NEW ORLEANS – Three-time reigning Sun Belt Conference beach volleyball champion Georgia State has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2026 championship as decided by a vote of the league’s seven head coaches.
 
The Panthers received all four first-place votes in the preseason coaches poll, as Georgia State has competed at the NCAA Championships in each of the last three seasons.

The Sun Belt’s runner up in 2025, UNCW earned two first-place votes and was picked second ahead of Coastal Carolina in third, Southern Miss in fourth with one first-place nod and Mercer in fifth. ULM was picked sixth, followed by College of Charleston to round out the preseason predictions.

The 2026 campaign marks Sun Belt’s fourth sponsoring beach volleyball. The 2026 Sun Belt Conference Beach Volleyball Championship will take place April 23-25 at the Foley Sports Tourism Complex in Foley, Ala. The winner of the conference championship will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.  
 
Sun Belt teams open serve with their first matches of the season on Friday, February 20.
 
2026 Sun Belt Beach Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Georgia State (4) – 43
2. UNCW (2) – 40
3. Coastal Carolina – 39
4. Southern Miss (1) – 27
5. Mercer – 25
6. ULM – 12
7. College of Charleston – 10