VB’s Rakhmanchik Named Preseason All-Big 12
8/11/2026 10:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Bears picked to finish fourth in preseason poll
WACO, Texas — Baylor's Ksenia Rakhmanchik was named to the All-Big 12 Preseason squad, announced Tuesday by the league office.
The preseason team was selected by the conference's coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own athletes or team. Additionally, BU was slated to finish fourth in the Big 12 Preseason Poll.
Rakhmanchik enters her second season in green and gold after bursting onto the scene as a freshman, earning a spot on the All-Big 12 First Team in 2025, BU's first freshman to do so since 2022. One of three Bears on the All-Big 12 Rookie Team, she was named Big 12 Rookie of the Week three times and added Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors, establishing herself as one of the conference's most dynamic offensive threats.
The Minsk, Belarus, native put together some of her best performances down the stretch last season, finishing with 367 kills, the second-most by a freshman in program history, while adding 11 double-doubles. She tallied a career-high 24 kills at Colorado before surpassing that mark with 28 kills on .433 hitting in an upset at No. 20 TCU. She capped her historic freshman campaign in the NCAA Tournament, erupting for 32 kills in Baylor's five-set win over Arkansas State. The performance tied the program record for most kills in an NCAA Tournament match and set a new freshman record for kills in an NCAA Tournament match.
This is the 21st-straight season Baylor has had a player on the preseason squad and the 21st preseason honor for the Bears in the McGuyre era.
Baylor was picked in the top five of the preseason poll for the 10th-straight season after only being a preseason top-five pick twice in the previous 21 seasons.
Season and single-match tickets are on sale now for the 2026 season. You can find them at BaylorBears.com/tickets or by calling the Baylor Athletics Ticket Office at 254-710-1000.
To stay up to date with Baylor Volleyball all year long, follow the program on Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok: @BaylorVBall. Want to support the team? You can do so by giving to the One Way Club.
—BaylorBears.com—
2026 Preseason Coaches Poll
2026 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year
Noemie Glover, Arizona State
2026 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Freshman of the Year
Taylor Stanley, Kansas
2026 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Team
Carlie Cisneros, Arizona, OH, Jr. ^
Aniya Clinton, Arizona State , OH, Sr. ^
Noemie Glover, Arizona State, RS, Sr.*#
Una Vajagic, Arizona State, OH, Jr.
Ksenia Rakhmanchik, Baylor, OH, So.*#!
Alex Bower, BYU, S, Jr. #
Brielle Kemavor, BYU, MB, Sr.*#
Claire Little Chambers, BYU, OH, Sr.^
Avah Armour, UCF, OH, Sr.*#
Sydney Nolan, Cincinnati, OH, Sr.#
Ana Burilovic, Colorado, OH, Sr.*#
Cayla Payne, Colorado, MB, Sr.^
Rachel Van Gorp, Iowa State, L, Jr.*#
Reese Messer, Kansas, S, So.
Reese Ptacek, Kansas, MB, Jr.*#
Jalyn Gibson, TCU, OPP, Gr.
Evan Hendrix, TCU, OH, Jr.*#
Becca Kelley, TCU, OH, Sr. ^
Kamryn Gibadlo, Utah, OH, Sr. #
Players are listed alphabetically by school.
* indicates unanimous selection.
# - 2025 All-Big 12 First Team
^ - 2025 All-Big 12 Second Team
! – 2025 All-Big 12 Rookie Team
The preseason team was selected by the conference's coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own athletes or team. Additionally, BU was slated to finish fourth in the Big 12 Preseason Poll.
Rakhmanchik enters her second season in green and gold after bursting onto the scene as a freshman, earning a spot on the All-Big 12 First Team in 2025, BU's first freshman to do so since 2022. One of three Bears on the All-Big 12 Rookie Team, she was named Big 12 Rookie of the Week three times and added Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors, establishing herself as one of the conference's most dynamic offensive threats.
The Minsk, Belarus, native put together some of her best performances down the stretch last season, finishing with 367 kills, the second-most by a freshman in program history, while adding 11 double-doubles. She tallied a career-high 24 kills at Colorado before surpassing that mark with 28 kills on .433 hitting in an upset at No. 20 TCU. She capped her historic freshman campaign in the NCAA Tournament, erupting for 32 kills in Baylor's five-set win over Arkansas State. The performance tied the program record for most kills in an NCAA Tournament match and set a new freshman record for kills in an NCAA Tournament match.
This is the 21st-straight season Baylor has had a player on the preseason squad and the 21st preseason honor for the Bears in the McGuyre era.
Baylor was picked in the top five of the preseason poll for the 10th-straight season after only being a preseason top-five pick twice in the previous 21 seasons.
Season and single-match tickets are on sale now for the 2026 season. You can find them at BaylorBears.com/tickets or by calling the Baylor Athletics Ticket Office at 254-710-1000.
To stay up to date with Baylor Volleyball all year long, follow the program on Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok: @BaylorVBall. Want to support the team? You can do so by giving to the One Way Club.
—BaylorBears.com—
2026 Preseason Coaches Poll
| Rk | Team | Points |
| 1. | Arizona State (12) | 194 |
| 2. | TCU (3) | 177 |
| 3. | Kansas | 159 |
| 4. | Baylor | 152 |
| 5. | Colorado | 143 |
| 6. | Iowa State | 131 |
| 7. | BYU | 122 |
| 8. | Utah | 118 |
| 9. | UCF | 84 |
| 10. | Arizona | 77 |
| 11. | Kansas State | 65 |
| 12. | Cincinnati | 60 |
| 13. | West Virginia | 39 |
| 14. | Houston | 35 |
| 15. | Texas Tech | 19 |
2026 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year
Noemie Glover, Arizona State
2026 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Freshman of the Year
Taylor Stanley, Kansas
2026 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Team
Carlie Cisneros, Arizona, OH, Jr. ^
Aniya Clinton, Arizona State , OH, Sr. ^
Noemie Glover, Arizona State, RS, Sr.*#
Una Vajagic, Arizona State, OH, Jr.
Ksenia Rakhmanchik, Baylor, OH, So.*#!
Alex Bower, BYU, S, Jr. #
Brielle Kemavor, BYU, MB, Sr.*#
Claire Little Chambers, BYU, OH, Sr.^
Avah Armour, UCF, OH, Sr.*#
Sydney Nolan, Cincinnati, OH, Sr.#
Ana Burilovic, Colorado, OH, Sr.*#
Cayla Payne, Colorado, MB, Sr.^
Rachel Van Gorp, Iowa State, L, Jr.*#
Reese Messer, Kansas, S, So.
Reese Ptacek, Kansas, MB, Jr.*#
Jalyn Gibson, TCU, OPP, Gr.
Evan Hendrix, TCU, OH, Jr.*#
Becca Kelley, TCU, OH, Sr. ^
Kamryn Gibadlo, Utah, OH, Sr. #
Players are listed alphabetically by school.
* indicates unanimous selection.
# - 2025 All-Big 12 First Team
^ - 2025 All-Big 12 Second Team
! – 2025 All-Big 12 Rookie Team
Players Mentioned
OH
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