After winning back-to-back Inland Empire Athletic Conference championships, one might look at the second place finish the San Bernardino Valley College women's volleyball team achieved in 2025 as a let down.
But under fourth-year head coach Robert Vansant, the 2026 edition of the Wolverines will be looking to continue to make strides and face the growing challenges of the IEAC.
The Wolverines closed out the 2025 season with a record of 15-9 overall, but posted an 8-2 finish in conference play, including the only win over first-place College of the Desert in conference play. Their play earned SBVC its third consecutive trip to the postseason, which came to an end in the second round after a four-set loss to state runner-up, San Diego Mesa.
The 2026 edition will include some familiar faces up front, as San Bernardino Valley will be returning 1st-Team All-Conference outside hitter Devi'arre Lucas (Redlands), 2nd-Team All-Conference opposite hitter Tamia Hardwick (Moreno Valley), and Honorable Mention middle blocker Ashlee Zimmer (Rancho Cucamonga). Those three will be joinedby six other players returning from 2025 team.
Coach Vansant is excited about the 2026 recruiting class that includes three setters, two pin attackers, three middles and three defensive specialists/liberos.
SBVC will kick off the season on Aug. 28 at home, hosting Pasadena City College, Mira Costa College, and Mt. San Jacinto College in the inaugural Wolverine Quad, before embarking on a tough non-conference schedule. The Wolverines will match up against five other squads who made the playoffs in 2025, including Pasadena City, Saddleback, Palomar, College of the Sequoias, and Golden West. They will round out their non-conference schedule with games against Riverside, Irvine Valley, and Cypress.
Vansant hopes that the tough non-conference schedule prepares his team for the challenges ahead in conference, as SBVC hopes to return to the top of the IEAC. Conference play opens Sept. 25 at Chaffey, and closes at home on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, against Mt. San Jacinto. SBVC's regular season ends at home Nov. 13 with a nonconference battle against Palomar.