Cugino Named Preseason Libero of the Year, Barth Earns Spot on All-Sun Belt Team
8/19/2026 1:00:00 PM | Volleyball
NEW ORLEANS, La. – A duo of Georgia Southern volleyball student-athletes was honored on Wednesday afternoon, as the Sun Belt Conference announced its 2026 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team and preseason poll. Third year Libero, Maddie Cugino, was named the Preseason Libero of the Year, while fourth year Reagan Barth earned a spot on the All-Sun Belt Team.
Cugino, a native of Columbus, Ohio, was named a third team All-Sun Belt recipient after an impressive first season with the Eagles in 2025. She made an immediate impact for the Eagles, leading the team defensively with 485 digs (4.80 per set) and ranked second in the Sun Belt Conference in that category, while finishing 22nd nationally in digs per set. She tallied a career-high 36 digs on Oct. 10 at Troy and registered 25 matches of double-digit digs throughout the season. Cugino recorded 20-plus digs in nine matches, adding 99 assists and 17 service aces, while collecting a Defensive Player of the Week honor in her second collegiate season.
Barth, a three-time All-Sun Belt recipient, enters her fourth season with the Eagles, producing the fifth most kills in Georgia Southern volleyball history (1,159). Her efforts in 2025 collected her an AVCA first team All-Region award. The two-time Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week played in all 28 matches and 104 sets for the Eagles, accumulating a total of 450 kills, 30 set assists, and 28 service aces over 28 games. She contributed 270 digs, 10 solo blocks, and a total of 45 blocks throughout the season, while adding a season-high 37 kills against Louisiana, one shy of the school record and registered as one of the top single-game performances in DI and the Sun Belt Conference. Barth ranked ninth in Division I in attacks per set (12.25), 34th in kills per set (4.33), and 31st in points per set (4.86), adding 23 matches of double-digit kills.
Georgia Southern was picked to finish second in the East Division, securing two first place votes in the preseason poll.
2026 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year:
Kennedy Louisell, James Madison (4th Yr., OH, Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Preseason Libero of the Year:
Maddie Cugino, Georgia Southern (3rd Yr., L, Columbus, Ohio)
Preseason Setter of the Year:
Erin Madigan, Arkansas State (4th Yr., S, Macomb, Mich.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Addison Collum, Arkansas State (3rd Yr., RS, Buena Park, Calif.)
Erin Madigan, Arkansas State (4th Yr., S, Macomb, Mich.)
Kaitlin Whitlock, Arkansas State (4th Yr., OH, San Antonio, Texas)
Anna Rita, Coastal Carolina (4th Yr., MB, Riga, Latvia)
Reagan Barth, Georgia Southern (4th Yr., OH, Lenexa, Kan.)
Maddie Cugino, Georgia Southern (3rd Yr., L, Columbus, Ohio)
Kennedy Louisell, James Madison (4th Yr., OH, Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Ayen Nhial, James Madison (3rd Yr., MB, Louisville, Ky.)
Emma Barnett, Marshall (2nd Yr., OH, Louisville, Ky.)
Cambria Gaier, South Alabama (2nd Yr., OH, Caledonia, Mich.)
Sadie McAda, Southern Miss (4th Yr., OH, Pleasanton, Texas)
Sunni Sheppard, Southern Miss (4th Yr., L, Brandon, Miss.)
2026 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Preseason Poll
East Division
1. James Madison (12) - 95
2. Georgia Southern (2) - 84
3. Coastal Carolina - 68
4. App State - 52
5. Marshall - 44
6. Georgia State - 29
7. Old Dominion - 20
West Division
1. Arkansas State (12) - 95
2. South Alabama (1) - 79
3. Southern Miss (1) - 64
T4. Louisiana - 56
T4. Troy - 56
6. Louisiana Tech - 24
7. ULM - 18
(Parentheses indicate first-place votes)
Cugino, a native of Columbus, Ohio, was named a third team All-Sun Belt recipient after an impressive first season with the Eagles in 2025. She made an immediate impact for the Eagles, leading the team defensively with 485 digs (4.80 per set) and ranked second in the Sun Belt Conference in that category, while finishing 22nd nationally in digs per set. She tallied a career-high 36 digs on Oct. 10 at Troy and registered 25 matches of double-digit digs throughout the season. Cugino recorded 20-plus digs in nine matches, adding 99 assists and 17 service aces, while collecting a Defensive Player of the Week honor in her second collegiate season.
Barth, a three-time All-Sun Belt recipient, enters her fourth season with the Eagles, producing the fifth most kills in Georgia Southern volleyball history (1,159). Her efforts in 2025 collected her an AVCA first team All-Region award. The two-time Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week played in all 28 matches and 104 sets for the Eagles, accumulating a total of 450 kills, 30 set assists, and 28 service aces over 28 games. She contributed 270 digs, 10 solo blocks, and a total of 45 blocks throughout the season, while adding a season-high 37 kills against Louisiana, one shy of the school record and registered as one of the top single-game performances in DI and the Sun Belt Conference. Barth ranked ninth in Division I in attacks per set (12.25), 34th in kills per set (4.33), and 31st in points per set (4.86), adding 23 matches of double-digit kills.
Georgia Southern was picked to finish second in the East Division, securing two first place votes in the preseason poll.
2026 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year:
Kennedy Louisell, James Madison (4th Yr., OH, Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Preseason Libero of the Year:
Maddie Cugino, Georgia Southern (3rd Yr., L, Columbus, Ohio)
Preseason Setter of the Year:
Erin Madigan, Arkansas State (4th Yr., S, Macomb, Mich.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Addison Collum, Arkansas State (3rd Yr., RS, Buena Park, Calif.)
Erin Madigan, Arkansas State (4th Yr., S, Macomb, Mich.)
Kaitlin Whitlock, Arkansas State (4th Yr., OH, San Antonio, Texas)
Anna Rita, Coastal Carolina (4th Yr., MB, Riga, Latvia)
Reagan Barth, Georgia Southern (4th Yr., OH, Lenexa, Kan.)
Maddie Cugino, Georgia Southern (3rd Yr., L, Columbus, Ohio)
Kennedy Louisell, James Madison (4th Yr., OH, Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Ayen Nhial, James Madison (3rd Yr., MB, Louisville, Ky.)
Emma Barnett, Marshall (2nd Yr., OH, Louisville, Ky.)
Cambria Gaier, South Alabama (2nd Yr., OH, Caledonia, Mich.)
Sadie McAda, Southern Miss (4th Yr., OH, Pleasanton, Texas)
Sunni Sheppard, Southern Miss (4th Yr., L, Brandon, Miss.)
2026 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Preseason Poll
East Division
1. James Madison (12) - 95
2. Georgia Southern (2) - 84
3. Coastal Carolina - 68
4. App State - 52
5. Marshall - 44
6. Georgia State - 29
7. Old Dominion - 20
West Division
1. Arkansas State (12) - 95
2. South Alabama (1) - 79
3. Southern Miss (1) - 64
T4. Louisiana - 56
T4. Troy - 56
6. Louisiana Tech - 24
7. ULM - 18
(Parentheses indicate first-place votes)
Players Mentioned
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