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Legault, Lombardi to lead Bulldogs as captains in 2026
6/12/2026 4:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
FRESNO, Calif. – Fresno State Volleyball head coach Leisa Rosen announced that senior outside hitter Jenna Legault and redshirt junior libero Olivia Lombardi will serve as team captains for the 2026 season.
Legault returns as a team captain for the second consecutive year as she enters her senior season with the Bulldogs. After stepping into a leadership role in 2025, she said the experience helped her better understand how to bridge communication between the coaching staff and her teammates.
"Going into her senior season, I think Jenna brings maturity, a competitive fire, and a sense of urgency to the program. She has worked hard to strengthen her overall game and her connection with everyone in the offseason, and I'm excited to see her excel this year," Head Coach Leisa Rosen said of Legault.
"In my first season as a captain, there was a lot of learning about the landscape of how Leisa wants us to communicate with her and how we can communicate that to the team while maintaining strong relationships with everyone," Legault said. "I am looking forward to another season in this role after a season of learning how to be the best leader I can be.
Lombardi will serve as a team captain for the first time following her debut season with the Bulldogs in 2025. The redshirt junior libero quickly established herself as a leader on and off the court, earning the trust and respect of her teammates.
"Olivia is going to be a very strong leader for us both on and off the floor. She has a very genuine demeanor, and I believe it allows her to communicate and compete with players on an individual level. She brings out the best in those around her," Rosen said.
"I'm excited for the opportunity to serve as a captain," Lombardi said. "My goal is to lead in a way that my teammates respect and trust. I want to set a positive example every day and be someone the younger players in our program can look up to."
Team captains are selected by the coaching staff based on feedback from teammates and are recognized for their leadership, work ethic, and consistency across all aspects of the student-athlete experience. Captains are expected to set the standard for the program in the gym, weight room, classroom, locker room and throughout the Fresno State community.
Much of what Lombardi and Legault hope to bring to their leadership roles has been shaped by the example Rosen sets every day within the program. "Leisa is one of the purest leaders I have ever met. She shows up every single day, and we always know what to expect from her," Lombardi said of Coach Rosen's leadership. "She is so confident in everything that she does, and she will be exactly who you need her to be."
Legault said Rosen's ability to balance accountability with compassion is one of the qualities she admires most about her head coach. "She's been in our position, so she is a great role model, not only with her tough leadership, but she's also empathetic and can sit there with you if you're going through something," Legault said. "She will always be honest with you, so you know you can trust her."
Both Lombardi and Legault have different college backgrounds. Legault began her collegiate career at Fresno State in 2022 and is entering her fifth season with the program.
"Fresno is a really special place. The culture in the city, the campus, the athletics department and the team are a big part of the reason that I wanted to come here," she said.
Lombardi began her college career at Iowa and transferred to Fresno State after two seasons, joining her younger sister on the Bulldog squad.
"Immediately when I got on the phone with Leisa and the other coaches, I knew this was the place for me. They made it clear that you have to earn everything in this program," Lombardi said. "No one is going to give you anything, and I appreciate that."
Legault, Lombardi and the Bulldogs will open the 2026 season in August as Fresno State embarks on its inaugural campaign in the Pac-12.
Legault returns as a team captain for the second consecutive year as she enters her senior season with the Bulldogs. After stepping into a leadership role in 2025, she said the experience helped her better understand how to bridge communication between the coaching staff and her teammates.
"Going into her senior season, I think Jenna brings maturity, a competitive fire, and a sense of urgency to the program. She has worked hard to strengthen her overall game and her connection with everyone in the offseason, and I'm excited to see her excel this year," Head Coach Leisa Rosen said of Legault.
"In my first season as a captain, there was a lot of learning about the landscape of how Leisa wants us to communicate with her and how we can communicate that to the team while maintaining strong relationships with everyone," Legault said. "I am looking forward to another season in this role after a season of learning how to be the best leader I can be.
Lombardi will serve as a team captain for the first time following her debut season with the Bulldogs in 2025. The redshirt junior libero quickly established herself as a leader on and off the court, earning the trust and respect of her teammates.
"Olivia is going to be a very strong leader for us both on and off the floor. She has a very genuine demeanor, and I believe it allows her to communicate and compete with players on an individual level. She brings out the best in those around her," Rosen said.
"I'm excited for the opportunity to serve as a captain," Lombardi said. "My goal is to lead in a way that my teammates respect and trust. I want to set a positive example every day and be someone the younger players in our program can look up to."
Team captains are selected by the coaching staff based on feedback from teammates and are recognized for their leadership, work ethic, and consistency across all aspects of the student-athlete experience. Captains are expected to set the standard for the program in the gym, weight room, classroom, locker room and throughout the Fresno State community.
Much of what Lombardi and Legault hope to bring to their leadership roles has been shaped by the example Rosen sets every day within the program. "Leisa is one of the purest leaders I have ever met. She shows up every single day, and we always know what to expect from her," Lombardi said of Coach Rosen's leadership. "She is so confident in everything that she does, and she will be exactly who you need her to be."
Legault said Rosen's ability to balance accountability with compassion is one of the qualities she admires most about her head coach. "She's been in our position, so she is a great role model, not only with her tough leadership, but she's also empathetic and can sit there with you if you're going through something," Legault said. "She will always be honest with you, so you know you can trust her."
Both Lombardi and Legault have different college backgrounds. Legault began her collegiate career at Fresno State in 2022 and is entering her fifth season with the program.
"Fresno is a really special place. The culture in the city, the campus, the athletics department and the team are a big part of the reason that I wanted to come here," she said.
Lombardi began her college career at Iowa and transferred to Fresno State after two seasons, joining her younger sister on the Bulldog squad.
"Immediately when I got on the phone with Leisa and the other coaches, I knew this was the place for me. They made it clear that you have to earn everything in this program," Lombardi said. "No one is going to give you anything, and I appreciate that."
Legault, Lombardi and the Bulldogs will open the 2026 season in August as Fresno State embarks on its inaugural campaign in the Pac-12.
Friday, August 15
Wednesday, August 13
Wednesday, August 13
Monday, August 04