CIAA Announces 2026 Volleyball All-Conference Teams and Postseason Honors
Livingstone College Leads Postseason Honors with Four Major Awards, Including Coach, Offensive Player and Rookie of the Year
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (November 8, 2026) – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA®) has announced its 2026 Volleyball All-Conference First and Second Teams, All-Rookie Team and individual postseason award winners, recognizing outstanding student-athletes and coaching excellence throughout the regular season.
Livingstone College headlines this year's postseason honors, earning three of the five major individual awards, including Offensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year. Virginia State University and Bowie State University also earned individual recognition following impressive regular-season performances.
The postseason honors were selected through the CIAA Volleyball Head Coaches Association voting process in accordance with the conference's established sporting code procedures.
2026 CIAA Volleyball Individual Postseason Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Oliwia Jaroszewicz, Livingstone College
Jaroszewicz earns Offensive Player of the Year honors following an outstanding season for the Blue Bears. Her contributions to Livingstone's offensive attack helped position the program among the conference's top teams entering postseason competition. Jaroszewicz also earned First Team All-Conference recognition as an outside hitter.
Defensive Player of the Year: Kellee Craig, Virginia State University
Craig has been named Defensive Player of the Year for her contributions to the Trojans' defensive efforts throughout the season. Her performance also earned her First Team All-Conference honors at the libero position.
Setter of the Year: Gabrielle Hale, Bowie State University
Hale earns Setter of the Year honors after helping direct Bowie State's offense throughout the regular season. She was also selected to the CIAA Volleyball First Team All-Conference as a setter.
Rookie of the Year: Hailey Henriquez, Livingstone College
Henriquez has been named CIAA Rookie of the Year following an impressive debut season with the Blue Bears. In addition to earning the conference's top freshman honor, she was selected to the CIAA All-Rookie Team and Second Team All-Conference as an outside hitter.
Coach of the Year: Ericka Charleston, Livingstone College
Charleston earns CIAA Coach of the Year honors after guiding Livingstone through a successful regular-season campaign that positioned the Blue Bears among the conference's top three teams entering the 2026 CIAA Volleyball Championship. Under her leadership, Livingstone earned multiple individual postseason honors and All-Conference selections.
2026 CIAA Volleyball First Team All-Conference
| Position |
Student-Athlete |
Institution |
| Outside Hitter |
Oliwia Jaroszewicz |
Livingstone |
| Outside Hitter |
Gracie Darville |
Virginia State |
| Outside Hitter |
Holiday Ellis |
Winston-Salem State |
| Middle Hitter |
Mya Hejl |
Fayetteville State |
| Middle Hitter |
Callesta Styles |
Bluefield State |
| Middle Hitter |
Jy'Asha Cousins |
Bowie State |
| Libero |
Kellee Craig |
Virginia State |
| Setter |
Gabrielle Hale |
Bowie State |
| Right Side Hitter |
Kyla Powell |
Fayetteville State |
| Right Side Hitter |
Wynter Hill |
Virginia State |
| Utility |
Cameron Mitrovich |
Elizabeth City State |
2026 CIAA Volleyball Second Team All-Conference
| Position |
Student-Athlete |
Institution |
| Outside Hitter |
Kemyah Harris |
Fayetteville State |
| Outside Hitter |
Hailey Henriquez |
Livingstone |
| Outside Hitter |
Taelin Connolley |
Shaw |
| Middle Hitter |
Da'Maia Bryant |
Livingstone |
| Middle Hitter |
Sydni Hunter |
Shaw |
| Middle Hitter |
Kamiyah Wilson |
Winston-Salem State |
| Libero |
Tialofa Alofipo |
Livingstone |
| Setter |
Giovanna Teixeira |
Fayetteville State |
| Right Side Hitter |
Aryanna Connell |
Claflin |
| Right Side Hitter |
De'Mya Robinson |
Virginia State |
| Utility |
Jewel Pitt |
Winston-Salem State |
2026 CIAA Volleyball All-Rookie Team
The CIAA also recognizes six outstanding first-year student-athletes whose performances made an impact on their respective programs throughout the 2026 regular season.
| Student-Athlete |
Institution |
| Joi Tinsley |
Claflin |
| Jazzmyn Davis |
Elizabeth City State |
| Valeria Miranda |
Elizabeth City State |
| McKenna Miller |
Fayetteville State |
| Hailey Henriquez |
Livingstone |
| Sarah Sanders |
Winston-Salem State |
Road to the 47th CIAA Volleyball Championship
The postseason award winners and All-Conference selections will be recognized as the CIAA prepares for the 47th CIAA Volleyball Championship, scheduled for November 9–11, 2026, at the Rocky Mount Event Center in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
Eight teams will compete for the conference championship, with quarterfinal action beginning Monday, November 9.
Monday, November 9 | Quarterfinals
| Time (ET) |
Matchup |
| 11:00 AM |
No. 4 Elizabeth City State vs. No. 5 Winston-Salem State |
| 1:30 PM |
No. 3 Livingstone vs. No. 6 Shaw |
| 4:00 PM |
No. 2 Virginia State vs. No. 7 Bowie State |
| 6:30 PM |
No. 1 Fayetteville State vs. No. 8 Bluefield State |
The semifinals will take place Tuesday, November 10, followed by the championship final Wednesday, November 11.
Admission is FREE. Parking is $10.
Fans can follow championship updates, schedules and results at theciaa.com.
Media Contact
Matisse S. Lee
Senior Associate Commissioner, Communications & Marketing, Special Projects / SWA
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)
mlee@theciaa.com
About the CIAA
Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first, and longest running, African American athletic conference in the U.S. and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II. The CIAA conducts 14 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country. The Basketball Tournament has been honored as a 2019 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management, the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market, for both 2018 and 2019.
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 12 member institutions: Bowie State University, Bluefield State University, Claflin University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem State University.
For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
#CIAA | #CIAAVolleyball | #RoadToRockyMount | #CIAA4Life