KINGSTON, R.I. - Rhode Island has added transfers KJ Johnson and Reagan Nisbet to its roster for the 2026 season, head coach Ryan Sullivan announced.

Johnson, a Richmond, Va. native, joins the Rams after spending three seasons at Elon. The 5-9 middle blocker has played in 60 career matches, recording 135 total blocks and 124 kills while posting a career hitting percentage of .203.

Johnson (pictured above) adds experience to the middle blocker depth chart, where the Rams have fourth-year players Chloe Abuto and Emily Sawyer, who transferred from Sacred Heart last Spring. The trio has combined for more than 600 total blocks in a combined 217 matches.

"We are thrilled to welcome KJ to our program. She brings a unique combination of athleticism, competitiveness, and leadership that will have an immediate impact on our team," Sullivan said. "Her ability to run the floor, attack at a high level, and make plays defensively gives us another dynamic presence in the middle.

"Just as importantly, she's an outstanding student and a high-character person who embodies the values of our program. We're excited to add someone with her work ethic and experience to an already talented middle blocker group, and we believe she'll make everyone around her better both on and off the court."

Also in the mix will be third-year player Havyn Rolle, second-year player Hannah Jonick and first-year player Grace Keaney. Rolle will also play outside hitter, while Jonick and Keaney both double up at right side. Rolle has 455 kills and 162 blocks to her credit in two seasons, while Jonick 95 kills and 61 blocks in her first year.

Nisbet is a Nashville, Tenn. native who redshirted last year at Northeastern. During her high school career at Harpeth Hall, she was a three-time All-Region selection as an outside hitter, making the transition to defensive specialist at the collegiate level. She competed in the USAV Nationals for the Alliance Volleyball Club with the 16s, 17s and 18s teams.

"Reagan brings exceptional ball-control skills and a high volleyball IQ. She has a natural feel for serve receive, anticipates the game extremely well, and consistently puts herself in position to make quality plays," Sullivan said. "Her background as an outside hitter gives her a complete understanding of the game, allowing her to contribute in a variety of situations and provide another layer of versatility to our lineup."

The Rams return third-year players Dakota Henry and Cansu Kornosor to the defensive specialist position, with first-year player Kiara Copeland joining the program this year. Henry is the most experienced of the group, recording 569 digs and 47 service aces in 56 matches over the last two seasons. She led the team with 321 digs last season.  

"Reagan has tremendous potential," Sullivan said "She embraces competition, and we're looking forward to seeing her continue to grow within our program."

Rhode Island opens the 2026 season at the Central Connecticut State tournament, where it will face Siena (Aug. 28), Holy Cross (Aug. 29) and host CCSU (Aug. 30).