Alderete, Gilreath Named to Preseason All-Conference Team
August 19, 2026 | Volleyball
GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina volleyball tabbed two spots on the Preseason All-Conference team with fifth-year outside hitter Angeles Alderete and third-year setter Taryn Gilreath, the league announced Wednesday afternoon.  Â
This marks Gilreath's second consecutive season on the preseason team and Alderete's second time making the preseason team, after being named to the preseason all-conference team in 2023. Â
Alderete's 2025 campaign came to an end before it started due to an impactful injury toward the end of the 2024 season. Despite the injury, Alderete returns for the 2026 season. The outside hitter has made an All-Conference Selection every year she has been eligible, including notching 2022 Conference Freshman of the Year and 2024 Conference Preseason Player of the Year. She currently has 1130 kills and 990 digs in her tenure, and with ten more digs, she will be the seventh player in program history to record 1,000 digs and 1,000 kills in her Pirate career. Alderete recorded 10 total double-doubles in the 2024 season, with a season high of 22 kills, as well as leading the team in service aces that year (33).  Â
Gilreath dominated for the Pirates in the 2024 season, earning Conference All-Freshman Team honors and, going into the 2025 season, being named to the Preseason All-Conference Team. In the 2025 season, Gilreath averaged 7.59 assists and 2.00 digs per set, starting in 26 of 27 matches. Toward the end of non-conference play, Gilreath recorded the second triple-double in ECU volleyball history against Tulane, with 14 assists, 11 digs and 10 kills. She led the team in assists with 767 and ranked among the top five in digs (202) and service aces (22).  Â
The Pirates notched eighth in the American Conference Coaches Poll after placing 11th at the end of the 2025 season.  Â
East Carolina Volleyball opens its season in Minges Coliseum, hosting its first home tournament of the season, with Bethune-Cookman, Radford and Hampton participating in the three-day tournament (Aug. 28-30). The Pirates' first match is set for August 28 at 7:00 p.m. ET against Bethune-Cookman.  Â
2026 American Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches PollÂ
|
1Â |
Rice (12)Â |
144Â |
|
2Â |
Tulsa (1)Â |
120Â |
|
3Â |
South Florida |
117Â |
|
4Â |
Wichita State |
111Â |
|
5Â |
Florida Atlantic |
106Â |
|
6Â |
North Texas |
78Â |
|
7Â |
UTSAÂ |
73Â |
|
8Â |
East Carolina |
71Â |
|
9Â |
Charlotte |
64Â |
|
10Â |
Memphis |
45Â |
|
11Â |
Temple |
36Â |
|
12Â |
Tulane |
26Â |
|
13Â |
UABÂ |
23 |
*Note: First-place votes denoted in parenthesisÂ
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2026 American Conference Volleyball Preseason Player of the YearÂ
Jill Hanson, So., MB, TulsaÂ
 Â
2026 American Conference Volleyball Preseason All-ConferenceÂ
Angeles Alderete, 5th, OH, East CarolinaÂ
Taryn Gilreath, Jr., S, East CarolinaÂ
Olivia Hart, Jr., OH, Florida AtlanticÂ
Amanda Hardt, Sr., OH/RS, MemphisÂ
Loredana Fouonji, 5th, MB, North TexasÂ
Kaia Mateo, Sr., S, RiceÂ
Aaliyah Smith, So., OH, RiceÂ
Arissa Smith, Sr., MB, RiceÂ
Laila Ivey, Sr., OH, South FloridaÂ
Christiana Greene, Jr., OH, TempleÂ
Avery Burks, Sr., OH, TulaneÂ
Jill Hanson, So., MB, TulsaÂ
Olivia Vance, Sr., OH, TulsaÂ
Jordan Heatherly, Sr., S, Wichita StateÂ
