Photo by: Mallory Peak | Louisville Athletics
Cabello, Chicoine Named to AVCA National Player of the Year Watch List
July 31, 2026 | Women's Volleyball
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Louisville junior setter Nayelis Cabello and senior outside hitter Chloe Chicoine have been named to the 2026 AVCA Division I National Player of the Year Watch List, as announced by the organization on Tuesday.
The preseason watch list for the top individual honor in collegiate volleyball features 30 student-athletes from 16 different institutions, with Louisville one of 10 schools to have multiple players included on the list.
Cabello enters the 2026 season fresh off a stellar sophomore campaign that saw her earn AVCA Honorable Mention All-American and First Team All-ACC honors in her first season as the primary hub of the Cardinals' offense.
The native of Clermont, Fla. started 31 matches in 2025, finishing the year second in the ACC and ninth nationally with 1,271 assists. She also led the Cards to a team hitting percentage of .270 that ranked among the top 25 in the NCAA a year ago.
Chicoine makes her second consecutive appearance on the AVCA Player of the Year Preseason Watch List after ending her first season in a Louisville uniform with AVCA Honorable Mention All-American and First Team All-ACC distinction.
After spending two seasons at Purdue, Chicoine started all 33 matches for the Cardinals in 2025, leading the team with 413 kills and racking up 340 digs. She finished the year with 10 double-doubles, while notably notching at least 15 kills in eight matches.
A native of Lafayette, Ind., Chicoine closed the 2025 season on a high note with two of the best offensive performances of her career in the NCAA Tournament, recording a career-high 28 kills in Louisville's second round win over Marquette and putting down 26 kills in Louisville's loss to Texas A&M in the regional semifinals.
The preseason watch list was compiled by the AVCA Division I Women's Volleyball Awards Committee, who will also be responsible for the additional phases of the Player of the Year process throughout the season. A midseason watch list will be announced in October, the semifinalists will be named in November, and the finalists will be named in mid-December before the Player of the Year is announced at the AVCA Awards Banquet in San Antonio on Dec. 18.
For the latest information on Louisville Volleyball, visit GoCards.com, or follow the team's Instagram and X account at @louisvillevb or on Facebook at facebook.com/LouisvilleVB.
The preseason watch list for the top individual honor in collegiate volleyball features 30 student-athletes from 16 different institutions, with Louisville one of 10 schools to have multiple players included on the list.
Cabello enters the 2026 season fresh off a stellar sophomore campaign that saw her earn AVCA Honorable Mention All-American and First Team All-ACC honors in her first season as the primary hub of the Cardinals' offense.
The native of Clermont, Fla. started 31 matches in 2025, finishing the year second in the ACC and ninth nationally with 1,271 assists. She also led the Cards to a team hitting percentage of .270 that ranked among the top 25 in the NCAA a year ago.
Chicoine makes her second consecutive appearance on the AVCA Player of the Year Preseason Watch List after ending her first season in a Louisville uniform with AVCA Honorable Mention All-American and First Team All-ACC distinction.
After spending two seasons at Purdue, Chicoine started all 33 matches for the Cardinals in 2025, leading the team with 413 kills and racking up 340 digs. She finished the year with 10 double-doubles, while notably notching at least 15 kills in eight matches.
A native of Lafayette, Ind., Chicoine closed the 2025 season on a high note with two of the best offensive performances of her career in the NCAA Tournament, recording a career-high 28 kills in Louisville's second round win over Marquette and putting down 26 kills in Louisville's loss to Texas A&M in the regional semifinals.
The preseason watch list was compiled by the AVCA Division I Women's Volleyball Awards Committee, who will also be responsible for the additional phases of the Player of the Year process throughout the season. A midseason watch list will be announced in October, the semifinalists will be named in November, and the finalists will be named in mid-December before the Player of the Year is announced at the AVCA Awards Banquet in San Antonio on Dec. 18.
For the latest information on Louisville Volleyball, visit GoCards.com, or follow the team's Instagram and X account at @louisvillevb or on Facebook at facebook.com/LouisvilleVB.
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