Nagel Announces Three in 2026 Signing Class

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke volleyball head coach Jolene Nagel announced the addition of Sara Lozano, Carlyle Johnson and Riley Copenhaver for the 2026 signing class set to join the Blue Devils in the fall.

"Duke volleyball is thrilled to announce our incoming 2026 class," said Nagel. "They bring athleticism, skill and competitiveness, along with high-level club experience."

SARA LOZANO

Bradenton, Florida | IMG Academy | 5-11 OH | IMG Academy

Lozano comes to Durham as a 5-11 outside hitter from Bradenton, Florida, where she competes for IMG Academy.

During her high school career, she has collected a total of six Most Valuable Player awards – four during her freshman campaign and two as a sophomore. As a freshman, she was named the 2023 Capitol Hill Best Hitter Award recipient and earned the NORCECA Central America Best Hitter Award the following year.

Lozano is also an active member of the Puerto Rico National Team. While competing with the U17 National Team, she helped lead Puerto Rico to a silver medal at the NORCECA Central America Tournament, where she was named Best Hitter. Most recently, she won the Final Four Tournament with the full national team.

"Sara is an athletic outside hitter who brings explosiveness and fire to the court," said Nagel. "She has a toughness that we will welcome to our team and look for her continued growth as a six rotation outside hitter."

CARLYLE JOHNSON

Wichita, Kansas | Wichita Collegiate School | 6-2 OH/RS | Shockwave Volleyball Academy

Carlyle Johnson joins the Blue Devils as a 6-2 outside and right-side hitter from Wichita Collegiate School in Wichita, Kansas. Johnson also competes for the Shockwave Volleyball Academy.

At Wichita Collegiate, Johnson earned AVCTL All-League Honorable Mention recognition and was a two-time First Team All-League selection as a sophomore and junior. She also garnered All-Metro third team honors during her sophomore year and was tabbed to the first team her junior year. With Shockwave, she helped guide her team to a Junior National Championship in the Emerald Division (15U Premier) and competed on the program's top team throughout her club career.

A multi-sport athlete, Johnson also excelled in swimming, qualifying for the state championships all four years of high school. She helped her team to 18th- and 15th-place finishes as a freshman and sophomore, respectively.

In the classroom, Johnson was named to the High Honor Roll and was an active member of DECA and YoungLife from her freshman through junior years.

"Carlyle has played a lot as a middle blocker in her volleyball career. However, we're excited to see her develop as an outside and right-side hitter. She is making great strides as a six-rotation pin. Her size on the pin will be a huge asset for us," said Nagel.

RILEY COPENHAVER

Brighton, Michigan | Brighton High School | 6-1 MB/RS | Legacy

Riley Copenhaver joins the Blue Devils as a 6-1 middle blocker and right-side hitter from Brighton, Michigan, where she attends Brighton High School and competes for Legacy Volleyball Club.

After overcoming an injury, Copenhaver has emerged as one of the top prospects in the state and is projected to earn All-America recognition by PrepDig. She has recently been invited to the upcoming Under Armour Next Camp.

A multi-sport athlete, Copenhaver also lettered in lacrosse as a freshman while helping lead her team to a state championship.

"Riley is an athletic middle blocker who also has right-side experience. Her strength is in her blocking. Riley played lacrosse for years before she chose to focus on volleyball and has been making great strides in her skill development in a short period of time. We think her ceiling is high and we look forward to seeing her development," said Nagel.

For more information on Duke volleyball, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "DukeVB".

#GoDuke

Nagel Announces Three in 2026 Signing Class

Related News

Related Videos

Duke information