Coming off a historic run in 2025, Cal Poly Volleyball has a tough performance to follow coming into the 2026 season.
Last season, the Mustangs reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament, the farthest the team had made it in 18 years. They also took home the Big West Tournament Championship for the first time in program history and had a perfect 15-0 home record.
The Mustangs are using this success as a learning block rather than applying intense pressure on themselves.
“We’re not trying to recreate last year,” head coach Caroline Walters said. “We are trying to take the lessons we learned and do something new and different and hopefully just as exciting with a new group.”
Preseason
The Mustangs will compete in 10 preseason matches this season, seven of which are against teams that competed in last season’s NCAA tournament.
“It’s not just about name-brand recognition. It’s playing good teams that are winning 20 matches a season, and when I plan my preseason, those are the teams I’m circling,” Walters said.
The Mustangs begin their preseason on Aug. 28 at the Texas A&M Invitational, where they will face Texas A&M, Arkansas State and Grand Canyon University.
Texas A&M is the reigning NCAA tournament champion, while Arkansas State was an NCAA tournament competitor.
“We’re ready to go do the same scouting that we did all last season and just go in with a lot of joy and knowing in our heads that we can do this,” senior defensive specialist Ella Scott said.
Two other standout teams on Cal Poly’s preseason schedule include Arizona State and Stanford. Both teams competed in the NCAA tournament, with both being the No. 2 seed in their region.
The Mustangs will play both teams at Mott Athletics Center to close out their preseason. They host ASU on Sep. 18 and Stanford on Sep. 20.
“Having the opportunity to compete at a really high level week after week is going to really prepare us mentally, physically and emotionally going into Big West (play),” junior outside hitter Kendall Beshear said.
Big West
The Mustangs head into conference play against Cal State Bakersfield on Sep. 25 at Mott Athletics Center.
The Big West conference will see a change from previous years as Cal Poly rival University of Hawai’i is now in the Mountain West conference and three new teams have been introduced into the Big West: California Baptist, Sacramento State and Utah Valley.
On June 9, the team announced that Cal Poly will host the Big West Tournament in Mott Athletics Center for the first time in program history on Nov. 25-28.
“With what beach volleyball is doing nationally and what we’re doing nationally, this town is a volleyball town,” Walters said. “I’m excited to showcase this town for the six teams that get to come and compete here over Thanksgiving weekend.”
The Mustangs have been successful in the Big West for the past two seasons. In 2024, they secured the regular-season title, and in 2025 they won the Big West Tournament for the first time.
They are looking for that same success this year.
“We have to compete for a Big West championship this year,” Walters said. “A three-peat of this thing, that’s a big goal for this group, and once that happens, hopefully we’re on the right side of competing for that championship.”
Since the start of the Big West Tournament in 2023, the winner gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Without that win, the team would have to rely on their season performance to give them an at-large bid.
Dependable Defense
Despite four seniors graduating last season, there are 13 returning players on the Mustang roster. Looking to fill the departed veterans’ shoes are new faces Kamille Scott, Teagan Cooling, Noe Vanacht, Bridget Blu and Alexis Haury.
Both sides of the net are promising, according to Walters, due to both the new and returning power from the players.
“I think Alexis Haury, our transfer setter from Washington, she’s a setter for sure, but she played defensive specialist for them at times, and her defensive effort shows she could be a libero at a lot of schools,” Walters said.
As for returners on the defensive end, junior libero Elif Hurriyet helped lead the Mustangs to the Sweet Sixteen in 2025 as she captained the defense with 344 digs.
A critical part of starting the Mustangs’ defense is the ability to serve, resulting in Ella Scott and Beshear being crucial parts of the team due to their serving capabilities.
Three out of four of the team’s top servers are returners, giving Cal Poly a security net behind the line. In fact, the team has even given Ella Scott the nickname of “Acerella.”
Beshear led the team with 51 aces last season, followed by senior outside hitter Emma Fredrick with 36 and Scott landing fourth on the team with 23.
“If people think of serving and Cal Poly, the first thing that pops to mind is Kendall,” Walters said.
A Fierce Front Row
Not only are Beshear and Fredrick key components to the defense, but they also help the offense move like a well-oiled machine. Fredrick spearheaded with 422 kills last season, followed by Beshear with 377.
As an upperclassman now, Beshear has been helping the new athletes settle in.
“Something that was really cool in the weight room was when one of the freshmen came up to me and said, ‘It’s just so cool, you guys are so strong. Moving that much weight makes me want to be better,’ and I think that is just such a testament to like what our culture is,” Beshear said.
The Mustangs only had one early signee for this upcoming season, Kamille Scott. Scott played for Camille Casteel High School in Gilbert, Ariz., and was a standout, four-year varsity starter. She has earned honors such as All-CUSD Honorable Mention in 2023 and 2025, 2024 All-Region First Team, and finished in second place at the 2024 National Championship with her club team, the Arizona Storm. She joined the Mustangs’ roster as an opposite hitter, adding power to the front row lineup.
Another returning player to the Mustang lineup is redshirt senior middle blocker Breklyn Pulling. Pulling has been on the team since 2024 and was a standout that season as she racked up 261 kills and led the team with 105 blocks.
During summer practice before the 2025 season, Pulling tore her ACL and meniscus, putting her out for the entirety of the season. However, she has recovered and has already shown her strength this summer.
“We have Breklyn back, and she’s been killing it in practice so far, like destroying it, so I think we’re really excited for this upcoming season,” Ella Scott said.
Alongside Pulling at middle blocker are four other players, making it a competitive yet talent-filled position.
Joyous Play
Throughout the NCAA tournament, the Mustang squad was recognized because of their talent but also because of the way they play the game of volleyball.
“Our joy and our love for one another was one of the biggest compliments we got last year, and I hope that we get to continue that going into this season,” Beshear said.
While the team is hopeful for a successful season, they are also focused on displaying their hard work from summer and keeping their optimistic team culture.
“I would love to make it as far as we can and win the Big West, but I think us growing in the program and leaving the program on a good note to where we can build this program even bigger [than] what it is today would be a success,” Ella Scott said.