SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — All eight Summit League volleyball programs open the 2026 campaign with nonconference tournament action this weekend, with the league's teams traveling to six states for 21 matches from Friday through Sunday.
Preseason favorite South Dakota State heads to Malibu, California, for the ASICS Classic, opening Friday against Sacramento State before facing host Pepperdine on Saturday and Villanova on Sunday.
South Dakota begins its season in Des Moines, Iowa, at the Drake Tournament. The Coyotes face host Drake on Friday, Milwaukee on Saturday and DePaul on Sunday.
St. Thomas, the defending Summit League Tournament champion, opens the season at the Wyoming Tournament in Laramie, Wyoming. The Tommies face Texas Tech on Saturday before taking on host Wyoming on Sunday.
North Dakota State starts the season in New Orleans at the Green Wave Classic, facing host Tulane on Friday before meeting Tennessee Tech on Saturday.
Omaha travels to Pullman, Washington, for the Washington State Tournament. The Mavericks open against Washington State on Friday before facing Central Michigan on Saturday.
North Dakota heads west to Seattle, Washington, for the Redhawk Invitational. The Fighting Hawks meet Eastern Washington on Friday, Seattle University on Saturday and Chicago State on Sunday.
Kansas City begins the 2026 campaign in Clarksville, Tennessee, at the Stacheville Challenge. The Roos face Jackson State and UT Martin on Friday before taking on host Austin Peay on Saturday.
Oral Roberts rounds out the opening weekend in Thibodaux, Louisiana, at the Colonel Classic. The Golden Eagles face Nicholls State and Stonehill on Friday before meeting New Orleans on Saturday.
This Week In The Summit League (All Times Local To Site)
Friday, Aug. 28 | TV/Stream
Kansas City vs. Jackson State (Clarksville TN.) | No Stream | 10 a.m.CT
Oral Roberts vs. Nicholls (Thibodaux, LA.) | ESPN+ | 2 p.m. CT
South Dakota State vs. Sacremento State (Malibu, Calif.) | No Stream | 3 p.m. PT
North Dakota vs. Eastern Washington (Seattle, Wash.) | ESPN+ | 3 p.m. PT
Kansas City vs. UT Martin (Clarksville, TN.) | No Stream | 4 p.m. CT
Oral Roberts vs Stonehill (Thibodaux, LA.) | ESPN+ | 5 p.m. CT
South Dakota vs. Drake (Des Moines, Iowa) | ESPN+ | 6 p.m. CT
North Dakota State at Tulane (New Orleans, LA.) | ESPN+ | 6:30 p.m. CT
Omaha vs Washington State (Pullman, WA)| PAC12N | 6 p.m. PT
Saturday, Aug. 29 | TV/Stream
St. Thomas vs. Texas Tech (Laramie, Wyo.) | MWN+ | 1 p.m. MT
Kansas City vs. Austin Peay (Clarksville, TN.) | ESPN+ | 1:30 p.m. CT
North Dakota State vs. Tennessee Tech (New Orleans, La.) | No Stream | 2 p.m. CT
Omaha vs. Central Michigan (Pullman, WA.) | No Stream | 2 p.m. PT
South Dakota vs. Milwaukee (Des Moines, Iowa) | No Stream | 3 p.m. CT
North Dakota vs Seattle (Seattle, Wash.) | ESPN+ | 4 p.m. PT
Oral Roberts vs. New Orleans (New Orleans, LA.)| ESPN+ | 4:30 p.m. CT
South Dakota State vs. Pepperdine (Malibu, Calif.) | ESPN+ | 5 p.m. PT
Sunday, Aug. 30 | TV/Stream
South Dakota State vs. Villanova (Malibu, Calif.) | No Stream | 10 a.m. PT
North Dakota vs Chicago St. (Seattle, Wash.) | ESPN+ | 10 a.m. PT
South Dakota vs. DePaul (Des Moines, Iowa) | No Stream | 11 a.m. CT
St. Thomas vs Wyoming (Laramie, Wyo.)| MWN+ | 1:30 p.m. MT
Key: SLN (Summit League Network), ESPN+ (ESPN Plus), B1G+ (Big 10 network)
Around The League
• Three 2025 individual Summit League award winners return in 2026: South Dakota State’s Sylvie Zgonc (Player of the Year), St. Thomas’ Morgan Kealy (Setter of the Year) and St. Thomas’ Anya Schmidt (Freshman of the Year)
• Preseason favorite South Dakota State enters the season as the two-time defending Summit League regular-season champion after posting a perfect 16-0 league record in 2025. Sylvie Zgonc became just the fourth player in Summit League history to win Player of the Year in consecutive seasons and the first since North Dakota State’s Chrissy Knuth accomplished the feat in 2008-09. Zgonc led the league with 451 kills and 4.34 kills per set last season, while Rylee Martin led the conference in assists per set.The Jackrabbits ranked 3rd in the nation a season ago in blocks per set (3.04)
•The Jackrabbits added a unique two-sport talent in the offseason with the addition of Brooklyn Meyer, who will transition from the basketball court to volleyball for her final collegiate season. Meyer was a two-time WBCA Honorable Mention All-American, a three-time All-Summit League First Team selection and the 2025-26 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year in basketball. She will play middle blocker for the Jackrabbits.
•The Tommies are coming off the most successful season in program history at the Division I level, winning their first Summit League Tournament title and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time. St. Thomas went 21-10 overall and took No. 5 seed Iowa State to five sets in the NCAA Tournament.
•Anya Schmidt made quite an impression during her freshman campaign, setting a St. Thomas Division I-era record with 58 service aces. The total ranked 10th nationally and 18th all-time in Summit League history, while her 10-ace performance at Oral Roberts was the second-most in a single match in league history. Schmidt also led the Summit League and ranked 19th nationally with 0.50 aces per set.
•The Coyotes have recorded at least 10 Summit League victories in every season since 2016, a streak that has now reached 10 consecutive seasons. USD went 12-4 in league play last season and earned the No. 2 seed at the Summit League Championship.
• Senior setter Avery Van Hook enters the 2026 season as the Summit League’s active career leader in assists with 3,272. She also ranks first among active league players in assists per set at 9.77.
•North Dakota State advanced to the Summit League Tournament semifinals last season after defeating Denver in the quarterfinals. NDSU enters 2026 with three players ranked among the league’s active career leaders in multiple statistical categories, including Arianna Blohm, who has recorded 308 career blocks, Lauren Jansen, who has recorded 85 service aces, and Rya Borer, whose 3.89 career digs per set ranks first among active Summit League players.
•North Dakota State will play its first 10 matches of the 2026 season on the road, beginning with the Tulane Tournament in New Orleans. The Bison’s first home match comes Sept. 18 against Western Illinois.
• Omaha brings back Summit League all-freshman team honoree Faith Venable. She finished last season ranked 25th in the nation in aces per set (0.47).
• The Mavs 2025 match against South Florida featured 51 tie scores and 23 lead changes, including 20 ties and 10 lead changes in the fourth set alone. The fourth frame ended 38-36, making it the second-highest-scoring set in Division I volleyball during the 2025 season.
• The Fighting Hawks’ return nine players from a season ago while bringing in 10 new comers as well as new coach David Nguyen. Nguyen guided Fairleigh Dickinson to its first NCAA Tournament appearance and its first NEC Tournament championship during his four seasons at the helm. Nguyen also led FDU to 71 wins after the program had totaled just 26 victories during the five seasons before his arrival.
• Kansas City returns its 2025 kills leader Ryanne Wattree, who put down 209 kills and averaged 2.07 kills per set. Sophomores Mia Weaver and Emry Brown are also back after ranking third and fifth on the team with 135 and 118 kills, respectively, during their freshman campaigns.
• Head coach Christi Posey enters her 16th season leading the Roos. During her tenure, Kansas City has produced 10 winning seasons, including a 22-9 campaign in 2023 when the Roos shared the Summit League regular-season title and earned a berth in the NIVC.
• Oral Roberts’ returns three players from a season ago while bringing in thirteen new comers. All-League Second Teamer Cortnee Smith ranked seventh in the league a season ago with 3.03 kills per set.
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