St. John's University Athletics
Rashanny Solano Smith Named to Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
8/20/2026 11:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The senior was the only libero named to the all-league preseason squad
NEW YORK – Coming off a standout season, St. John's volleyball senior Rashanny Solano Smith was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, as selected by the coaches, the conference announced on Thursday morning.
This is the second consecutive year that Solano Smith was named to the preseason team. The reigning BIG EAST Libero of the Year was the only libero named to the 13-player all-league squad.
Solano Smith was named the program's first major award winner since Joanne Persico and her staff captured Coaching Staff of the Year in 2023. The Coata Rica native becomes the first player to win Libero of the Year since Amanda Sanabia did so in 2018. She is the third player in program history to be named Libero of the Year, as Lena Yee won the award three straight seasons from 2006-2008.
Solano Smith collected 443 total digs during the 2025 season (4.10 per set), which ranked third in the BIG EAST. In conference play, she led the BIG EAST in digs with 280 over 62 sets of work. She posted double-digit digs in 23 of her 29 matches.
Over the span of four matches from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1, the defensive maestro logged more than 20 digs in each contest, including two 24-dig performances and a season-high 25 digs against Butler on Oct. 25.
Starting every match last season, she notched her 1,000th career dig against Auburn during the second contest of the 2025 slate. Solano Smith currently ranks seventh in program history with 1,420 career digs.
Creighton was unanimously selected to win the conference, followed by Villanova, Marquette and Xavier to round out the top four teams. Villanova's Abby Harrell was recognized as the Preseason Player of the Year.
Solano Smith and the Red Storm kick off the 2026 season in Norfolk, Va., at the Quest for the Crown, hosted by Old Dominion from Aug. 28-29.
2026 BIG EAST Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll (first-place votes)
1. Creighton (10) 100
2. Villanova 86
3. Marquette (1) 82
4. Xavier 75
5. DePaul 62
6. Georgetown 49
7. UConn 48
8. St. John's 36
9. Butler 34
10. Providence 20
11. Seton Hall 13
Preseason BIG EAST Volleyball Player of the Year:
Abby Harrell, Sr., OH, Villanova
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team^
Elise Ward, Sr., OH, Butler
Abbey Hayes, So., OH, Creighton
Ayden Ames, Jr., MB, Creighton
Jaya Johnson, Sr., RS/MB, Creighton*
Kendall Timme, So., OH., DePaul*
Kamryn Lee-Caracci, Sr., MB, Georgetown
Carson Tyler, Jr., OH, Marquette
Rashanny Solano Smith, Sr., L, St. John's
Abby Harrell, Sr., OH, Villanova
Campbell McKinnon, Jr., MB, Villanova*
Macy Hatkevich, Sr., S, Xavier*
Margo Kemp, RS-Jr., MB, Xavier
McKinley Boehm, RS-So., MB, Xavier
*Denotes unanimous selection
^Denotes tie in voting
This is the second consecutive year that Solano Smith was named to the preseason team. The reigning BIG EAST Libero of the Year was the only libero named to the 13-player all-league squad.
Solano Smith was named the program's first major award winner since Joanne Persico and her staff captured Coaching Staff of the Year in 2023. The Coata Rica native becomes the first player to win Libero of the Year since Amanda Sanabia did so in 2018. She is the third player in program history to be named Libero of the Year, as Lena Yee won the award three straight seasons from 2006-2008.
Solano Smith collected 443 total digs during the 2025 season (4.10 per set), which ranked third in the BIG EAST. In conference play, she led the BIG EAST in digs with 280 over 62 sets of work. She posted double-digit digs in 23 of her 29 matches.
Over the span of four matches from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1, the defensive maestro logged more than 20 digs in each contest, including two 24-dig performances and a season-high 25 digs against Butler on Oct. 25.
Starting every match last season, she notched her 1,000th career dig against Auburn during the second contest of the 2025 slate. Solano Smith currently ranks seventh in program history with 1,420 career digs.
Creighton was unanimously selected to win the conference, followed by Villanova, Marquette and Xavier to round out the top four teams. Villanova's Abby Harrell was recognized as the Preseason Player of the Year.
Solano Smith and the Red Storm kick off the 2026 season in Norfolk, Va., at the Quest for the Crown, hosted by Old Dominion from Aug. 28-29.
2026 BIG EAST Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll (first-place votes)
1. Creighton (10) 100
2. Villanova 86
3. Marquette (1) 82
4. Xavier 75
5. DePaul 62
6. Georgetown 49
7. UConn 48
8. St. John's 36
9. Butler 34
10. Providence 20
11. Seton Hall 13
Preseason BIG EAST Volleyball Player of the Year:
Abby Harrell, Sr., OH, Villanova
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team^
Elise Ward, Sr., OH, Butler
Abbey Hayes, So., OH, Creighton
Ayden Ames, Jr., MB, Creighton
Jaya Johnson, Sr., RS/MB, Creighton*
Kendall Timme, So., OH., DePaul*
Kamryn Lee-Caracci, Sr., MB, Georgetown
Carson Tyler, Jr., OH, Marquette
Rashanny Solano Smith, Sr., L, St. John's
Abby Harrell, Sr., OH, Villanova
Campbell McKinnon, Jr., MB, Villanova*
Macy Hatkevich, Sr., S, Xavier*
Margo Kemp, RS-Jr., MB, Xavier
McKinley Boehm, RS-So., MB, Xavier
*Denotes unanimous selection
^Denotes tie in voting
Players Mentioned
L/DS
/ Women's VolleyballSaturday, November 01
Friday, October 31
Tuesday, October 14
Saturday, September 13