The 2026 women’s college volleyball season is set to begin with ESPN leading the charge of women’s sports coverage. ESPN has slated more than 2,400 women’s college volleyball matches across networks this fall, including 16 matchups between the 2025 season’s top 10 ranked programs, marking the highest total number in ESPN history. Top 15 teams are slated for ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network and ACC Network throughout the fall. ESPN’s record-setting season continues with 106 regular season matchups across ESPN linear networks, the most in ESPN history including 21 on ESPN, while also setting a record for most matches ever across ESPN and ABC. This women’s college volleyball season is shaping up to be a hit from opening weekend through conference play and the postseason with all matches streaming on the ESPN App.
The 2026 season opens with the AVCA First Serve Showcase in Milwaukee, Wisc., featuring four powerhouse programs. Louisville faces reigning 2025 National Champion Texas A&M, and 2025 NCAA runner-up Kentucky takes on number five ranked Wisconsin on opening night, Friday, Aug. 21, before Texas A&M battles SMU, and Pittsburgh meets Kentucky for another top 10 matchup in a Sunday, Aug. 23 slate loaded with national contenders.
ESPN’s early-season tournament coverage continues with the Opening Spike Classic at Pittsburgh, beginning Friday, Aug. 28, showcasing storied programs Pittsburgh, Stanford, Wisconsin and Kansas. The event culminates with Wisconsin vs. Pittsburgh and Kansas vs. Stanford on Sunday, Aug. 30, providing multiple opportunities for top programs to make an early national statement.
Traditional conference powers collide as the SEC and Big Ten square off across ESPN networks in early September, including UCLA traveling to Kentucky Wednesday, Sept. 2., and USC facing Texas on Sunday, Sept. 6.
ESPN Events returns to Nashville with the Sprouts Farmers Market Broadway Block Party on Sunday, Sept. 6, headlined by a marquee Louisville-Texas showdown on ABC. Last season’s matchup between Nebraska and Kentucky was the most-watched regular season volleyball match on record. Tennessee also welcomes Indiana as the event continues to spotlight top programs from multiple conferences inside Bridgestone Arena.
The Sunday, Sept. 6 matchup between Louisville and Texas alongside Louisville and Kentucky will find their homes on ABC on Sunday, Sept. 20.
The SEC and ACC renew one of the sport’s premier interconference showcases with matchups spread across SEC Network and ACC Network. Featured contests include Missouri at Louisville, Texas at SMU, North Carolina at Kentucky and Miami at Florida on Wednesday, Sept. 9. The challenge will be highlighted by The Shriners Children’s Showdown at The Net featuring Pittsburgh vs. Tennessee followed by Texas A&M vs. Stanford. Both matches will be on ESPN2, live from State Farm Fieldhouse, ESPN Wide World of Sports in Kissimmee, Fl.
The Paradise Invitational airs across ESPN networks Sept. 12-13, with first-round matches streaming on ESPN+ on Saturday, before the consolation and championship matches air on ESPN networks on Sunday, Sept. 13. The day also features marquee standalone contests with Wisconsin facing Texas and UCLA battling Utah.
ACC volleyball is prominently featured throughout the season with conference heavyweights Louisville, Pittsburgh, Stanford, SMU and North Carolina making multiple appearances. Key matchups include Stanford at Pittsburgh on Sunday, Sept. 27, SMU at Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Oct. 7, Stanford at Louisville on Sunday, Oct. 11, and several late-season contests that are expected to influence conference title races and NCAA seeding.
The SEC receives extensive coverage throughout the fall, highlighted by several ranked matchups. Featured contests include Texas at Kentucky on Sunday, Sept. 27, Kentucky at Florida on Sunday, Oct. 4, Florida at Texas on Sunday, Oct. 18, Texas A&M at Kentucky on Sunday, Oct. 25, and Texas A&M at Texas on Sunday, Nov. 1.
Big 12 contenders also take center stage on ESPN networks, including Baylor, Arizona State, Kansas and TCU. Clashes such as Colorado at Baylor on Sunday, Oct. 4, TCU at Arizona State on Oct. 11, Arizona State at Kansas on Sunday, Oct. 18 and Kansas at Baylor on Sunday, Oct. 25, make up 2026 Big 12 marquee matchups.
The Allstate SEC Volleyball Tournament returns to Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Ga., with every round carried across SEC Network and SEC Network+. The championship event begins with first-round action on Friday, Nov. 20 and culminates with the conference title match on Tuesday, Nov. 24.
The 2026 season will conclude with the 2026 NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament, entirely on ESPN. This season’s championship will take place at the San Antonio Alamodome, with semifinals taking place on Thursday, Dec. 17, and the National Championship Game on Sunday, Dec. 20.
2026 NCAA Division I Regular Season Volleyball Schedule – ESPN Networks
| Date | Time | Team vs. Team | Network |
| Fri, Aug 21 | 6 p.m. | AVCA First Serve: Louisville vs. Texas A&M | ESPN2 |
| 9 p.m. | AVCA First Serve: Kentucky vs. Wisconsin | ESPN | |
| Sun, Aug 23 | 1 p.m. | AVCA First Serve: Texas A&M vs. SMU | ESPN2 |
| 4 p.m. | AVCA First Serve: Pittsburgh vs. Kentucky | ESPN | |
| Fri, Aug 28 | 6:30 p.m. | Opening Spike Classic: Kansas at Pittsburgh | ESPN2 |
| 9 p.m. | Opening Spike Classic: Wisconsin vs. Stanford | ESPN2 | |
| Sun, Aug 30 | Noon | Opening Spike Classic: Wisconsin at Pittsburgh | ESPN |
| 2:30 p.m. | Opening Spike Classic: Kansas vs. Stanford | ESPN | |
| Tue, Sep 1 | 7 p.m. | SEC/Big 10 Challenge: Illinois at Tennessee | SECN |
| 9 p.m. | SEC/Big 10 Challenge: Oregon at Missouri | SECN | |
| Wed, Sep 2 | 7 p.m. | SEC/Big 10 Challenge: UCLA at Kentucky | ESPN2 |
| 9 p.m. | SEC/Big 10 Challenge: USC at. Texas | ESPN2 | |
| Fri, Sep 4 | 4 p.m. | TCU at. Louisville | ACCN |
| Sun, Sep 6 | Noon | Sprouts Farmers Market Block Party: Louisville vs. Texas | ABC |
| 3 p.m. | Sprouts Farmers Market Block Party: Indiana vs. Tennessee | ESPN2 | |
| Mon, Sep 7 | 4 p.m. | Penn State at DePaul | ESPNU |
| Tue, Sep 8 | 7 p.m. | ACC/SEC Challenge: Auburn at Florida State | ACCN |
| 9 p.m. | ACC/SEC Challenge: Oklahoma at Georgia Tech | ACCN | |
| Wed, Sep 9 | 6 p.m. | ACC/SEC Challenge: North Carolina at Kentucky | SECN |
| 6:30 p.m. | The Shriners Children’s Showdown at The Net: Pittsburgh vs. Tennessee | ESPN2 | |
| 7 p.m. | ACC/SEC Challenge: Missouri at Louisville | ACCN | |
| 8 p.m. | ACC/SEC Challenge: Miami at Florida | SECN | |
| 9 p.m. | The Shriners Children’s Showdown at The Net: Texas A&M vs. Stanford | ESPN2 | |
| 9 p.m. | ACC/SEC Challenge: Texas at SMU | ACCN | |
| Fri, Sep 11 | 8 p.m. | Wisconsin at Texas A&M | SECN |
| Sun, Sep 13 | 1 p.m. | Paradise Invitational: Loser vs. Loser | ESPN2 |
| 3 p.m. | Wisconsin at Texas | ESPN | |
| 5 p.m. | Paradise Invitational: Winner vs. Winner | ESPN | |
| 8 p.m. | UCLA at Utah | ESPN | |
| Fri, Sep 18 | 7 p.m. | Florida at Florida State | ACCN |
| 8 p.m. | Kansas State at Creighton | ESPN2 | |
| Sun, Sep 20 | 3 p.m. | Louisville at Kentucky | ABC |
| Wed, Sep 23 | 7 p.m. | South Carolina at Georgia | SECN |
| 7 p.m. | Miami at Florida State | ACCN | |
| 9 p.m. | Kentucky at Vanderbilt | SECN | |
| Fri, Sep 25 | 7 p.m. | Texas at Tennessee | SECN |
| 9 p.m. | Stanford at SMU | ACCN | |
| Sun, Sep 27 | 1 p.m. | Texas at Kentucky | ESPN |
| 2 p.m. | Cal at SMU | ACCN | |
| 3 p.m. | Ole Miss at Alabama | SECN | |
| 4 p.m. | North Carolina at Wake Forest | ACCN | |
| 8:30 p.m. | Stanford at Pittsburgh | ESPN | |
| Wed, Sep 30 | 7 p.m. | Vanderbilt at LSU | SECN |
| Fri, Oct 2 | 7 p.m. | Oklahoma at South Carolina | SECN |
| Sun, Oct 4 | 1 p.m. | Missouri at LSU | SECN |
| 1:30 p.m. | Georgia Tech at North Carolina | ACCN | |
| 3 p.m. | Colorado at Baylor | ESPN | |
| 5 p.m. | Iowa State at Arizona State | ESPN | |
| 8:30 p.m. | Kentucky at Florida | ESPN | |
| Wed, Oct 7 | 7 p.m. | Texas A&M at Oklahoma | SECN |
| 7 p.m. | SMU at Pittsburgh | ACCN | |
| Fri, Oct 9 | 7:30 p.m. | Stanford at Notre Dame | ACCN |
| 8 p.m. | Florida at Missouri | ESPNU | |
| Sun, Oct 11 | 1 p.m. | Stanford at Louisville | ESPN |
| 1 p.m. | Texas A&M at Arkansas | SECN | |
| 1 p.m. | North Carolina at Virginia | ACCN | |
| 3 p.m. | Pittsburgh at SMU | ESPN | |
| 3 p.m. | South Carolina at Mississippi State | SECN | |
| 5 p.m. | TCU at Arizona State | ESPN2 | |
| Wed, Oct 14 | 7 p.m. | Mississippi State at Missouri | SECN |
| 7 p.m. | Virginia Tech at Virginia | ACCN | |
| Fri, Oct 16 | 7 p.m. | Florida at Texas A&M | SECN |
| Sun, Oct 18 | Noon | Miami at Pittsburgh | ACCN |
| 1 p.m. | Arizona State at Kansas | ESPN | |
| 1 p.m. | South Carolina at Ole Miss | SECN | |
| 8:30 p.m. | Florida st Texas | ESPN | |
| Wed, Oct 21 | 7 p.m. | Kentucky at Tennessee | SECN |
| Thu, Oct 22 | 10:30 p.m. | Cal Poly at UCSB | ESPNU |
| Fri, Oct 23 | 7 p.m. | Texas A&M at Georgia | SECN |
| 9 p.m. | Ole Miss at Auburn | SECN | |
| Sun, Oct 25 | 1 p.m. | Kansas at Baylor | ESPN |
| 1 p.m. | Vanderbilt at Tennessee | SECN | |
| 1:30 p.m. | SMU at Georgia Tech | ACCN | |
| 3 p.m. | Texas A&M at Kentucky | ESPN | |
| 3:30 p.m. | Louisville at Miami | ACCN | |
| 8:30 p.m. | Stanford at North Carolina | ESPN | |
| Wed, Oct 28 | 7 p.m. | Georgia at Texas | SECN |
| Fri, Oct 30 | 5 p.m. | Princeton at Cornell | ESPNU |
| 7 p.m. | Oklahoma at Arkansas | SECN | |
| Sun, Nov 1 | Noon | Georgia Tech at Louisville | ACCN |
| 1 p.m. | Texas A&M at Texas | ESPN | |
| 2 p.m. | Boston College at North Carolina | ACCN | |
| 3 p.m. | Tennessee at Missouri | ESPN2 | |
| 3 p.m. | Oklahoma at Auburn | SECN | |
| 5 p.m. | Mississippi State at Alabama | SECN | |
| Wed, Nov 4 | 7 p.m. | Arkansas at LSU | SECN |
| Wed, Nov 11 | 7 p.m. | Notre Dame at Pittsburgh | ACCN |
| 9 p.m. | Auburn at Alabama | SECN | |
| Thu, Nov 12 | 8 p.m. | Louisville at SMU | ESPNU |
| 10 p.m. | San Diego at Pepperdine | ESPNU | |
| Sun, Nov 15 | 1 p.m. | Duke at North Carolina | ACCN |
| 8:30 p.m. | Louisville at Pittsburgh | ESPN | |
| Fri, Nov 20 | Noon | TBD vs. TBD (SEC Tournament 1st Round) | SECN |
| 2:30 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD (SEC Tournament 1st Round) | SECN | |
| 5 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD (SEC Tournament 1st Round) | SECN | |
| 7:30 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD (SEC Tournament 1st Round) | SECN | |
| Sat, Nov 21 | Noon | TBD vs. TBD (SEC Tournament 2nd Round) | SECN+ |
| 2:30 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD (SEC Tournament 2nd Round) | SECN+ | |
| 5 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD (SEC Tournament 2nd Round) | SECN+ | |
| 7:30 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD (SEC Tournament 2nd Round) | SECN+ | |
| Sun, Nov 22 | Noon | TBD vs. TBD (SEC Tournament Quarterfinal) | SECN |
| 1 p.m. | Wildcard vs. Wildcard | ACCN | |
| 2:30 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD (SEC Tournament Quarterfinal) | SECN | |
| 5 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD (SEC Tournament Quarterfinal) | SECN | |
| 7:30 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD (SEC Tournament Quarterfinal) | SECN | |
| Mon, Nov 23 | 6 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD (SEC Tournament Semifinal) | SECN |
| 8:30 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD (SEC Tournament Semifinal) | SECN | |
| Tue, Nov 24 | 7 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD (SEC Tournament Championship) | SECN |
| 7 p.m. | Wildcard vs. Wildcard | ACCN | |
| Wed, Nov 25 | 7 p.m. | Flex vs. Flex | ACCN |
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Media Contact: Grayson Shirey: Grayson.Shirey@espn.com