KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Kutztown women's volleyball is ready to take the next step and once again begin experiencing continued success, while competing in high-level matches towards the end of the season.
 
The 2026 season, beginning this week, is the second for the program under head coach Jason Barshinger, and if last season is any indication, the Golden Bears are ready to accomplish their lofty goals this upcoming year.
 
KU finished the 2025 campaign 15-13 overall, the most wins in a season since 2011. It was also a 14-win improvement from the season prior (2024), before Barshinger took over the helm. The excitement around the program isn't just noticed around campus, but also throughout the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, as the league's head coaches voted the Maroon and Gold fourth in this season's PSAC East Preseason poll, marking their highest preseason ranking since the PSAC returned to an East-West divisional format in 2021. 
 
"We have a great group of student-athletes that the coaching staff enjoys working with every day," said Barshinger. "They are the most important thing to us, and working to guide them in reaching their goals is something we're excited to do daily. I feel that we're heading in the right direction. It starts with having the will and desire to compete for a championship, to see the value in the little things like goal setting, and that expectation to succeed each day.
 
"I feel like the preseason ranking is a nod to our players that their hard work is being seen by the other PSAC coaches. That said, we are more focused right now on winning the day at hand and continuing to develop. We're working to be the best version of ourselves. Then we will see where we stack up when the rankings matter most."
 
The Maroon and Gold return several key players from last year's team, including outside hitter Madilyn Bogovic (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cedar Cliff). The sophomore was named PSAC Freshman of the Year and earned First Team All-PSAC East honors after a standout debut season. She was second on the team in both kills (361) and digs (330), starting all 28 matches. Senior outside hitter Paige Skinner (Placerville, Calif./Ponderosa) also returns after earning Second Team All-PSAC East recognition in her first season with the Golden Bears. She led KU with 393 kills, starting all 25 matches she played in.
 
Junior setter Emma Baldridge (Damascus, Md./Damascus) finished two assists shy of 1,000 last season with 998, seventh-most in a single season in program history. She currently ranks 10th all-time with 1,327 career assists. Junior libero Saige Thibodeaux (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker) recorded 550 digs, the fifth-most a Golden Bear has had in a season. Junior middle hitter Grace White (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown) and sophomore right side hitter Lauren Montgomery (Norristown, Pa./Mount Saint Joseph Academy) had a lot of success hitting and defending at the net last season. White was third on Kutztown with 170 kills and led the squad with 73 blocks, while Montgomery was fourth in kills (152) and third in blocks (43).
 
"This team could potentially run like a well-oiled machine," Barshinger said. "We have the playmakers in position to be strong in all facets of the game, the depth that's needed in a strong run, and a returning core that allows us to start familiar with our systems. I expect to see some exciting play this year as we continue to create our own brand of Kutztown Volleyball."
 
Kutztown will open its season on the road at the D'Youville University Tournament in Buffalo, New York. The Golden Bears will face Lock Haven at noon on Aug. 28. The home opener is set for Tuesday, Sept. 1, against Goldey-Beacom at 6:30 p.m., from Brandywine Heights High School. KU begins conference play the weekend of Sept. 18 and 19, with road matches at East Stroudsburg and Bloomsburg, respectively.