NORFOLK, Va. – Reigning MEAC champion Coppin State has been selected to repeat as conference champions in the 2026 MEAC Volleyball Preseason Poll, while senior libero
Coco Figueroa was voted the league's Preseason Player of the Year, the conference announced Thursday.
The Eagles received 92 points and seven first-place votes to headline the predicted order of finish. Howard followed in second with 85 points and two first-place votes, while Delaware State placed third with 72 points and two first-place votes.
Morgan State (68), Maryland Eastern Shore (59), Norfolk State (41), North Carolina Central (37) and South Carolina State (14) rounded out the poll.
Coppin State enters the 2026 season looking to build on a historic 2025 campaign that saw the Eagles capture both the MEAC regular-season and tournament championships. CSU finished 23-12 overall and went 13-1 in conference play before advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons.
Figueroa headlines a trio of Eagles selected to the Preseason All-MEAC Team.
Cherisse Atilano and
Kayden Cupid also earned preseason All-Conference recognition.
A senior from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Figueroa enters the season as the reigning MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time First Team All-MEAC selection. She led the conference in 2025 with 599 digs and 4.54 digs per set while adding 173 assists and 46 service aces.
Figueroa became one of the nation's top defensive players last season, recording double-digit digs in 30 of her 34 matches. She also tallied 20 or more digs in 12 matches while ranking among the league leaders in aces.
A sophomore outside hitter from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, Atilano enjoyed a standout freshman campaign in 2025. She was named MEAC Rookie of the Year and Second Team-All-Conference after ranking among the conference leaders in kills, digs, service aces and points. Atilano finished the season with 360 kills, 373 digs and a league-high 49 aces while recording 13 double-doubles.
Cupid returns for her junior season after earning First Team All-MEAC honors in 2025. The middle hitter from Supply, N.C., led the Eagles with 102 blocks and a .313 hitting percentage while adding 187 kills. She ranked second in the MEAC in total blocks and third in blocks per set (0.90).
The preseason recognition continues a run of success for head coach
Tim Walsh, who has guided Coppin State to four MEAC regular-season championships and two MEAC Titles. The Eagles have also made three postseason appearances in the last four seasons, including NCAA Tournament berths in 2023 and 2025.
Coppin opens the season at Virginia Tech's Hokie Invitational on August 28-29 where it will kick off the weekend with matches against William & Mary and Kent State on Friday followed by Virginia Tech on Saturday at 3 pm on ACCNX.
