Pacific Lutheran has been selected to finish atop the Northwest Conference women's volleyball standings in the 2026 preseason coaches' poll. The Lutes collected 60 points and five first-place votes to lead the nine-team conference.
Puget Sound was picked second with 57 points and four first-place votes, followed by Whitworth with 52 points. Whitman and Willamette tied for fourth with 35 points, while George Fox (32), Linfield (28), Pacific (17) and Lewis & Clark (8) rounded out the poll.
The 2025 season saw a competitive race at the top of the conference, with Whitworth and Puget Sound sharing the regular-season championship after both teams finished 14-2 in NWC play. Pacific Lutheran went on to capture the NWC Tournament championship and earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship.
The 2026 season brings another opportunity for all nine NWC programs to compete for the regular-season title and a spot in the four-team conference tournament. The regular season begins Tuesday, September 15, with the NWC Tournament set for November 13-14.
The regular-season champion will host the four-team NWC Tournament, with the tournament champion earning the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship.
2026 NWC Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
| 1 |
Pacific Lutheran (5) |
60 |
| 2 |
Puget Sound (4) |
57 |
| 3 |
Whitworth |
52 |
| T4 |
Whitman |
35 |
| T4 |
Willamette |
35 |
| 6 |
George Fox |
32 |
| 7 |
Linfield |
28 |
| 8 |
Pacific |
17 |
| 9 |
Lewis & Clark |
8 |
Numbers in parentheses indicate first-place votes. Points are awarded on an 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches could not vote for their own teams.