GCU gets physical for level-up season

Friday, August 28

College Station, Texas

9 a.m. (MST)

Grand Canyon

Texas A&M

Photo by: Jayden Todd

8/27/2026 11:21:00 AM | Volleyball, Paul Coro

Potts' 3rd Lopes season features strong returnees, major additions

By: Paul Coro

Grand Canyon volleyball will not look like a non-contact sport this season.

The striking difference in the Lopes will be physicality, which translates into the look of a more explosive and powerful Lopes team with high-velocity, live arms swinging and quick tempo.
Kendra Potts

That rise in power is reflective of where the program wants to go, just as this weekend's opening schedule reflects. GCU, bolstered by additions and seasoned with returnees accounting for 73% of last season's starts, will open its season at the Texas A&M Invitational against the defending national champion host and 2026 NCAA Tournament second-round team Arkansas State on Friday and 2026 Sweet 16 team Cal Poly on Saturday.

After 20- and 17-win seasons in head coach Kendra Potts' first two seasons at GCU, the Lopes have leveled up the roster and the competition to reach the level they seek.

"We need to be in this arena," Potts said. "Our expectation for this program is to be top 50, top 35 and get into that top 25 in the next two to three years. I think this is the way you do it. You play the teams in those arenas, not because it's cute, but because we think we are capable. I know we can do this with this group of girls.

"Our ultimate goal is winning a regular-season title in the Mountain West, winning the Mountain West Championship and making it to NCAAs. With the challenges of preseason, we all need to realize what those are for – the bigger picture of prepping us to go into conference play. It sets us up to trend the right direction at the right time."

The base for that is five returnees who started most to all of last season's matches, led by Preseason All-Mountain West honoree Bella Nunez. The sophomore setter and opposite hitter ranked sixth nationally with nine triple-doubles. The middle blocking tandem of junior Aubrey Goodere and sophomore Aubrey Bellus also are back with juniors Taylor Kubacak, Nunez's fellow setter, and Natalie Guerrero, a defensive specialist.

That roster retention and consistency in coaching is making for a culture ready for a year with a tougher Mountain West, where additions UTEP and UC Davis are the favorites just ahead of GCU in the preseason coaches poll.

"There's a lot of trust," Potts said. "We can ask the hard questions. We can hold each other to a higher standard and know that there is nothing personal about it. We lead with love. We want to give and serve to one another, and we don't have to keep repeating that now. It's just kind of how we are and what we do with each other."

Except for three international additions and rapidly improving freshman middle blocker Kaela Jenkins, the Lopes began this season quest in the spring with the other 16 players in place.

"We're way more physical, offensive- and defensive-wise," said Nunez, who made All-Mountain West in her first season out of El Paso, Texas. "We're making really good plays in practice that nobody sees. We're all really excited to show what we're made of and what's been in the gym."

Nunez, Kubacak and others learned quickly to look for 6-foot-3 senior outside hitter Starr Williams, a dynamic transfer from Tennessee. Williams ranked second in kills per set (3.05) for the Volunteers' NCAA Tournament team last season and brings a mix of caliber and experience that GCU has not seen.

"She cares a lot, but she has a very calm way of being able to show that," Potts said. "She's a calming piece on the court, but she also is just a terminal factor. Every team needs somebody that can put a ball away at any moment, and Star's that girl. We know there's going to be a game plan against her, so we've got to make sure to have all our pieces ready to compete as well. She's going to bring a pretty high level of athleticism that we're excited to have in the gym."

The Lopes added another hitter who averaged more than three kills per set last season in 6-1 Katie Schulz, a Green Bay transfer. Her teammates chose her as a co-captain with Goodere, Kubacak, senior libero Bella Anderson.

"Katie can carry a high volume," Potts said. "She carried quite a load at Green Bay. She wants to contribute now and before now actually happens. That girl wants to get a fix and a point in a hurry. She can be a spark plug."

Serbian freshman Milica Zigic, who is 6-2, likely will be in that mix at the pin soon enough, but the international players are experiencing the transition to U.S. college volleyball's pace after arriving for the fall. The Lopes added another Serbian freshman, 6-1 middle blocker Mia Vukic, and freshman Croatian libero and defensive specialist Nika Zupanic.

The Lopes' uptick also comes from internal development, shown most in 6-1 sophomore opposite Macey Hughes. The San Antonio native started five matches last season and kept getting better. After being GCU's fourth-highest returning scorer, her impact might show more outside of the box score with the way interrupts attacks with touches.

"The biggest learning curve for any young player is the block, especially as a right-side attacker," Potts said. "They're there to kill balls, but they're really there to slow offenses down. She's done such a good job learning and with her eye sequencing. She's creating transition offensive kills for us just by what she's doing at the block. I love how intentional she's been with her blocking."

Nunez said this team talks about more than being "all in," choosing "burn the boats" as a team mantra for their determination to move the program forward this season. She is doing that too, finding new ways to be an aggressive scorer after posting 258 kills, 506 assists and 22 service aces as a freshman.

"She's still the unicorn volleyball player that she is," Potts said. "She's still attacking and setting. We've got to give her more tools. Last year, they didn't know about here. So, sure, be a target, but be a moving target. It's not so easy to hit the bull's eye then."

The improved depth has created an attack that blurs the look of primary and secondary options. It comes with being a more physical team, which fans will see at home for the first time in the Sept. 4-6 GCU Invitational. There will be patience though early-season tests to be an optimum team in conference play, where only the top four qualify for the Nov. 24-25 Mountain West Championship in Las Vegas.

"There are going to be some special points scored, and there are going to be some special errors made because we're going for something," Potts said. "We're the most physical we've been since I've been here. All around. We're way more explosive. I'm excited to give good volleyball. It's going to be a fun type of volleyball to watch."