By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University volleyball graduated six seniors, including three All-Americans, off its 2025 team that posted a 27-5 record, earned a share of the MIAA regular-season championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Washburn University's 2026 volleyball team poses for a team picture during Monday's media day activities. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But Chris Herron's Ichabods still have the same sky-high expectations they've always had as they open preseason preparations for the 2026 season.
Washburn graduated MIAA Player of the Year and first-team AVCA All-America middle hitter Austin Broadie, first-team All-MIAA and AVCA All-America honorable mention outside hitter Bella Limback and middle hitter Alex Dvorak, who earned second-team All-MIAA honors last fall despite missing a big chunk of the season with an injury after earning AVCA All-America honorable mention in 2024.
But the Ichabods return three-time second-time all-conference defensive specialist/libero Taylor Rottinghaus, a former Shawnee Heights star, as well as second-team All-MIAA outside hitter Brynne Topolski and honorable mention all-conference outside hitter Keilah Rivers.
"We like the kids we have and why I feel good about it is that we have so much experience returning,'' Herron said. "Am I going to miss some of those other kids? Yeah sure, but you know what, I think the biggest thing for is we're ready to move on.
"You have this five for five (eligibility) thing and all these injunctions, but we're just going on. We're not worried about that stuff. We like our group and they tested really well (Monday) morning, everybody passed everything, so it's great.''
Now Herron is eager to see what heights this year's edition of the Ichabods can reach.
"We talked about that (Sunday) at our first meeting,'' Herron said. "When you change three or four pieces, they leave, and then three or four new pieces come in, the whole chemistry of that team has changed dramatically, so you have to find your own chemistry.
"We said, 'Whatever happened last year was fine and good, but that was last year, now you've got to find your own.' ''
In addition to Rottinghaus, Topolski and Rivers, Herron is expecting big things from sophomore middle blocker Brooklyn Morrisey, who came on strong late last season.
"Those middles (Broadie and Dvorak) were dynamite, they were just ridiculous, but we have Brooklyn Morrisey, who filled in the last 13 matches for Alex when she got hurt and played terrific,'' Herron said. "She played against 11 nationally-ranked teams and still hit .280-something, so that bodes well for us.''
The Ichabods have also added transfer setter Lauren Tyler from Drury and transfer first-team All-MIAA first-team outside hitter Emma Siron from Central Missouri State.
Rottinghaus is one of three Topekans on the Washburn roster, along with Washburn Rural product Chloe Carlgren, a senior middle blocker, and Shawnee Heights freshman Avery Willey, who is projected as a defensive specialist/libero.
Washburn will open its season with four matches in three days in the Washburn Invitational Aug. 27-29 in Lee Arena.
The Ichabods will open their season at 6 p.m. Aug. 27 against Oklahoma Christian and will face Arkansas Tech (2 p.m.) and William Jewell (7 p.m.) on Aug. 28 and close out the tournament at 2 p.m. Aug. 29 against Westminster.
