LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates volleyball program enters its second year under head coach Carissa Bradford, and the Bobcats have an exciting mix of returnees and newcomers. The 2026 campaign gets underway Tuesday at 7 p.m. on the road at Southern Maine.

"I got super lucky with the squad I inherited last year," Bradford said. "They were just full of leadership, full of ambition, and just fantastic all around. So we did a really good job last year of laying the foundation to continue to build upon. And we're taking all the momentum from last year into this year."

The Bobcats are led by junior captains Malina Young (Redondo Beach, Calif.) and Lauren Croom (Overland Park, Kan.), who play outside hitter and setter respectively. 

"They're both logistics masters and they take care of so much for us," Bradford said. "They both have a lot of fire on and off the court. Their dedication to the program is just phenomenal and they were key parts in starting that foundation last year, and they want to keep building with it."

Croom ranked fifth in the NESCAC with 6.15 assists per set a year ago and the Bobcats return a number of hitters for her to work with again this season. Five of the top six hitters are back, led by junior middle blocker Anaïs Reneaum (San Diego, Calif.), who paced the Bobcats with 2.25 kills per set and ranked second in the NESCAC in hitting percentage at .347. Senior Sofia Castiglioni (Oakland, Calif.) ranked third in the NESCAC in hitting percentage at .337 and averaged 2.15 kills per set. Reneaum (0.96) and Castiglioni (0.72) ranked first and second on the team in blocks per set. 

"I am really excited for Anaïs and Sofia," Bradford said. "They are definitely in the conversation for all-conference honors this year with their blocking stats and their hitting stats. They were super, super effective at the net, so we're really happy to return them." 

Young, junior Kate Norry (Durham, N.C.), and sophomore Jaime Bartley-Cohen (South Salem, N.Y.) provide the Bobcats even more firepower on the attack. Young ranked 17th in the NESCAC at 0.39 service aces per set and was also strong defensively, ranking 19th in the NESCAC at 2.61 digs per set. Junior Nora Gilmer (Fairfax, Va.) provides versatility as both a setter (3.95 assists per set last season) and a hitter (1.75 kills per set as a rookie). 

The Bobcats are looking for a new libero after the graduation of Ellie Asada '26. Senior Isabel Bettencourt (Peabody, Mass.), senior Logan Yogi (Kaneohe, Hawaii), sophomore Katie Patrinos (Honolulu, Hawaii), and first-year Maddie Phan (Chantilly, Va.) are all candidates for the job.

Phan is one of six first-years on the Bates roster this year. Junior hitter Elle Faris (Colusa, Calif.) joins the Bobcats as a transfer from Feather River College. 

"Elle's coach at Feather River reached out to me personally about her," Bradford said. "She played indoor volleyball and beach volleyball at FRC. Then she came for a visit and I kind of forgot she was there because she just blended so well with the girls. So she's a great culture fit and should automatically be a leader even though she's new coming in as a junior."

The Bobcats posted a record of 12-10 last season, recording their most wins since 2019 and making the NESCAC quarterfinals. They host Nichols College on Friday, September 18 at 6 p.m. for the first match in their temporary home: Underhill Arena, as Bates builds the Stoddard Fitness and Well-Being Center.

"The girls really love Underhill," Bradford said. "It's got high ceilings and a lot of room to play. We're excited for the season to start!"