Grand Rapids, Mich. - Forty-four.

For Aquinas College women's volleyball, the number is impossible to ignore.

Forty-four consecutive victories against Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference opponents.

Two straight undefeated conference seasons. Back-to-back WHAC regular-season championships. Back-to-back WHAC Tournament titles. Thirty-three victories a season ago.

And somehow, none of those 44 victories can help the Saints win the next one.

That is the challenge — and perhaps the opportunity — facing Aquinas as the 2026 season begins.

The Saints enter the fall ranked No. 17 nationally and as the overwhelming choice to win another WHAC championship, receiving eight of nine first-place votes in the conference preseason poll.

There are banners on the wall, trophies in the case and expectations surrounding a program that has become accustomed to winning.

This fall, one of the players who helped establish that standard will return to Coach Bo Court. Katie Dahnke (Vander Meer), the only First Team All-American in AQ Women's Volleyball history, will be inducted into the AQ Athletics "Coach Bo" Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 18, during Aquinas Homecoming Weekend.

Head Coach Ryan Campbell appreciates all of it.

He just doesn't want this team trying to be the last one.

"What excites me most is that this team gets to write its own story," Campbell said. "The success of our program has set a high standard, but this group has an opportunity to create its own identity and accomplish something special together."

That may be the defining challenge of Aquinas volleyball in 2026.

Honor the standard.

Don't live in its shadow.

A Standard Bigger Than Volleyball

Winning has become familiar around Coach Bo Court.

Aquinas finished 33-7 last season and went a perfect 20-0 in conference play, extending a WHAC winning streak that now stands at 44 matches.

But there is another number Campbell may be every bit as proud of.

3.653.

That was the team's cumulative GPA in 2025-26, earning women's volleyball the Karasinski Award for the highest cumulative team GPA among Aquinas athletic programs for a second consecutive year.

The Saints won the same award in 2024-25 with a 3.561 GPA.

Championships on the court.

Excellence in the classroom.

For Athletic Director Damon Bouwkamp, it is the combination that says the most about what the program has become.

"What Coach Campbell, his staff, and our women's volleyball student-athletes have built is exactly what we want Aquinas Athletics to represent," Bouwkamp said. "To go undefeated in WHAC play in back-to-back seasons is an incredible accomplishment, but to pair that success with winning the Karasinski Award for the highest cumulative team GPA at Aquinas in each of those same two years speaks volumes about the culture of this program.

"They have established an expectation of excellence in the classroom and on the court. Being ranked No. 17 nationally and selected No. 1 in the WHAC preseason poll is tremendous recognition, but I know this group understands those rankings are only a starting point. I'm excited to watch them embrace those expectations, continue to raise the standard, and write their own chapter this season."

That success has resonated beyond Athletics.

"One of the greatest compliments you can give a collegiate athletic program is that it consistently develops champions in every sense of the word," said Dr. Terry Keller, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. "Coach Campbell, Coach Shepherd-Kelley, and the entire volleyball staff have built a culture where academic achievement, competitive excellence, servant leadership, and faith are woven together every day. As they begin another season, this team continues to exemplify what it means to be a Saint, and our entire Aquinas community is excited to support them."

That is the standard the 2026 Saints inherit.

The question is how they make it their own.

Whatever Comes Next, Together

It would be easy to look at everything Aquinas returns and assume the Saints will simply pick up where they left off.

Campbell knows better.

Two enormous pieces of the 2025 team are gone.

NAIA Second Team All-American and WHAC Player of the Year Lauren Chioini graduated after producing 483 kills, hitting .349 and recording 136 blocks.

Two-time WHAC Libero of the Year Bella Hommes is gone as well after anchoring the back row with 709 digs and adding 72 service aces.

There isn't a button Campbell can push to replace 483 kills here and 709 digs there.

More importantly, there isn't one that replaces the experience behind those numbers.

And there won't be another Lauren Chioini or Bella Hommes.

Campbell isn't asking anyone to try.

"We lost some great leaders, and you can't replace their experience with one person," Campbell said. "Leadership has to be collective, and we've challenged our returners to step up and take ownership of this team."

What they provided will have to be replaced the same way Aquinas intends to chase everything in 2026 — together.

That ownership begins with four senior captains — Cece Pelak, Kami Morse, Michelle Ramirez and Audrey Gil — but it certainly doesn't end there.

From the senior class to a sophomore group no longer experiencing college volleyball for the first time, Campbell sees plenty of talent. What excites him is how that talent is being accompanied by effort, hard work and accountability.

"We're becoming a very competitive, energetic and accountable team," Campbell said. "They push each other every day, and I really like how willing they are to be coached and improve."

That is the formula.

Not one player replacing another.

Not one person carrying the expectations created by 44 straight conference victories.

A talented roster willing to work, compete and improve together.

And few players will have more influence on that collective effort than the sophomore who spent much of last season putting her teammates in position to succeed.

West Has the Keys

Natalie West arrived at Aquinas a year ago trying to learn what it meant to be a college volleyball player.

Then she was handed the keys.

Running the Saints' offense as a freshman, West accumulated 1,144 assists while adding 252 digs, 106 kills, 92 blocks and 36 service aces. She was named WHAC Newcomer of the Year, continuing an Aquinas streak of three consecutive winners of the award.

The statistics suggest a player who adjusted quickly.

West remembers it a little differently.

"Coming into my sophomore season, I believe my confidence has grown a great amount," West said. "As a freshman, I felt like I had no idea what I was doing and was just trying to get a grasp of what being a college athlete was like."

A year later, the game doesn't feel quite so fast.

"Now as a sophomore, I feel like I can play more freely because I'm used to the speed and commitment that a college sport entails," West said.

West spent an entire season building relationships with the teammates around her, including Chioini and right-side hitter Mel Beachnau.

Now some of the names and roles will change.

The importance of those relationships won't.

"When I'm getting closer with my hitters off the court, it improves our connection on the court," West said. "This overall makes us more comfortable with one another."

That may be the most important part of West's progression.

She isn't being asked to reproduce 2025 or find another Chioini. She is being asked to help this group discover what it can accomplish together.

"We have many returners coming back that will keep our offense on the same commanding and consistent track that it was on last year," West said.

Across the roster, that same idea keeps surfacing.

Connection.

Communication.

Trust.

Work.

Nevaeh Bakker hardly looked like a first-year player in 2025, recording 307 kills, hitting .337 and totaling 138 blocks in the middle.

For Bakker, taking another step begins with communication. More importantly, she sees a team already demonstrating the willingness to work.

Preseason has shown Bakker "that we want to work, and want to show up and be better for each other every day."

Kate Schneider enters her sophomore season after appearing in 43 sets with 64 kills and 38 blocks as a freshman. She believes a year in the program has changed the way she sees what is happening around her.

"Since last November, I believe I have improved on my knowledge of the game and really being able to read what's happening on the court in real time," Schneider said.

Across the roster, returners are accepting greater responsibility, seniors are setting expectations and everyone understands that last year's accomplishments guarantee nothing about this one.

The names may change.

The expectation to work doesn't.

And when Schneider was asked what she hoped someone watching Aquinas for the first time would notice, she didn't mention hitting percentages, blocks or championships.

She pointed toward the sideline.

"I hope a new watcher would recognize the bond that we have as teammates," Schneider said. "Everyone on the team is so supportive, and I think we have the loudest and most fun bench during games."

Apparently, that bench also has a resident comedian.

The Sound Behind the Standard

Spend enough time asking Aquinas players about their teammates and one name keeps appearing.

Audrey Gil.

West was asked who could make someone smile when they needed it.

Audrey.

Bakker was asked who would steal every episode if Aquinas volleyball had its own reality show.

Audrey.

Pelak was asked about the teammate who keeps practice loose and people laughing.

Again, Audrey.

Freshman defensive specialist Brooke Price was asked which teammate's personality made her realize this team was going to be fun.

Audrey.

"Her laugh brightens the room and makes everything 10 times funnier, yet she is still always focused," Price said.

Freshman Kaylyn Tuck had another nominee: junior Jayla Martin.

"Definitely Jayla! She always has something to say and always makes me and everyone laugh, even in intense moments," Tuck said.

Apparently, the personalities that keep Aquinas loose belong to more than one player.

But listen to Gil explain her role and something deeper emerges.

"These girls aren't just teammates, they are family, and knowing we have each other's backs is something I value," Gil said. "I think that's the foundation of leadership and trust."

For Gil, leadership can mean noticing the teammate who isn't quite herself that day.

It can mean creating room for a conversation that has nothing to do with volleyball.

Sometimes, it can simply mean making somebody laugh.

"Creating an environment where it doesn't just have to be about volleyball, it's about being a person as well," Gil said. "Emphasizing that these girls know they aren't alone in any situation."

So, Audrey, your teammates would like everyone to know you're funny.

Do you accept the title?

"I could accept that title, but at the end of the day these girls keep me going," Gil said. "I'm not sure what it is that keeps everyone laughing, but I do truly believe that they bring out the best in me."

That answer may explain more about Aquinas volleyball than Gil intended.

The Saints have won a lot of matches.

But when the people responsible for those wins talk about what makes the program work, they keep coming back to relationships, trust, accountability and laughter.

Pelak understands that distinction.

"It means a lot to me because I know how much work has gone into building this program to where it is today," Pelak said. "Our coaching staff has worked super hard to set a standard of excellence for AQVB, and being a senior means helping carry on that standard."

Pelak returns after leading Aquinas with 487 kills last season. But carrying the standard doesn't mean expecting everything to go perfectly.

Quite the opposite.

"Games aren't won because everything goes right," Pelak said. "They're won by teams that can respond when things get difficult. That resilience is something that is needed on great teams and something that I believe this team possesses."

Eventually, Pelak knows there will be a final match.

When that day comes, her memories won't be limited to championships.

"I will always remember my volleyball seasons through laughs and memories shared," Pelak said. "Obviously we want to compete for championships, but at the end of the day I know that God placed each of my teammates in my life for a reason. If I can leave knowing I helped make my teammates smile and this program better, that would make my senior season special."

There are a lot of ways to define a championship program.

Aquinas seems determined not to choose just one.

Nothing Given

The Saints won't have to wait long to find out where they stand.

Aquinas' No. 17 preseason national ranking puts the program among the NAIA's best before the first serve is struck.

The schedule will give the Saints plenty of opportunities to prove they belong there.

Six opponents on the 2026 schedule appear in the NAIA preseason Top 25.

There is No. 20 Midland on Aug. 21.

No. 13 IU Kokomo follows Aug. 29.

September brings No. 9 Mount Vernon Nazarene and No. 10 Cumberlands, along with a WHAC meeting against No. 21 Cornerstone.

Then, on Oct. 2, preseason No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan comes to Coach Bo Court.

For a team discovering its identity, there won't be much time for an identity crisis.

Campbell sees that as a positive.

"Our non-conference schedule will give us opportunities to test ourselves against different styles and levels of competition," Campbell said. "We want to use those matches to learn, improve and build our identity before conference play."

The schedule will be difficult, the national ranking will bring attention and being picked first in the WHAC means nobody will be surprised by Aquinas.

Inside the program, however, the approach isn't complicated.

Talent matters.

So does effort.

So does showing up tomorrow willing to work just as hard as today.

"It comes down to consistency," Campbell said. "We need to compete every day, take care of the little things and hold each other accountable. If we do that from August through November, we'll give ourselves a chance to compete for another championship."

Not defend one.

Compete for another one.

There is a difference.

The 2024 Saints earned their championship.

The 2025 Saints earned theirs.

And no matter how many consecutive conference matches Aquinas has won, the 2026 Saints begin in exactly the same place as everyone else.

Zero wins.

Zero losses.

A blank page.

Come Watch This Team

Soon enough, Coach Bo Court will be loud again.

The bench Schneider promises will be one of the loudest and most fun around will be bouncing.

Gil will undoubtedly have somebody laughing.

West will be directing traffic.

Pelak, Morse, Ramirez and Gil will be setting the standard as captains.

Bakker, Schneider and the rest of the returners will discover how much bigger their roles can become.

And the newest Saints will experience Coach Bo Court from the home side for the first time.

One of those newcomers is freshman outside hitter Kaylyn Tuck, who said Aquinas immediately felt like the right place because of both its championship tradition and the culture surrounding the program.

"What attracted me to Aquinas was the huge success of the program and the level of competitive play," Tuck said. "Aquinas felt right because I wanted something that felt natural while also challenging me every day. I believe this school will help me grow on and off the court."

"Preseason definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way," Tuck said. "Playing alongside older and more experienced players every day has helped me adjust to the speed and level of play, and I've already noticed more confidence and consistency, especially in serve receive and hitting."

Tuck isn't focused on statistics or individual recognition. She simply wants to help however she can.

"Anywhere I can contribute is where I want to be," she said.

Now, she can't wait to experience Coach Bo Court for the first time wearing the Maroon and White.

"I'm especially ready to wear the Maroon and White, play in front of a home crowd on Coach Bo Court, and make memories with my team."

Price has found the same combination of competition and connection since arriving at Aquinas.

"What has impressed me the most is how the team competes with each other, not against each other," Price said. "It is a very competitive environment, and everyone is constantly striving to get better and become a better unit every day."

"No matter what, if a volleyball hits the floor, there should be a body on the floor with it," Price said. "That has kept me more on my toes and improved my game. Passing can be more mentally challenging than physically, but the upperclassmen passers have made it a priority to keep the defenders confident and encouraged."

Price's first collegiate goals aren't built around a statistical target. She wants to become someone her teammates and coaches can depend upon while keeping academics a priority and growing in every part of her Aquinas experience.

"Overall, I want to grow as a person and player in every aspect and strive to be at least 1 percent better every day," Price said.

Some will play a lot.

Some will wait for their opportunity.

Some contributions will show up in a box score.

Others never will.

But if Campbell's vision for this team becomes reality, every one of them will have a hand in determining what comes next.

Somewhere in the middle of all of it, 22 student-athletes — seniors and first-year Saints, starters and reserves, veterans and newcomers — will begin figuring out exactly what the 2026 Aquinas women's volleyball team is going to become.

And with that first serve, something bigger begins, too.

Another year of Aquinas Athletics.

New teams will take the field. New faces will put on the Maroon and White. Veterans will begin their final seasons. First-year Saints will experience all of it for the first time.

New opportunities.

New memories.

New stories waiting to be told.

Campbell's invitation is simple.

"Come watch this team," Campbell said. "They're talented, they're competitive and they genuinely enjoy playing together. I think our fans are going to enjoy watching this group create its own story."

They won't have to wait long.

Aquinas opens the 2026 season Wednesday, Aug. 19, with the AQ Tri-Match on Coach Bo Court inside the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center. The Saints face Wilberforce at 3 p.m. before returning to the court against St. Francis at 7 p.m.

Both matches—and every Aquinas home contest this season—will be streamed live on the AQ Saints Network, with Joey Sutherlin calling the action.

Two days later, AQ travels to Fort Wayne for four matches at the Onset Tournament, including an early-season test against No. 20 Midland.

Forty-four belongs to Aquinas Volleyball's history.

Whatever comes next belongs to this team.

What happens next is why you show up.

It's a great day to be a Saint.