OREM, Utah — Utah Valley University announced its complete 2026 women’s volleyball schedule Monday, a slate that blends a challenging nonconference itinerary with the program’s first full season in the Big West Conference.
Nonconference gauntlet opens season
The Wolverines will begin with back-to-back tournament weekends and face five teams that reached the 2025 NCAA Tournament during their nonconference run. The early portion of the schedule includes a trip to the South Dakota Classic, where Utah Valley is slated to face host South Dakota and Northern Iowa — a 2025 second-round NCAA participant — before meeting Air Force to close that weekend.
UVU then travels to the Midwest for the Kansas City Klassic on Sept. 11-12, drawing matchups that include first-time meetings with Drake, a rematch with former WAC rival Kansas City, and a game against Radford of the Big South.
The final week of nonconference action returns the Wolverines to in-state opponents. UVU will play at BYU on Sept. 15, visit Utah State on Sept. 17 in Logan, and finish nonconference play at home against Weber State on Sept. 19.
First Big West season includes long West Coast swings
Utah Valley’s inaugural Big West campaign opens with a four-match stretch at home before the team heads out for its initial conference road trip to Southern California. The Wolverines will play at UC Irvine and UC San Diego on Oct. 9-10.
Later in October, UVU travels to Sacramento for a contest with Sacramento State on Oct. 24, then returns to Southern California to play California Baptist and UC Riverside on Oct. 30-31. The regular season’s final stretch includes a two-match trip to the Central Coast to face Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 13-14, and other late-season road dates.
The schedule pairs a demanding nonconference slate — designed to test the team against NCAA-caliber opponents — with extensive travel throughout California for conference play, emphasizing the logistical challenges of the Big West shift.
- Key nonconference opponents: South Dakota, Northern Iowa, Drake, Kansas City, BYU, Utah State, Weber State
- Notable conference road trips: UC Irvine, UC San Diego, Sacramento State, Cal Poly, UC Santa Barbara
- Season openers: South Dakota Classic followed by Kansas City Klassic
What the schedule means for UVU
The nonconference slate gives Utah Valley multiple opportunities to measure itself against teams coming off NCAA Tournament appearances, while the Big West schedule will require the program to adapt to frequent long-distance travel and a high level of West Coast competition. For a program transitioning conferences, those factors can affect everything from practice planning to midweek academics for student-athletes.
For local fans, highlight dates include the trip to BYU on Sept. 15 and the home nonconference finale against Weber State on Sept. 19. Those in-state matchups have historically drawn strong interest and provide a regional yardstick for UVU’s progress.
| Date range | Event / Opponents |
|---|---|
| Early Sept. | South Dakota Classic — South Dakota, Northern Iowa, Air Force |
| Sept. 11-12 | Kansas City Klassic — Drake, Kansas City, Radford |
| Sept. 15-19 | Road at BYU; at Utah State; home vs. Weber State |
| Oct. 9-10 | Conference road at UC Irvine, UC San Diego |
| Nov. 13-14 | Conference road at Cal Poly, UC Santa Barbara |
Fans should note that the schedule contains several multi-match weekends and longer travel stretches that may require planning to attend; UVU typically posts ticket information and any broadcast or streaming details through the athletics department closer to match dates.
The 2026 schedule positions Utah Valley to test itself early against quality opposition and to grow into the rigors of Big West play. How the Wolverines respond on the court and manage the demands off it will shape expectations for the program’s first season in the conference.
