FOREST, Va. – The Old Dominion Athletic Conference has announced the field for the 2026 Women's Volleyball Championship and Washington and Lee earned the second-seed.
The Blue and White wrapped up the regular season on Saturday afternoon at the Emory National Invitational in Atlanta, Ga., earning victories over No. 1 Centre College and No. 23 Emory University. The Generals finished the regular season with a 23-4 overall record and an 11-1 mark in ODAC play. Bridgewater College also finished conference play with an 11-1 record, tying W&L atop the league standings. However, the Eagles earned the top seed in the ODAC Tournament by virtue of their head-to-head victory over the Generals on Oct. 2. No. 21 Batten University secured the third seed, while the University of Lynchburg rounded out the top four.
The top four seeds will host quarterfinal matches on Tuesday against the fifth through eighth seeds. Seventh-seeded Roanoke will travel to Lexington to face W&L, while sixth-seeded Shenandoah will visit Batten. Fifth-seeded Randolph-Macon will travel to Lynchburg, while eighth-seeded Guilford will take on top-seeded Bridgewater to round out the championship field.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:
Quarterfinals | Tuesday, November 10
Match 1: #8 Guilford at #1 Bridgewater | 7 p.m.
Match 2: #5 Randolph-Macon at #4 Lynchburg | 6 p.m.
Match 3: #6 Shenandoah at #3 Batten | 6:30 p.m.
Match 4: #7 Roanoke at #2 Washington and Lee | 6 p.m.
Semifinals | Wednesday, November 12 | at Higher Seeds | Times TBD
Match 5: Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2
Match 6: Winter Match 3 vs. Winner Match 4
Championship | Saturday, November 7 | at Highest Remaining Seed | Time TBD
Match 7: Winner Match 5 vs. Winner Match 6
GENERALS TEAM ODAC CHAMPIONSHIP OUTLOOK:
The Blue and White begin their quest for a fourth consecutive ODAC Championship on Tuesday as they host seventh-seeded Roanoke College at 6 p.m. inside Holekamp Gym. The Generals and Maroons squared off two weeks ago in Lexington, with W&L earning a dominant sweep to close out conference play. If the Generals advance to the semifinals, they will face either Batten or Shenandoah inside Holekamp Gym. W&L defeated Batten in a five-set thriller in Lexington in late September before sweeping Shenandoah the following week.
On the opposite side of the bracket, the Generals posted a 3-1 record against potential opponents, earning sweeps over Randolph, Lynchburg and Randolph-Macon while falling to Bridgewater in straight sets on Oct. 2.
GENERALS' PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Senior
Grace Mitchener has led the Generals' offense this season, registering a team-high 316 kills with a .233 hitting percentage while adding 38 service aces. In addition to her offensive success, Mitchener has been a key defensive contributor, ranking second on the team with 400 digs while recording 54 blocks.
First-year Emma Mulvaney and sophomore Cara Hamil have both surpassed the 100-kill mark for the Blue and White this season. Mulvaney ranks second on the team with 225 kills and a .241 hitting percentage while recording 32 service aces, the second-most on the team. She also ranks third on the team with 294 digs and has registered 39 blocks. Hamil follows Mulvaney with 186 kills, averaging 2.11 per set, while adding 18 service aces.
Sophomore Sienna Nichoson has been the primary facilitator of the Generals' offense this season, dishing out a team-high 528 assists while averaging 6.29 per set. First-year Addison Evans and junior Addi Johnson have also surpassed the 100-assist mark this season, with Evans recording 155 and Johnson adding 142.
Senior Vivi Vasquez has established herself as one of the premier defenders in Division III, leading the team with 512 digs while averaging 5.89 per set, which ranks fifth nationally. Vasquez broke the program and ODAC records for career digs and currently sits at 2,168 following the regular season. She became the first player in program history to reach 2,000 career digs, joining Samantha Sallade of Randolph-Macon as the only players in conference history to accomplish the feat. Sophomore Ava Gaines has been a force at the net this season, leading the team and ranking third in the ODAC with 82 blocks, including a league-best 18 solo blocks.
TICKET AND MEDIA INFORMATION:
All quarterfinal games throughout the ODAC Championship are free of charge for anyone attending the games. Semifinal and championship game attendance will require paid admission through Hometown Ticketing. Tickets may be purchased at the site of the game, but fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets ahead of time.
All games throughout the ODAC Championship will be streamed on FloCollege and will have live stats provided. Live streaming on FloCollege requires a paid subscription, while games will be available for free on-demand on the FloCollege website following the conclusion of the games.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
