryant's matchup with Charlotte will be one of three games it plays in the Charlotte Tournament. The Bulldogs will also face North Carolina A&T State on Aug. 29 at 2 p.m. and Appalachian State on Aug. 30 at 11 a.m. All three games will take place at Halton Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina.
POSITION RUNDOWN
Liberos/Defense Specialists: Barron, Bergamaschi, Camacho-Castro
- Barron led the Bulldogs in digs (396) and ranked 4th in the AE in digs/set (3.88) in 2025.
- Camacho-Castro tallied 223 digs and 41 assists in 2025. She also had the second-most service aces (38) in the AE.
- Bergamaschi joins Bryant from Divine Savior Academy in Florida.
Middle Blockers: Talmadge, Abdat, Johansen, Olatunde
- Talmadge led the AE in hitting percentage (.406) in 2025.
- Abdat took a redshirt season in 2025.
- Johansen joins Bryant from Freeman HS in Nebraska, while Olatunde joins the Bulldogs from L.D. Bell HS in Texas.
Outside/Opposite Hitters: Jackson, Curran, Ochelli, Alvarado, Lewandowski, Gonzalez, Ricevuto, Gavin
- Jackson recorded a season-high six kills against FIU in 2025.
- Curran ranked fourth in the AE in service aces (34) in 2025.
- Ochelli posted two 20-kill games (vs. Harvard, at Binghamton) in 2025. She also finished ninth in the AE in hitting percentage (.255).
- Ricevuto registered 37 kills and Gavin produced 32 kills in 2025.
- Alvarado joins Bryant from Cupeyville School in Puerto Rico, while Lewandowski joins the Bulldogs from Lancaster HS in New York and Gonzalez from Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Florida.
Setters: Koeller, Keem, René-Fraser
- Koeller is one of seven players to dish out over 1,000 career assists in Bryant's DI history. She averaged the second-most assists per set (8.67) and had the ninth-most service aces (29) in the AE in 2025.
- Keem put up 154 assists in 2025.
- René-Fraser joins Bryant from Cegep de Jonquiere in Canada.
