Skip to content
Western New York  ·  High school sports
Search ⌘K

Panama volleyball sets 2026 slate with experienced upper-class roster

Panama begins the new season with three seniors, five juniors and a sophomore on the varsity roster, plus a schedule packed with familiar opponents.

← Back to the newsroom
Pre-season Girls Volleyball

WNY Athletics Staff ·

Overview

  • Seniors Abby Trussler, Caitlyn Straight and Annie Becker return with varsity experience at defensive specialist, middle hitter and outside hitter, respectively.
  • Head coach Madalyn Bowen returns after Panama went 12-7 in 2024-25 and 11-9 in 2025-26 under her direction.
  • Panama opens Sept. 9 against Southwestern and visits Sherman on Sept. 11 before hosting Maple Grove on Sept. 14.
  • Panama is scheduled to close the regular-season slate with four matches in seven days from Oct. 13-19 before meeting Sherman on Oct. 21.

Panama enters the 2026 girls volleyball season with a roster that leans on upper-class depth and a schedule that should test the team quickly.

Head coach Madalyn Bowen's group includes three seniors: defensive specialist Abby Trussler, middle hitter Caitlyn Straight and outside hitter Annie Becker. The junior class gives Panama much of its roster volume, with libero Alexis Becker, outside hitters Emma Ferguson and Lilly Hyde, right side Marley Kelwaski and middle hitter Sophie Hummel. Mckenna Kolstee, a sophomore middle hitter, rounds out the listed varsity roster.

Bowen is back on the bench after Panama posted an 11-9 season in 2025-26 and a 12-7 mark in 2024-25. Those two winning seasons give Panama a recent baseline as it prepares for another fall.

The early calendar will give Panama little time to ease in. Panama is scheduled to open Sept. 9 against Southwestern, then visit Sherman on Sept. 11 before returning home for Maple Grove on Sept. 14 and Clymer on Sept. 17. A Sept. 16 trip to Westfield sits in the middle of that opening stretch.

Panama's September also includes Silver Creek, Chautauqua Lake, Jamestown and Brocton before a return match at Maple Grove on Sept. 30. Panama is scheduled to see Jamestown again Oct. 2, followed by Westfield on Oct. 5 and Silver Creek on Oct. 7.

The closing stretch is compressed: Southwestern, Chautauqua Lake, Clymer and Brocton are all scheduled from Oct. 13-19, followed by the regular-season finale against Sherman on Oct. 21.

Related stories