Looking Back to 2026 | The Standard

Before the season began, Jordan Thompson had already done things most volleyball players never will. Two Olympic medals. Six years of professional play in Türkiye and Italy. A pair of NCAA records that still stand. A reputation built over years of competing at the highest levels the sport has to offer.

She then came home and raised her own standard.

Thompson's 2026 LOVB season was the most dominant individual performance in league history. She was named MVP and Best Opposite Hitter, finishing more than 120 points clear of anyone else in the league. She surpassed her entire 2025 statistical output in a dozen matches this past season. Night after night, in a league defined by its parity and competitive balance, she was simply in a different tier.

"It's cool to hit different milestones, but ... I can only be as successful as the rest of the team," - Jordan Thompson

What made Thompson's season remarkable wasn't just the numbers, it was how she produced them. Teams knew she was coming. They schemed for her, shifted their defenses around her, built entire game plans around slowing her down. It rarely worked, and when it did, success came with a cost.

"Jordan carries a huge load for this team, and she handles it really well," said LOVB Houston outside hitter Jess Mruzik. "Teams are scouting her and their game plan is to try to stop her or slow her down, but honestly, those game plans help out our other attackers ... It opens up some seams and just makes everyone's lives a little bit easier."

The entire Houston roster felt the weight she carried and the space she created. Thompson was quick to return the sentiment.

"It's cool to hit different milestones, but it's really just a testament to the team and the staff and the game plans we put together, because I can only be as successful as the rest of the team," she said. "That's what I love so much about volleyball specifically — it's the ultimate team sport, and you can't do it alone. An accomplishment is not won on my own, it's not just one person."

After winning the regular season title, Thompson was not the only Houston athlete to be honored in LOVB’s end-of-season awards. Kaisa Alanko earned Setter of the Year after leading the league in setting efficiency and finishing second in assists per set, and Amber Igiede earned Middle Blocker of the Year. Head Coach Sanja Tomašević even earned Coach of the Year after helping Houston rally from a 0-3 start to 13-7 overall record and its first regular season crown. 

The squad entered postseason play with confidence, winning their first matchup against No. 4 LOVB Salt Lake in five sets. Two days later, Salt Lake stunned the regular season champs with a 25-20, 25-23, 25-13 sweep before winning a roller coaster golden set, 19-17. Once again, Houston had been eliminated in the semifinals.

"Honestly, I was in shock and just devastated," Thompson said on the Side Out Society podcast regarding the semifinal exit. "To work so hard all season long after a slow start … that was a dagger to the heart. It felt like this is not how it's supposed to end. I went back in the locker room and I was crying. But that's part of sports and it leaves you with a motivation to come back even hungrier next season."

"JT played her heart out the entire season," setter Micha Hancock told LOVB after the second semifinal match. "We had pieces around her in supporting roles, we just have such good teammates on our team. Obviously losing in the semis really sucks, but we pushed the entirety of the season and earned regular season champs for a reason. I’m proud of how these girls stayed steady."

None steadier than Thompson, who set the new standard for League One Volleyball in 2026.