FORT WORTH, Texas — The Texas Wesleyan University volleyball team enters the 2026 season with a familiar goal: compete for championships and make a deep postseason run.

The Rams have established themselves as one of the Sooner Athletic Conference's premier programs, and expectations remain high entering the third season under head coach Aminah Orozco. Since taking over the program, Orozco has guided Texas Wesleyan to back-to-back 25-win seasons, including the 2024 SAC Tournament championship and consecutive appearances in the NAIA National Tournament.

Texas Wesleyan is coming off a 2025 campaign in which the Rams finished 25-8 overall and 20-2 in SAC play, earning a share of the regular-season conference championship before advancing to the SAC Tournament championship match for the fourth consecutive year. The Rams also earned their ninth consecutive NAIA National Tournament appearance.

Although the season ended with a straight-set loss to McPherson College in the NAIA Opening Round, the Rams in 2025 demonstrated why Texas Wesleyan continues to be a force in both the Sooner Athletic Conference and the NAIA. The team hit .207 collectively, averaged 12.7 kills and 16.5 digs per set, and recorded 2.4 blocks per set.

The Rams will have a new look this year with some key returners, among them is Migdaly Bernal, a junior outside hitter/defensive specialist who recorded 169 kills, 137 digs and 25 service aces in 2025. Senior Neeley Rutledge also returns after playing in all 33 matches last season and leading the team with 133 digs. Lillian Breaux returns for another year with the Rams and looks to be the engine of the Rams' high-powered offense after recording 479 assists last season.

Even though the Rams had some strong departures, they reloaded with some strong additions. Freshman Faith McClellan looks to make an immediate impact having competed in the USA Girls Volleyball National Championships the past several years. Transfer Florencia Churin has already established herself as a force in the NAIA with a career average hitting percentage above .200 and averaging more than 0.81 blocks per set to give the Rams more firepower.

The Rams will open up their season in Florida as they travel to Keiser University to take on some of the best teams in the country on August 14 and 15. They follow that up with a tournament of their own as they host the Texas Two-Step and take on several top teams once again before starting conference play on September 4 against University of Science and Arts.

The Sooner Athletic Conference Coaches Poll will release on August 17 with the Conference Volleyball Media Day releasing on the same day at 1:10pm featuring Head Coach Aminah Orozco and senior Neeley Rutledge. The media day interview can be seen on Urban Edge Network.