It’s a split decision for the preseason favorite to win the NEC.
Both Daemen and Saint Francis finished tied for the top spot in the NEC Preseason Coaches Poll that the conference released Tuesday.
The Wildcats have defeated the Red Flash in the conference tournament finals the last two years en route to winning back-to-back NEC titles. Among the starters returning for Daemen includes all-conference outside attacker Billy Wieberg, who last season was the NEC Tournament MVP and in the conference’s top 10 with a 2.89 kills per game average.
Saint Francis is entering its final season before moving to NCAA Division III and has one last chance to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
The Red Flash, a long-time EIVA member before the NEC started sponsoring men’s volleyball, has won three consecutive NEC regular season championships. The team also returns the majority of its starters highlighted with the 2025 NEC Rookie of the Year setter Kyle Charles.
Four schools received first-place votes in the seven-team preseason poll. The conference did not release the final voting point totals.
Daemen led all schools with three first-place votes, while Saint Francis had two votes.
Both Long Island and Fairleigh Dickinson each earned a first-place vote to round out the top half of the poll.
The NEC season will begin in late February and conclude with the four-team conference tournament in April. The winner of the NEC Tournament will receive the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
2026 NEC Preseason Poll
T-1. Daemen (3)
T-1. Saint Francis (2)
3. Long Island (1)
4. Fairleigh Dickinson (1)
5. Manhattan
6. UMES
7. D’Youville