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Arianna Reyna
Angela Roberts, FLC Athletic Communications

Volleyball starts 2026 season at Kathleen Brasfield Invite

8/26/2026 2:44:00 PM

By: Angela Roberts, Associate AD - Communications
DURANGO, Colo. – Skyhawks volleyball opens a challenging pre-conference schedule this week at the Kathleen Brasfield Invitational, hosted by nationally ranked Angelo State University, to kick off what looks to be another exciting season under second-year head coach Justin Wong.

Looking Back
Fort Lewis surprised some people last season, posting its best record in over a decade. The team finished 14-12 overall and 8-6 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) play. The Skyhawks ended the season in the RMAC Tournament, where they fell to (RV) UCCS in four sets.

Three players earned All-Conference recognition, including Alyx Daugherty (Second Team) and Alina Nunez (Honorable Mention).

Daugherty, a freshman libero last season, earned the libero jersey at the start of league play and made an immediate impact, averaging 5.36 digs per set in conference play to rank second in the RMAC. She was named RMAC Defensive Player of the Week on November 10 after matching a program record with 40 digs in a five-set match against (RV) UCCS. Daugherty committed just 10 receiving errors on 402 chances (.975) and averaged more than one assist per set.

Nunez, a sophomore right side last season, enjoyed an efficient season after transitioning to a new position. She moved to the right side after the first few weeks of play and finished with 2.49 kills per set to rank second on the roster. In conference matches, she led the team with a .260 hitting percentage while averaging nearly three kills per set. Nunez recorded a season-high 21 kills while hitting .340 against (RV) UCCS on November 8 and posted double-digit kills in five straight matches heading into the RMAC Tournament.

RMAC Preseason Outlook
The Fort Lewis College volleyball team has been tabbed to finish seventh in the conference according to the 2026 RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

UCCS earned the top spot with 187 points and eight first-place votes. Colorado Mesa came in second with 169 points and one first-place vote, followed by Colorado School of Mines (two first-place votes) and MSU Denver (four first-place votes) with 165 points each. Fort Lewis earned 112 points.

Daugherty and Nunez were named to the 2026 Preseason All-Conference Team after earning Second Team All-Conference and Honorable Mention All-Conference accolades, respectively, in 2025.

Who's Back
Fort Lewis returns four of its top five point scorers from last season, led by the trio of sophomore Cambria Freymuth, senior Jordan DeJesus, and Nunez. The three posted nearly identical numbers in 2025, averaging 2.53, 2.49, and 2.49 kills per set, respectively.

In the middle, sophomore Caroline Munson and senior Ellie Ames return for another season. Munson ranked second on the team in hitting percentage last year (.231) and was especially strong over the final third of the season.

Setting duties will be divided between senior Addie Garn and sophomore Arianna Reyna. Reyna distributed 5.53 assists per set last season, followed by Garn at 3.93 per set. The duo combined for 50 aces while collectively averaging more than three digs per set.

Defense will once again be a strength, paced by Daugherty, who averaged 4.99 digs per set during her freshman campaign. Junior Emery Pomroy provides another strong defensive presence after averaging 3.61 digs per set last season, giving the Skyhawks one of the premier defensive one-two punches in the region.

New to the Nest
Wong added four players in the offseason, including two defensive specialists and two attackers.

Sara Stoney and Lauren Rich join the team as defensive specialists. Stoney hails from Ventura, California, and holds her high school's record for digs in a match with 38. Rich comes from nearby Bayfield and played four years of varsity volleyball for Bayfield High School.

Sydney Vogel comes to campus from Aurora, where she competed for Chaparral High School. The six-foot pin hitter was a two-time All-State honoree during her prep career. The final addition is middle blocker Eloise Bearcomesout, another six-foot player from Colorado. Bearcomesout earned All-State recognition during her career at Arvada West High School.

About the Kathleen Brasfield Invitational
The season-opening tournament begins Friday and concludes Saturday with six matches per day. Participating teams include Fort Lewis, CSU Pueblo, No. 21 Angelo State, East Central, MSU Moorhead, and UT Permian Basin.

Fans can follow along with live stats by visiting the tournament homepage. Each match will also be streamed live through FloCollege, with various subscription options available.

Scouting UT Permian Basin
The Falcons are coming off an 11-16 season, including a 9-8 record in Lone Star Conference (LSC) play. They faced a pair of RMAC opponents, dropping straight-set matches to Adams State and Colorado Mesa early in the season. UTPB is under new leadership in 2026, with Melissa Avila beginning her first season at the helm.

In the LSC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Falcons were predicted to finish 12th. Makenna Grimes returns as the team's primary offensive option after ranking second on the roster with 210 kills in 2025. Defensively, Kyndall Torres returns after leading the team with 3.20 digs per set last season, including three matches with 20 or more digs. Setting duties fall to Kierra Freeman, a junior who averaged 7.83 assists and 2.77 digs per set.

Fort Lewis is 3-2 all-time against UTPB, with the most recent matchup coming in 2024. The Skyhawks earned a five-set win over the Falcons, with Pomroy recording 20 digs.

Scouting No. 21 Angelo State
The Belles enjoyed another dominant season in 2025, finishing 26-8 overall and 15-2 in LSC play. They went 16-0 at home while capturing the LSC Tournament Championship in the Junell Center. Angelo State advanced to the regional final before falling in three sets to eventual national champion MSU Denver.

Angelo State was predicted to win the conference title again according to the LSC Preseason Coaches' Poll. Senior outside hitter Madie Parrish was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season after leading the conference with 435 kills (3.72 kills per set) last year. She was a First Team All-American and the South Central Region Player of the Year.

Defensively, Krizia Perez is a player to watch after totaling 183 digs in 2025. Setting duties run through Gabi Ashcraft, a junior who added 581 assists, 218 digs, and 39 aces last season.

Fort Lewis is 2-3 all-time against Angelo State, falling in four sets in each of the last three meetings. In 2024, the Skyhawks faced the Belles at the same tournament, dropping the match despite outblocking the home team 10-5.

Scouting East Central
The Tigers, members of the Great American Conference (GAC), are coming off a 10-21 season. The team went just 1-12 on the road but owned an 8-1 record at home. East Central advanced to the GAC Tournament but ended the season with a 3-0 loss to Southwestern Oklahoma State.

East Central was predicted to finish sixth in the GAC standings according to the preseason poll, placing the Tigers in the middle of the 12-team conference. The team's top point scorer, Jayla Buford, returns after compiling 235 kills during her freshman season. She added 268 digs and 37 blocks across 27 matches. Emily Pena was the primary setter last season, averaging more than seven assists per set to go along with 198 digs.

Fort Lewis is 1-0 all-time against East Central thanks to a 3-1 win in 2023.

Scouting MSU Moorhead
The Dragons went 14-15 last season with a 7-13 mark in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). MSUM began the season 5-0 before going 1-8 over its final nine matches.

MSUM was selected to finish 11th in the conference standings according to the preseason poll. Raiah Mandell earned Player to Watch recognition after leading the team with 308 kills as a junior. Brielle Riess also returns after averaging 2.67 kills per set last season. Setting duties look to be in the hands of Madi Colby, who split time at the position but led the team with 5.57 assists per set last year.

Fort Lewis is 1-2 all-time against MSUM, most recently earning a 3-0 win over the Dragons in 2010.

Up Next
Fort Lewis continues its road swing with another preseason tournament, this time hosted by CSU Pueblo. There, the Skyhawks will face (RV) Minnesota Duluth, Adelphi, Florida Tech, and CSU Pueblo.
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