source: ncaa

Olivia Babcock of Pittsburgh tops NCAA.com's countdown of the five best returning opposite hitters in women's college volleyball heading into the 2026 season.

Analyst Michella Chester released the rankings on Aug. 17, with the two-time reigning National Player of the Year firmly at the summit.

Chester's list, published by NCAA.com, identifies the opposites whose return gives their programs the most reliable weapons at that position entering the fall campaign. Babcock's back-to-back national player of the year honors make her the clear anchor of the group.

Babcock's Credentials Set the Standard

Pitt's Babcock is the only two-time consecutive National Player of the Year among the returners Chester evaluated. Her presence alone makes the Panthers one of the most closely watched teams in the country as the 2026 season opens.

The opposite position demands a player who can terminate rallies from the right side and absorb a heavy serving load. Back-to-back national recognition at that position signals the kind of consistency that defines programs at the top of the standings.

A Five-Player Field Worth Watching

Chester counted down all five spots in her ranking, though the full list beyond Babcock's top placement is detailed in the NCAA.com video segment. The exercise frames which returning opposites carry the heaviest expectations for their respective squads this fall.

The 2026 college season is already generating significant attention across multiple programs.

Marquette, for instance, is rebuilding around a roster that returned just five players, according to Anonymous Eagle, leaning on newcomers including transfer outside hitter Carson Tyler to fill key roles alongside whatever returning contributors remain.

That context underscores how valuable an established opposite like Babcock is to any program fortunate enough to have one.

Season Opens Aug. 17

College volleyball's 2026 regular season gets underway Aug. 17, the same date Chester's rankings dropped.

Programs across the country tip off their fall schedules as rosters shaped by the transfer portal and incoming freshmen take the court together for the first time in competition.

For fans tracking the sport's best right-side hitters, Chester's breakdown offers a useful early-season reference point as conference races begin to take shape.