Towson Volleyball Lands Two Preseason All-CAA Selections, Tigers Picked Third
Towson women’s volleyball will enter the 2026 season with high expectations after the Coastal Athletic Association released its preseason poll and all-conference selections Wednesday.
The Tigers were picked to finish third in the CAA, receiving 83 points and two first-place votes. Charleston was selected as the preseason favorite with 95 points and five first-place votes, while Hofstra landed second with 87 points and four first-place votes.
Towson also placed two players among the conference’s preseason honorees, with sophomore middle blocker/opposite Malinah Purcell-Telefoni earning Preseason All-CAA Team honors and senior outside hitter Taylor Pagan receiving honorable mention recognition.
Purcell-Telefoni established herself as one of the CAA’s top young front-row players during her freshman season. The American Samoa native led the conference with 117 total blocks, while her 1.04 blocks per set ranked third in the league.
She also provided Towson with plenty of offense, finishing her freshman campaign with 182 kills in 112 sets. Purcell-Telefoni averaged 1.63 kills per set while hitting .275 and added 24 service aces and 10 assists.
Those numbers made Purcell-Telefoni one of Towson’s most productive all-around players despite being only a freshman. She finished fourth on the team in kills and led the Tigers in total blocks during the 2025 season.
Pagan gives Towson another experienced offensive option heading into the new season.
Despite missing 10 matches last year, Pagan finished with 175 kills across 64 sets while averaging 2.73 kills per set and hitting .231. She also contributed 14 assists and eight service aces.
Pagan also contributed defensively, finishing the 2025 season with 127 digs and 31 total blocks.
Having both players back gives Towson two proven pieces as the Tigers look to challenge Charleston and Hofstra at the top of the conference.
The CAA preseason poll had Charleston first with 95 points, followed by Hofstra with 87 and Towson with 83. North Carolina A&T was picked fourth with 67 points, Campbell fifth with 65 and Stony Brook sixth with 55. Northeastern, William & Mary, Elon, UNCW and Hampton rounded out the poll.
Towson receiving two first-place votes is also significant. While the Tigers were slotted third overall, the voting indicates there are coaches around the conference who believe Towson has enough talent to win the league.
The schedule should give the Tigers an early opportunity to find out where they stand.
Towson opens the season Aug. 28 at the Mizzou Invitational in Columbia, Missouri. The Tigers will play Idaho at 2 p.m. before facing host Missouri at 8 p.m. that evening. They finish the tournament against Western Illinois on Aug. 29 at 2 p.m.
The Tigers then return to Maryland for matches at Loyola on Sept. 4 and at home against Saint Peter’s on Sept. 5 before visiting Morgan State on Sept. 6. Towson will also host the Tiger Invitational later in September, including a matchup against Arkansas on Sept. 11.
CAA play begins with a home series against Northeastern on Sept. 18 and 19 before Towson travels south for two matches against preseason favorite Charleston on Sept. 25 and 26.
That early trip to Charleston could provide one of the first major measuring sticks of Towson’s season.
The Tigers will later host another conference contender when Hofstra visits SECU Arena for matches Nov. 6 and 7. Towson closes the regular season at Stony Brook before the CAA Championship takes place Nov. 19-21 in Buies Creek, North Carolina.
MSB Take
Towson being picked third should be viewed as a sign of respect, but this is also a team capable of finishing higher.
Purcell-Telefoni may be the biggest reason for optimism. Leading an entire conference in blocks as a freshman is impressive enough, and she now enters her sophomore season with a year of Division I experience behind her. If her offensive game continues to develop while she remains one of the CAA’s premier blockers, she could become one of Towson’s biggest difference-makers.
Pagan brings something equally important: experience and proven production on the outside. She produced at a high level despite missing significant time last season, and a healthy Pagan could give Towson another reliable attacking option throughout the year.
Charleston and Hofstra deserve their spots at the top of the preseason poll, but Towson is not far behind. Two first-place votes show that the Tigers are considered a legitimate contender.
With two preseason All-CAA players leading the way and several challenging early-season matches preparing Towson for conference play, the Tigers should once again have an opportunity to compete for a CAA championship in 2026.
