UNC Volleyball 2026-2027

[3397char]

Last season UNC advanced to the round of 32 in the NCAAT by upsetting 6 seed UTEP, then losing to 3 seed Wisc.
Finished with a 22-9 record, 14-6 in conference for 6th place

Final AVCA ranking: 19th
RPI Ranking: 43rd

The roster: All appear on the 2026 spring roster. Note - the Yr at the end of each player indicates years since high high school, possible future eligibility calculation

Returning Starters:

1. 6-0 Sr setter Zoe Behrendt 4Yr
2. 6-1 Sr outside hitter Safi Hampton 4Yr
3. 6-3 Jr opposite hitter Laynie Smith 3Yr
4. 6-1 Jr middle blocker Jackie Taylor 3Yr
5. 6-3 Gr opposite hitter Chelsea Thorpe 5yr

Key Returning Players:

• Heavy rotation with the starters:

1. 5-11 Jr libero Julia Bohlinger 3Yr (played in 113 of 117 sets)
2. 5-9 So setter Sienna Cozza 2Yr (played in 74 of 117 sets)
3. 6-3 Sr right side Hailey Pearce 4Yr (played in 96 of 117 sets)
4. 6-2 Gr middle blocker Lauren Schutter 5Yr (played in 96 of 117 sets)

• Lighter rotation, but significant contributions:

1. 5-10 Jr setter Emily Bobbitt 3Yr (played in 45 of 117 sets)
2. 6-4 So middle blocker Meghan Clifford 3Yr (played in 16 of 117 sets)
3. 6-0 Jr outside hitter Erin Curtis 3Yr (played in 21 of 117 sets)
4. 6-1 So outside hitter Bridget Malone 2Yr (played in 38 of 117 sets)

• Jr MB Mackenzie Boyer (4Yr) and Gr MB Sadie Swift (5Yr) also return

Losses:

• Maddy May - starting libero graduated
• Shea Cadence does not appear on the spring roster; I am not sure if she transferred out or is not currently on the team for another reason. My guess is she just graduated with eligibility remaining. Her socials are private. She played minimally last season.

So we lose only one contributor from last year. No indication that anyone has transferred out. I also have no indication that anyone transferred in, and no new names on the spring roster. We currently stand at 17 players, one short of the roster limit, so it is possible we get a late grad transfer, though unlikely at this point

Links:
2026 Roster
2025 Stats

2026 Freshman Class:

Name​	Position​	Rankings​	Awards​	High School​	Club​
Carly Markham already enrolled	5-8 DS/Libero	Prepdig.com #139 nationally, #4 in NC prepvolleyball.com #8 player in Atlantic Coast Region	Team USAV NTDP in 2022 2025 JVA Girls’ All-National Team Class of 2026	Apex Friendship	Triangle Volleyball Club
Lindley Miller already enrolled	6-4 OH/OPP		NC All-Region	Green Level in Cary, NC	Triangle Volleyball Club
Addison West	6-2 Outside Hitter	Prepdig.com #59 nationally, #1 in NB Maxpreps Top 10 hitter in the 2026 class	2025 AVCA 2nd Team A-A NB 2025 Gatorade POY Omaha World-Herald Super Six: NB 1st Team All-State	Omaha Skutt Catholic in NB	Premier Nebraska Volleyball

2027 High School Commitments:

Name​	Position​	Rankings​	Awards​	High School​	Club​
May Durrill	6-4 Middle Blocker	3-star recruit	Missouri All-State	Mary Institute Country Day School in MO	High Performance STL 17 Royal
Kalia Kroth	5-10 outside hitter/Librero/DS	Prepdig.com #98 nationally. #4 in IL #6 VB player in IL	prepvolleyball.com HM A-A AVCA HM A-A AVCA All-Region IVCA/GLR 1st Team All-State	DePaul College Prep in IL	1st Alliance VBC
Marlie Smith	5-10 setter	PrepVolleyball #17 recruit nationally, #3 setter in the 2027 class #26 recruit nationally and the 5th ranked setter Prepdig.com #17 nationally, #4 Setter, #1 in MI	AVCA 3rd Team AA PrepVolleyball 2025 U-16 1st Team A-A VBallRecruiter.com 2025 U-16 1st Team A-A AAU 16 Open MVP & A-A AAU 14 Open A-A StateChamps Mich POY Finalist 2025 & 2026 (soph & Jr) Mich All-State 2nd Team as a soph 2025 & 2026 Team USA NTDP invite	Clarkston in MI	Legacy Volleyball Club (2x national champs)

Note: if the proposed "5-for-5" rule is passed by the NCAA then the large majority of the roster will gain another year of eligibility. It appears the following players will have used all 5 years:

1. Thorpe
2. Schutter
3. Swift

While it is highly likely that some player(s) transfer out, especially as grad students, on paper right now we stand at 17 women for the 2027 season, leaving room for one additional 2027 recruit or 1 transfer after the upcoming season. If the 5-for-5 rule does not pass, we currently have 4 spots open on the 2027 roster.

The 2025-26 Volleyball thread

 

[3397char]

The Heels will play in Turkiye, Slovenia and Italy May 28th through June 8th

Volleyball Announces European Tour - University of North Carolina Athletics

Carolina volleyball head coach Mike Schall announced that the program will go on a foreign tour to Europe this summer.

goheels.com

Known OOC games per @volleyballer1 :

• vs Colorado State
• vs JMU
• vs South Carolina
• Vanderbilt in New York
• @ Kentucky as part of Showdown at Net
• @ Nebraska

UNC Volleyball 2025-2026 - Page 12 - Forums

UNC voted 5th in the ACC preseason poll and Safi Hampton is a preseason first-team https://theacc.com/news/2025/7/30/womens-volleyball-2025-preseason-all-acc-volleyball-team-and-coaches-poll-announced.aspx we finoshed last season in 5th place, were in the others receiving votes category on the...

www.on3.com

 

[unc80]

The program appears to be headed in the right direction.

 

[Jriv23]

I agree.

 

[volleyballer1]

this program has the potential to be a Top 10 team this season and I firmly believe contend for the ACC title. We were so close to knocking off Pitt last year at home and played every top team, except Stanford, extremly tight.

We are senior heavy so we need to do it this year so we can build moving forward.

 

[3397char]

 

[3397char]

UVA gets a major increase in volleyball scholarships.

Lyons Family’s Transformational Commitment Pledges Gift for UVA Volleyball, Women’s Soccer

Lyons Family’s Transformational Commitment Pledges Gift for UVA Volleyball, Women’s Soccer

virginiasports.com

 

[Jriv23]

Wow, what a huge donation. This is putting a lot of pressure on the other schools to keep up with them.

 

[3397char]

edited OP to add 2027 roster cap projection with and without the 5-for-5 rule.

 

[Jriv23]

Thanks for doing that for us 3397char.

 

[minas823]

Couple of 28’ verbals to report -
5 star by prep dig and #24 nationally 6’3 MB Julia Clarke
5’9 Líbero Riley Ko

 

[Jriv23]

Has Addison West arrived on campus yet?

 

[3397char]

Has Addison West arrived on campus yet?

Her Instagram seems to imply that she participated in UNC Volleyball's European tour this month.

 

[Nate1972]

Her Instagram seems to imply that she participated in UNC Volleyball's European tour this month.

I was at the open practice just before they left for Europe, and she was there.

 

[3397char]

First 2028 Commits! (That I know of)

Julia Clark is a 6'2" Middle Blocker from GA

• She is the #21 national recruit according to PrepRivals
• #24 according to PrepDig

Riley Ko is a 5'9" Libero from VA
UNC Camp Alumnus

• AVCA Phenom Watchlist
• Prep Dig 2028 DMV (DC/MD/VA) #2 Ranked Libero
• Prep Dig 2028 DMV #7 Ranked Overall

Chika Onukwhuga is a 5’10”outside hitter from MD

• Prep Dig 2028 #3 player in DMV

 

[3397char]

 

[Jriv23]

We are coming up in the recruiting which is a good sign. The program is moving up and headed in the right direction IMO. A testament to the HC and his staff. Go Heels!

 

[Jriv23]

Welcome to the family Riley, Julia, and Chika. Go Heels!

 

[Jriv23]

Does anybody know how our team played at the European Trip?