ATLANTA, Ga. – The Benedict College women's volleyball team placed three players on the 2026 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference preseason team, and were picked to finish fourth.
The preseason team and preseason rankings are selected by the league's head coaches.
Desire' Young was named to the first team at middle blocker. A returning first-team All-SIAC selection, Young has established herself as one of the top players in the league. Last season, she led the SIAC with a .342 hitting percentage. She also ranked fifth in the SIAC with 0.88 blocks per set and was second in the league with 84 total blocks.
Named to the second team were sophomore outside hitter
Mia Burgess and junior middle blocker
Angelic Carter.
Burgess had an outstanding freshman season last year, leading Benedict with 3.13 kills per set, which ranked seventh best in the SIAC.
Carter ranked fifth in the SIAC with 0.92 blocks per set.
Spring Hill, which has won seven consecutive SIAC titles, was picked to finish first. Fort Valley State, last year's runner-up, was picked to finish second, followed by Albany State. The Benedict Lady Tigers, coming off an 18-10 season and 11-8 in the SIAC, are picked to finish fourth.
Benedict will open the 2026 season on Sept. 4 against Virginia Union University at the Black Excellence Volleyball Classic in Albany, Ga.
| FIRST TEAM |
| POSITION |
NAME |
SCHOOL |
CLASS |
HOMETOWN |
| Outside Hitter |
Dakotah Holmes* |
Fort Valley State |
Jr. |
Hampton, Ga. |
| Outside Hitter |
Karea Copeland* |
Miles |
So. |
Newnan, Ga. |
| Outside Hitter |
Jarianis Perez* |
Albany State |
Sr. |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
| Middle Blocker |
Desire' Young* |
Benedict |
Sr. |
Aurora, Colo. |
| Middle Blocker |
Laila Wheaton |
Kentucky State |
Jr. |
McKinney, Texas |
| Libero |
Ashlyn Whiteside* |
Spring Hill |
Sr. |
Fairhope, Ala. |
| Setter |
Amiyah Walker* |
Savannah State |
Jr. |
Pleasant Grove, Ala. |
| – * RETURNING 2025 ALL-SIAC SELECTION |
| SECOND TEAM |
| POSITION |
NAME |
SCHOOL |
CLASS |
HOMETOWN |
| Outside Hitter |
Claire Hayes* |
Spring Hill |
Sr. |
Robertsdale, Ala. |
| Outside Hitter |
Maya Hendricks* |
Central State |
Sr. |
Columbus, Ohio |
| Outside Hitter |
Mia Burgess |
Benedict |
So. |
Columbia, S.C. |
| Middle Blocker |
Saige Bradley |
Allen |
Sr. |
Pottstown, Pa. |
| Middle Blocker |
Angelic Carter |
Benedict |
Jr. |
Biloxi, Miss. |
| Libero |
Jasmine Brantley |
Tuskegee |
So. |
Madison, Ala. |
| Setter |
Autumn James |
Edward Waters |
Jr. |
Gainesville, Fla. |
| – * RETURNING 2025 ALL-SIAC SELECTION |
| PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR |
| NAME |
SCHOOL |
CLASS |
HOMETOWN |
| Karea Copeland |
Miles |
So. |
Newnan, Ga. |
| PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR |
| NAME |
SCHOOL |
CLASS |
HOMETOWN |
| Ashlyn Whiteside |
Spring Hill |
Sr. |
Fairhope, Ala. |
| PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH |
| 1. Spring Hill |
| 2. Fort Valley State |
| 3. Albany State |
| 4. Benedict |
| 5. Savannah State |
| 6. Central State |
| 7. Edward Waters |
| 8. Miles |
| 9. Kentucky State |
| 10. Tuskegee |
| 11. Allen |
| 12. Clark Atlanta |
| 13. Lane |
| 14. LeMoyne-Owen |
