POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State volleyball officially opened the 2026 season Monday with its first practice inside Reed Gym.
The Bengals return 12 of 19 players from last season, including five of seven starters, as they look to build on a run to the 2025 Big Sky Conference championship match. Idaho State became the first No. 8 seed in conference history to reach the title match.
"The effort was great," head coach Sean Carter said after practice. "I'm just really happy to be back in the gym with everybody and welcome our new players. We return a lot, so hopefully we can get going a little quicker than we would with a lot of new kids."
That experience has raised the expectations entering Carter's fifth season at Idaho State.
"Things that maybe we were okay with last year, we're not this year," Carter said. "We're trying to find that next gear and put ourselves in position to win championships."
Jaydin Watts, Nora Waddoups and Jenna Werbelow are among the key returners for the Bengals.
Watts enters her senior season after earning Second Team All-Big Sky honors in 2025. She was a First Team All-Big Sky selection in 2024 and returns as Idaho State's most experienced option in the middle.
Waddoups earned Big Sky All-Tournament Team honors during last season's postseason run and returns alongside Kadence Marsh at setter.
"I honestly feel like I might have two of the best setters in the whole conference on our team," Carter said. "The competitiveness between Nora and Kadence every day is going to be awesome."
Werbelow also returns after recording a top-20 season in Bengal history in digs last year. She and Claudia Antcliff will be among the players competing for time in the back row.
Idaho State added five newcomers, including Saint Mary's College transfer Gracie Vohs and four freshmen. Carter said Vohs has fit in well during her first days with the program.
Freshman outside hitter Mia Walsh could also push for early playing time. Carter pointed to her physicality, along with her ability to pass and defend, as reasons she could contribute in a six-rotation role.
The Bengals will also have several options in the middle. Ashlyn Smith, Daelyn Harris and true freshman Bella Beatty are competing for time alongside Watts as the coaching staff works through different lineup combinations.
Tana Howard's return to full health could give Idaho State another option on the right side. Howard played early in her career before injuries limited her availability.
"If she's back at full go, it's going to be really competitive," Carter said. "We're going to have a lot of lineup possibilities, which is great. At the same time, we have to find something that works."
Idaho State began installing its defensive system during Monday's practice, but Carter said serving, passing and limiting errors will remain the focus early in camp.
That approach will also factor into how the Bengals set their lineup at the beginning of the season.
"Sometimes our best lineup or our most potent lineup isn't the lineup we play early on," Carter said. "It's the group we feel can be the least error-prone. Teams make more errors early in the year than they do once they settle into conference play, and those can be the difference between wins and losses."
The Bengals will get their first look at an opponent when they travel to Logan for an exhibition match against Utah State on Aug. 14.
Until then, the focus will be on getting back into rhythm, working through lineup options and preparing a veteran group for the season ahead.
"We're excited to train and get ourselves as good as we can," Carter said. "Then we'll go see where we're at when we play Utah State in Logan."
