ROCK HILL, S.C. --- The Tusculum University women's beach volleyball team has been voted to finish second in the 2026 South Atlantic Conference Carolinas Coaches' Poll, the league announced today.  

Brynn Smith/Dasha Nikolaeva and Hannah Marsh/Sofia Vega Barrantes were named the Pairs to Watch for TU.

Smith, a junior from Wellsburg, Iowa, was part of the inaugural All-SACC first team last season. She went 19-10 (7-3 SACC), including a 15-9 record at the top flight. When paired with Marsh, Smith went 18-9, which is tied for sixth-most in a season as a TU pair. The 15 wins at the No. 1 flight rank second in the slot. The duo earned team MVP honors for their efforts. For her career, Smith ranks second in individual top flight wins (20), second in team top flight wins with Marsh (15), seventh in individual No. 2 flight wins (10), eighth in individual win percentage (.516), and eighth in team win percentage with Marsh (.667).

Nikolaeva, a freshman from Valencia, Spain, graduated from Colegio Internacional Ausias March. She was a winner of the 2025 Championships of Comunidad Valenciana. Nikolaeva finished top-five in three U21 and three U19 tournaments, including a championship in the latter. She also had a ninth place finish at the 2025 CESA Spanish Championship U19 and 17th at the Spanish Championship U21. Nikolaeva also played for Costa La Malvarrosa.

Marsh, a senior from Gulf Shores, Alabama, was also a member of the inaugural All-SACC first team last season. She went 19-10 (7-3 SACC), including 16-10 at the top flight, which is tied for second-most at the top spot for a TU season. When paired with Smith, Marsh went 18-9, which is tied for sixth-most in a season as a TU pair. The 15 wins at the No. 1 flight rank second in the slot. The duo earned team MVP honors for their efforts. For her career, Marsh ranks in the top-five in nine categories, including third in individual wins (59) and win percentage (.678). She leads both the individual (24) and team (16) win in the No. 3 flight as well.

Vega Barrantes, a freshman from San José, Costa Rica, graduated from Saint Francis College and has international playing experience. As a member of the Costa Rica National Team, she won the U19 Central America Tournament and was the runner-up at the U23 NORCECA Continental Tour in the Cayman Islands. Vega Barrantes also claimed 14th at the FIVB BVB U19 WCHS Shangluo in China and 25th at the FIVB BVB U21 WCHS Roi Et in Thailand.

The Pioneers received 49 total points in a vote of the league's six head coaches, including a first-place nod. Carson-Newman was tabbed to win the conference with 54 votes with four first-place tallies. Erskine got the final first-place vote in a 45-point tie with Emmanuel. Catawba (41) and Wingate (36) round out the poll.

Emily Kalmink goes into year two as head coach in 2025 with five returners, eight freshmen, and five transfers, including a multi-sport athlete. In 2025, the Pioneers went 15-15 overall and 6-4 in conference play. TU finished second in both the inaugural South Atlantic Conference Carolinas regular season and tournament and won the bronze bracket at the AVCA championship event for a third time in program history.

Tusculum begins 2026 at the EKU/Morehead Opening Weekend Tournament in Loveland, Ohio, running from February 20-21. The Pioneers will face Liberty, Morehead State, Austin Peay, and Eastern Kentucky.

The second edition of the South Atlantic Conference Carolinas Beach Volleyball Championship will be held April 10-11 at Hardin Park Beach Volleyball Complex in Greeneville, Tenn. Last season, the tournament was conducted using a three-team pool play, single round-robin format. The top two teams from each pool crossover to play in the semifinals. The winners of the final two matches meet for the championship match.

2026 Beach Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll

2026 Beach Volleyball Pairs to Watch
Carson-Newman: Paige Halcrow / Trinity Hafey, Emerson Ahsmuhs / Ava Potts
Catawba: Emma Christensen / Marcella Hermont, Sidney Kettelkamp / Emily Dudley
Emmanuel: Faith Kelly / Leah Van WynGarden, Kaleigh Morawietz / MaisyBeth Farrow
Erskine: Abby Platt / Reka Meilinger, Elly Davis / Rinnah Roberts
Tusculum: Brynn Smith / Dasha Nikolaeva, Hannah Marsh / Sofia Vega Barrantes
Wingate: Amelia Talbott / Ella Harm, Lilou Thieme / Kate Beezer