Southern Miss Volleyball’s McAda and Sheppard Named to Preseason All-Conference Team

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Sadie McAda and Sunni Sheppard of the University of Southern Mississippi volleyball team have been named to the 2026 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team, following impressive performances in 2025, according to the Sun Belt Conference.

McAda, an outside hitter, is regarded as one of the league’s top returning all-around players. She earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors last season after averaging 3.50 kills per set and 3.96 points per set. She also contributed defensively with 3.65 digs per set, making her a key player for the Golden Eagles.

Sheppard, a libero, is returning as one of the Sun Belt’s top defensive players after earning third-team All-Sun Belt honors in 2025. She finished last season with an average of 4.37 digs per set and totaled more than 340 digs. She also added 25 aces and a 0.32 aces-per-set average. During the 2025 season, she surpassed 1,000 career digs and set a school record in the rally-scoring era with 39 digs in a match.

Southern Miss placed third in the West Division in the preseason coaches poll for 2026. The team finished fifth in the West Division last season after being projected to finish sixth in the preseason poll.

The Golden Eagles will host Nicholls in an exhibition match Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Wellness Center. Fans are encouraged to follow Southern Miss Volleyball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for updates. Full schedules and additional information are available at SouthernMiss.com and through the Southern Miss GameDay app.

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