ITHACA, N.Y. — There will be plenty of new faces and new roles when Cornell volleyball takes the court this season.

But according to The Wendy Schaenen '79 Head Coach of Volleyball Trudy Vande Berg, the biggest difference between this year's team and last year's may not be who is on the court.

It may be how the Big Red plays.

Cornell returns to Newman Arena this weekend to open the 2026 season by hosting the Cornell Invitational, beginning with a Friday night matchup against Howard. The tournament marks Cornell's first home tournament since 2023 and begins a schedule that will challenge a team still finding its identity.

That identity, Vande Berg said, is already beginning to take shape.

"I know we're going to be much more defensive focused," Vande Berg said. "We're going to dig a lot more balls. We're going to be that annoying team that transitions and keeps sending the ball over and just be that annoying team to play against."

It is a departure from a year ago, when Cornell leaned heavily on a veteran core that included four senior starters. Eliza Konvicka, Doga Ozalp, Nicole Mallus and Meghan Gaffigan all graduated after playing significant starting roles in the front line. The losses left Cornell without a large portion of its offensive production, experience and physicality.

"We're losing a lot of points with Eliza, Nicole and Meghan graduating, and lot of setting experience with Doga," Vande Berg said. "And they were all very physical as well."

Rather than trying to replace those players individually, Cornell has spent the spring and preseason figuring out what this year's group can do differently.

"We worked a lot in the spring," Vande Berg said. "We figured out and identified what we were going to be really good at."

The answer has emerged in the form of a faster, more defensive-minded team that Vande Berg believes can make opponents work for every point.

"They all came back from the summer in really good shape, had obviously touched the ball a ton, and it's fun to watch us," she said. "It's really hard to score against us right now."

New Roles, New Opportunities

The transition of game play this season begins with the players stepping into larger roles.

Perhaps the most notable change comes with junior Mackenzie Parsons, who moves from the middle to an outside/right-side hitter role after two standout seasons in the middle.

Parsons enters the season as one of Cornell's most proven offensive weapons. She earned second-team All-Ivy honors last season after hitting .437, ranking among the national leaders in hitting percentage and finishing with 246 kills. She also earned Ivy League Player of the Week honors during the final week of the regular season.

For Vande Berg, Parsons' move to the outside is a natural one.

"Mack is aggressive but intelligent," Vande Berg said. "Her transition to outside is natural. She played in high school. She has the mentality to want to score and not shy away from the ball."

Parsons is one of several players expected to help Cornell replace the offensive production lost to graduation, but Vande Berg said the responsibility will not fall on one player.

The Big Red's strength instead could come from its ability to spread the attack while playing faster and relying on strong first contact.

That will be particularly important at setter, where Cornell must replace Ozalp, a four-year contributor who helped direct the offense throughout her career.

Sophomores Mikayla Gray and Mary Wolcott return, while freshman Nevaeh Tien adds another option to the competition.

"Mikayla and Mary know their system," Vande Berg said. "Neveah, freshmen, all bring something different to the table."

The competition gives Cornell flexibility as the season develops and allows the Big Red to build its offense around the strengths of the players on the floor and their next opponent.

A Middle Built Around Bogan

At the net, senior Ava Bogan gives Cornell one of its most experienced and imposing players.

The 6-foot-5 middle blocker has already established herself as one of the Big Red's top front-row players, but Vande Berg believes Bogan is poised to take another step forward this season.

"Ava continues to get better," Vande Berg said. "She is very competitive. This is going to be her breakout year."

Bogan's physical presence is only part of what Cornell will ask from her.

Vande Berg emphasized the senior's leadership and energy as qualities that can help stabilize a relatively new-look team.

"The intangibles are big for her," Vande Berg said. "Her leadership and energy make such an impact."

Bogan will be joined in the middle by senior Amrit Dhaliwal and junior Avarie Adams, giving Cornell a combination of size and experience at the net.

Dhaliwal's return to full health also gives the Big Red another important piece in the middle after dealing with injury.

Versatility Drives the Pin Attack

Cornell's outside group will have a mixture of returning players and newcomers, with Parsons' move adding another dynamic to the position.

Sophomores Sydney Zanca and Sophia Ahrens and juniors Haley Clark and Jaida Sione provide returning options, while freshmen Kiran Rio, Charlotte Nowak and Ellery Williamson enter the program with the ability to contribute across the pins and in the back row.

Vande Berg said the three freshmen outside hitters have already impressed with their versatility.

"They're all six rotations," she said. "They can pass and play defense. They're all very different players."

Williamson brings physicality, Nowak brings a high volleyball IQ and Rio's ability to read the game has stood out early.

"Ellery is about 5-10 and very physical," Vande Berg said. "Charlotte has a high IQ. Kieran reads the ball well. They all feed off of each other so well, it's awesome to watch."

The trio's ability to contribute in multiple areas could be particularly valuable for a Cornell team that wants to use its defense to create more transition opportunities.

"Ellery and Charlotte can play both pins," Vande Berg said. "They all complement each other."

Just as importantly, Vande Berg believes the freshmen are ready for the speed of the college game.

"Our freshmen all came from really good programs, so they are keeping up with the speed," she said.

Defense Sets the Tone

If there is one position group that gives Vande Berg the most confidence entering the season, it is the back row.

Senior libero Sara Pomar returns to anchor a defense that could become the defining characteristic of the 2026 Big Red.

Pomar's serve receive has been particularly impressive during the preseason.

"With her serve receive, I think she's probably one of the top serve receivers in the conference, if not the Northeast coming back," Vande Berg said. "She's just killing it."

Pomar has also continued to develop as a leader and defender while improving her serving and ability to set out of system.

Behind Pomar, Cornell has options in sophomore CJ Holdsworth and junior Trinidy Tien, who returns after redshirting last season due to injury.

Senior Madison Wood has also emerged as an important part of the defensive unit.

"Madison Wood is probably one of the most improved players that I've ever coached in my entire career in her four years, I'm excited to see her contribute this fall." Vande Berg said.

That depth gives Cornell the ability to lean into its new identity.

Freshmen Ready to Make an Impact

The four-player freshman class could play an important role in Cornell's transition.

Rio, Nowak and Williamson give the Big Red three versatile options on the pins, while Tien adds depth at setter.

Rather than simply filling roster spots left by the graduating class, Vande Berg said the newcomers fit what Cornell is trying to become.

Their ability to pass, defend and contribute in multiple rotations aligns directly with the team's emphasis on first contact and ball control.

That versatility could allow Cornell to withstand the inevitable growing pains of a young roster while also giving Vande Berg more options as she determines the best combinations on the floor.

The challenge now is translating that potential into results.

Pre-Season Expectations

Cornell enters the season ranked third in the Ivy League preseason poll, behind defending champion Princeton and Yale.

The ranking reflects both the expectations surrounding the program and the uncertainty that comes with replacing such a significant senior class.

For Vande Berg, however, the goal is not to spend the season trying to recreate last year's team.

It is to become the best version of this year's team.

A major focus throughout the spring, summer and preseason has been building confidence that the Big Red can continue to win despite the personnel changes.

"We've been building confidence and trust that we can still be very good and win," Vande Berg said. "This team gets along really well, which translates to trust on the floor."

Ready to Write Their Own Story

There is no avoiding the fact that Cornell will look different in 2026.

Vande Berg does not see these changes and departures as a reason to lower expectations.

Instead, they have given this year's team an opportunity to establish an identity of its own.

Faster. More aggressive. More defensive.

And, perhaps most importantly, more difficult to play against.

"We're just playing to our new strengths, and those strengths are hard to beat" Vande Berg said.