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Friday, August 28
St. Louis, Mo.
11 a.m.
University at Buffalo
vs
UIC
Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UB Athletics
Volleyball Season Begins Friday at the Billiken Invitational Hosted by Saint Louis
8/27/2026 11:30:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo women's volleyball team (0-0, 0-0 MAC) begin their 2026 campaign as they travel to St. Louis for the Billiken Invitational. The Bulls will face the UIC Flames on Friday at 11 a.m. followed by the Saint Louis Billikens at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. Their final match of the weekend will be Saturday at noon ET against the Lindenwood Lions.
The Bulls bring back nine veteran players while adding eight newcomers. Angelina Siepierski (Williamsville, N.Y.), Michal Benaim (Ness Ziona, Israel), Nienke Trossel (Utrecht, Netherlands), Soleil Rancourt (Bristow, Va.) and Abisola Adebayo (Houston, Texas) join the program as freshmen. Siepierski set the program record with1,670 career kills in her time at Williamsville South. She earned 2025 AVCA Region Player of the Year honors and AVCA Second-Team All-American accolades. Benaim spent the spring semester at Hofstra before transferring to Buffalo. Prior to her time in college, she represented the Israeli National Team. Trossel represented the Netherlands on the international stage including playing in the European Championship in Serbia. Rancourt was a two-time First-Team All-State selection in 2024 and 2025. Adebayo earned District Player of the Year and Skyline Breakout Player of the Year distinction during her senior year at Westside.
The Bulls added three true transfers to their roster. Sophomore Hailey Campagna (Mississippi State / Dublin, Ohio) played in two matches for the Bulldogs last season where she tallied 7.5 points and 7 kills. Graduate Anaya Cole (Dunedin, New Zealand) attended Aukland University of Technology prior to Buffalo. Winning is in her DNA as she helped her teams to first place finishes at the Tertiary Championships (2023), National Secondary Schools Championships (2021), Canterbury Championships (2020 & 2021) and the South Island Championships (2020 & 2021). Sophomore Abbie Willis (Western Carolina / Punta Gorda, Fla.) appeared in 22 matches her freshman season for the Catamounts where she tallied 80 kills and 85.5 points last season.
The Bulls return 2025 Second-Team All-MAC selection Manoela Forlin for her senior year. The Brazilian tallied 345 kills, 390.0 points, 28 aces, 214 digs and 25 total blocks in her junior season. Chloe Brown is back for her senior season. She's recorded back-to-back 100-dig season in the blue and white. Tehya Shaw is Buffalo's longest tenured player as she returns for her fifth year. Last season she recorded a career-high 59 total blocks and 94 kills.
Buffalo's leading blocker from a season ago in Ava Kanj is back as she recorded 0.76 blocks per set in 2025. Maddie Mitchell was the Bulls' leading setter in 2025 as she tallied 8.74 assists per set. Sydney Bell is looking to rebound this season after suffering an injury last year. In just 10 matches played as a freshman, she finished with 2.31 points per set.
Sadie Gladhill became the starting libero down the stretch in 2025 and will provide depth to the defensive specialist position. The Maryland native finished with 2.61 digs per set and 14 service aces last year. Another returning Bull that was electric off the serve is Eve Adams. In 2025 she compiled 28 service aces. Reese Collins is back for her junior season. The middle blocker was efficient off the attack last year as she finished with a .341 hitting percentage.
THE BULL-ETIN BOARD
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
For all the latest on UB volleyball, follow the team on Twitter/X and Instagram at @UBuffaloVB and like the UB Women's Volleyball Facebook page.
Click here for ticket information.
Click here for information on the Bulls Championship Fund and how you can help UB Athletics.
The Bulls bring back nine veteran players while adding eight newcomers. Angelina Siepierski (Williamsville, N.Y.), Michal Benaim (Ness Ziona, Israel), Nienke Trossel (Utrecht, Netherlands), Soleil Rancourt (Bristow, Va.) and Abisola Adebayo (Houston, Texas) join the program as freshmen. Siepierski set the program record with1,670 career kills in her time at Williamsville South. She earned 2025 AVCA Region Player of the Year honors and AVCA Second-Team All-American accolades. Benaim spent the spring semester at Hofstra before transferring to Buffalo. Prior to her time in college, she represented the Israeli National Team. Trossel represented the Netherlands on the international stage including playing in the European Championship in Serbia. Rancourt was a two-time First-Team All-State selection in 2024 and 2025. Adebayo earned District Player of the Year and Skyline Breakout Player of the Year distinction during her senior year at Westside.
The Bulls added three true transfers to their roster. Sophomore Hailey Campagna (Mississippi State / Dublin, Ohio) played in two matches for the Bulldogs last season where she tallied 7.5 points and 7 kills. Graduate Anaya Cole (Dunedin, New Zealand) attended Aukland University of Technology prior to Buffalo. Winning is in her DNA as she helped her teams to first place finishes at the Tertiary Championships (2023), National Secondary Schools Championships (2021), Canterbury Championships (2020 & 2021) and the South Island Championships (2020 & 2021). Sophomore Abbie Willis (Western Carolina / Punta Gorda, Fla.) appeared in 22 matches her freshman season for the Catamounts where she tallied 80 kills and 85.5 points last season.
The Bulls return 2025 Second-Team All-MAC selection Manoela Forlin for her senior year. The Brazilian tallied 345 kills, 390.0 points, 28 aces, 214 digs and 25 total blocks in her junior season. Chloe Brown is back for her senior season. She's recorded back-to-back 100-dig season in the blue and white. Tehya Shaw is Buffalo's longest tenured player as she returns for her fifth year. Last season she recorded a career-high 59 total blocks and 94 kills.
Buffalo's leading blocker from a season ago in Ava Kanj is back as she recorded 0.76 blocks per set in 2025. Maddie Mitchell was the Bulls' leading setter in 2025 as she tallied 8.74 assists per set. Sydney Bell is looking to rebound this season after suffering an injury last year. In just 10 matches played as a freshman, she finished with 2.31 points per set.
Sadie Gladhill became the starting libero down the stretch in 2025 and will provide depth to the defensive specialist position. The Maryland native finished with 2.61 digs per set and 14 service aces last year. Another returning Bull that was electric off the serve is Eve Adams. In 2025 she compiled 28 service aces. Reese Collins is back for her junior season. The middle blocker was efficient off the attack last year as she finished with a .341 hitting percentage.
THE BULL-ETIN BOARD
- Head Coach Scott Smith enters his eighth season at the helm for the Bulls in 2026. In his career, he holds a 97-109 (.471) overall record. Smith is three wins shy of reaching 100 wins at Buffalo. Only Robert Maxwell has more Division I wins in program history with 131 from 1991-1998.
- The Bulls have the most international players of any roster in the Mid-American Conference this season with five. Manoela Forlin (Curitiba, Brazil) returns for her senior season as Canadian National Player Sydney Bell (Orleans, Ontario) is back for her sophomore campaign. The Bulls added Michal Benaim (Ness Ziona, Israel), Nienke Trossel (Utrecht, Ntherlands) and Anaya Cole (Dunedin, New Zealand).
- With eight newcomers on the roster and six departures, the Bulls return at least 55% of their key statistics; 56.4% of kills, 58.6% of points, 58.5% of digs, 64.3% of aces, 69.3% of blocks and 86.0% of sets.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
- Friday, Aug. 28 | Buffalo vs. UIC | 11 a.m. ET
- Friday, Aug. 28 | Buffalo at Saint Louis | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN+
- Saturday, Aug. 29 | Buffalo vs. Lindenwood | Noon ET
For all the latest on UB volleyball, follow the team on Twitter/X and Instagram at @UBuffaloVB and like the UB Women's Volleyball Facebook page.
Click here for ticket information.
Click here for information on the Bulls Championship Fund and how you can help UB Athletics.
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OPP/OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/OPP
/ Women's VolleyballMonday, August 24
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