Fresno State Athletics
Friday, August 28
Columbus, OH
12 p.m. PT
Fresno State
vs
Northern Kentucky
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
Opp
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
Opp
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
2026 season opens at Jim Stone Challenge
8/27/2026 3:15:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
JIM STONE CHALLENGE
Fresno State vs. Northern Kentucky
Friday, August 28 | 12 p.m. PT | Columbus, Ohio
Watch: B1G+ ($, click here for weekend offer)
Live Stats:Â Sidearm Stats
Live Updates on X:Â @FresnoStateVB
Series History: First Meeting
Â
Fresno State at Ohio State
Saturday, August 29 | 3 p.m. PT | Columbus, Ohio
Watch: B1G+ ($, click here for weekend offer)
Live Stats:Â Sidearm Stats
Live Updates on X:Â @FresnoStateVB
Series History: Ohio State leads 1-0
Â
 Fresno State vs. Bowling Green
Sunday, August 30 | 8 a.m. PT | Columbus, Ohio
Watch: B1G+ ($, click here for weekend offer)
Live Stats:Â Sidearm Stats
Live Updates on X:Â @FresnoStateVB
Series History: Series tied 1-1
Â
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Fresno State Volleyball team opens the 2026 season at the Jim Stine Challenge, hosted by Ohio State.
Â
The Bulldogs will face three teams in the opening-weekend tournament in Northern Kentucky, Ohio State and Bowling Green in the Covelli Center.
Â
THE PAC IS BACK
THE RETURNERS
THE NEWCOMERS
JIM STONE'S LEGACY
MAKING AN IMPACT
THE CAPTAINS
Â
Fresno State vs. Northern Kentucky
Friday, August 28 | 12 p.m. PT | Columbus, Ohio
Watch: B1G+ ($, click here for weekend offer)
Live Stats:Â Sidearm Stats
Live Updates on X:Â @FresnoStateVB
Series History: First Meeting
Â
Fresno State at Ohio State
Saturday, August 29 | 3 p.m. PT | Columbus, Ohio
Watch: B1G+ ($, click here for weekend offer)
Live Stats:Â Sidearm Stats
Live Updates on X:Â @FresnoStateVB
Series History: Ohio State leads 1-0
Â
 Fresno State vs. Bowling Green
Sunday, August 30 | 8 a.m. PT | Columbus, Ohio
Watch: B1G+ ($, click here for weekend offer)
Live Stats:Â Sidearm Stats
Live Updates on X:Â @FresnoStateVB
Series History: Series tied 1-1
Â
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Fresno State Volleyball team opens the 2026 season at the Jim Stine Challenge, hosted by Ohio State.
Â
The Bulldogs will face three teams in the opening-weekend tournament in Northern Kentucky, Ohio State and Bowling Green in the Covelli Center.
Â
THE PAC IS BACK
- Fresno State is entering its inaugural season in the new Pac-12 after a 14-year stint in the Mountain West.
- The Bulldogs are joined in the Pac-12 by former Mountain West foes Boise State, Colorado State, Utah State and San Diego State.
- Gonzaga, Oregon State, Washington State, and Texas State are also members of the new Pac-12.
- "Joining the Pac-12 Conference is a transformative moment for Fresno State," said Garrett Klassy, Fresno State's Director of Athletics. "This move not only elevates our national profile but also brings tremendous opportunities for our student-athletes to compete at the highest level. We are committed to upholding the values and traditions of both Fresno State and the Pac-12 while embracing the innovative future ahead. Together with our new conference peers, we will continue to grow, succeed and lead in both athletics and academics. The Red Wave is ready for this historic journey."
THE RETURNERS
- Fresno State returns nine athletes from last season, including four regular starters in Gabby Lombardi, Brooklyn Washington, Jenna Legault and Olivia Lombardi.
- Washington, a Valley native, is beginning her second season with the Bulldogs after a standout freshman year in 2025.
- She led the Bulldogs in their defensive efforts, leading in both blocks and blocks per set.
- Legault will play in her fifth and final season for the Bulldogs in 2026, in her second season as a team captain, bringing veteran leadership to the team both on and off the court.
- Sisters Gabby and Olivia Lombardi will play in their third and second seasons as Bulldogs, respectively.
- Gabby redshirted as a freshman for the Bulldogs before becoming the team's primary setter in 2025.
- After two seasons at Iowa, Olivia joined her younger sister in Fresno as a Libero for the 'Dogs. Â
- Fresno State also returns Michon Sailors, Addison Williams, Peyton Bitter, Alivia Schneider and Mya Sellers.
THE NEWCOMERS
- Fresno State welcomes seven newcomers to the roster this season, including three freshmen and four transfers.
- The seven newcomers join a returning core as Fresno State enters a new era, bringing a mix of collegiate experience and young talent as the Bulldogs prepare for their first season in the Pac-12.
- Anna Bolich, a setter from Mission Viejo, California, enters her fifth and final collegiate season after previous stops at Feather River College and Eastern Washington.
- Defensive specialists Jess Watanabe and Aryam Munoz join the Bulldogs as junior college transfers, bringing additional experience to Fresno State's back row.
- Isabel Smart rounds out the transfer class after spending the previous three seasons at the junior college level. The opposite brings collegiate experience to the Bulldogs' attack.
- Fresno State also added three freshmen to its 2026 roster: Kiley Devery, an opposite from Solon, Iowa; Brooke Jenkins, an outside hitter from Phoenix, Arizona; and Andee May, a middle from Visalia, California.
JIM STONE'S LEGACY
- Stone, an AVCA Hall of Fame coach and longtime leader in the volleyball community, spent 26 seasons as the head coach at Ohio State and also had an extensive career with USA Volleyball.
- Fresno State Head Coach Leisa Rosen played for Stone at Ohio State from 1988-91, helping the Buckeyes win two Big Ten championships and advance to the 1991 NCAA Championship Semifinals.
- Rosen was named the 1991 Big Ten Player of the Year and earned AVCA All-America Second Team honors during her senior season under Stone's leadership.
- "When I think of Ohio State, I think of Jim," Rosen said. "Playing for him was such an honor and such a unique experience. His expectations were through the roof, but that was something I enjoyed. I am in this career because of him and my love for volleyball. I am continually going back to lessons and experiences that I had with him that I still use to this day."
- Stone, the all-time leader in coaching wins for the Ohio State women's volleyball program, passed away on Tuesday, March 10, after a courageous battle with cancer. This weekend's tournament will include celebrations to honor his legacy and impact on the sport of volleyball.
MAKING AN IMPACT
- Fresno State Volleyball's Jenna Legault, Brooklyn Washington and Kiley Devery have been named to the Pac-12 Preseason Impact List ahead of the Bulldogs' inaugural season in the conference.
- Legault, a two-time team captain, enters her fifth season with the Bulldogs as one of the program's most experienced returners.
- A steady presence on both sides of the net throughout her career, Legault has averaged 2.51 kills per set while totaling 136 blocks during her time at Fresno State.
- Washington returns for her sophomore season after making an immediate impact during her freshman campaign.
- The Fresno native established herself as a strong presence at the net, leading the Bulldogs with 88.0 total blocks last season.
- Devery, a freshman from Solon, Iowa, enters her first collegiate season with the Bulldogs.
- She is set to make her Fresno State debut this fall as the program begins its first season as a member of the Pac-12.Â
THE CAPTAINS
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Â
No videos available.