NEW YORK- The Hunter College women's volleyball team was selected to finish third in the 2026 City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) Preseason Coaches' Poll, while Michelle Liu was named one of the conference's Players to Watch, as announced by the league Wednesday.

The Hawks received 36 points in the preseason poll, placing third among the conference's eight programs. John Jay was selected first with 45 points and four first-place votes, followed by Brooklyn with 40 points and two first-place votes. Baruch (35), CCNY (29), Lehman (19), York (13) and Medgar Evers (7) rounded out the poll.

Liu enters the 2026 campaign as one of Hunter's key returning contributors after making an impact on both sides of the net last season. The outside hitter ranked third on the team with 178 kills in 2025 while finishing second among the Hawks with 46 service aces.

Defensively, Liu was a major presence at the net, leading Hunter with 74 total blocks. Her versatility and production will make her an important piece of the Hawks' lineup as they prepare for the upcoming season.

The 2026 season marks the first for Sean Salomons as head coach of the Hunter women's volleyball program. Salomons served as the Hawks' associate head coach and recruiting coordinator during the 2025 campaign before taking over the program this year.

Hunter will also serve as the host site for the 2026 CUNYAC Women's Volleyball Championship match, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m. The conference tournament begins with first-round matches on Tuesday, Nov. 10, followed by the semifinals on Thursday, Nov. 12.