Illinois Volleyball Announces 2026 Regular-Season Schedule
May 28, 2026 | Volleyball
NEWS
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois volleyball released its 2026 regular-season schedule on Thursday. The Fighting Illini will play 17 Big Ten matches and 13 total contests at Huff Hall during their 2026 slate.
The Orange and Blue open the regular season with a three-team invite at Huff Hall. Illinois will take on Cincinnati in the opening match on Aug. 28 before facing Syracuse on Sunday, Aug. 30. The Bearcats and the Orange will square off in a neutral-site clash on Aug. 29.
After traveling to Tennessee on Sept. 1 as part of the previously announced Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge, the Illini will head south for the Rice Invitational in Houston, Texas. Illinois will first take on McNeese State on Sept. 5 before facing the host Owls, the alma mater of Illini associate head coach Meredith Schamun, on Sept. 6.
Illinois will then welcome Lindenwood to Huff Hall on Sept. 9 before playing a home-and-home weekend with Marquette. The Illini will face the Golden Eagles in Milwaukee on Sept. 11 before the sides square off in Champaign two days later on Sept. 13.
A midweek road test at Eastern Illinois is up next on Sept. 16 before the Illini wrap up nonconference play away from home in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Illinois will first take on the Razorbacks in a neutral-site showdown on Sept. 19 before playing host Arkansas State on Sept. 20.
The Illini begin their Big Ten schedule with home matches against Minnesota on Sept. 24 and USC on Sept. 26 to conclude their September slate.
Next up is a road swing in the Pacific Northwest at Washington (Oct. 2) and Oregon (Oct. 4) before the Illini return to Champaign to host Wisconsin on Oct. 8. Following a quick trip to Purdue on Oct. 11, Illinois hosts Michigan State on Oct. 15 and Michigan on Oct. 18.
Another venture to the East Coast awaits as the Orange and Blue face Maryland (Oct. 23) and Rutgers (Oct. 24) next. A three-match homestand follows, which features conference clashes against Northwestern (Oct. 29), Ohio State (Nov. 1), and UCLA (Nov. 5).
Three of the Illini's final four matches of the regular season are set to be played away from home. Road tests at Indiana on Nov. 8 and Nebraska on Nov. 12 precede the Illini's final home contest on Nov. 14 against Penn State. Illinois closes the regular season at Iowa on Nov. 17.
The inaugural 15-team Big Ten Volleyball Tournament is slated for Nov. 20-25 at Fishers Event Center in Fishers, Indiana.
Match times will be announced at a later date. Illinois volleyball enters its 10th season under head coach Chris Tamas in 2026.
| Date | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, Aug. 28 | Cincinnati | Huff Hall |
| Sunday, Aug. 30 | Syracuse | Huff Hall |
| Tuesday, Sept. 1 | at Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. |
| Saturday, Sept. 5 | vs. McNeese State | Houston, Texas |
| Sunday, Sept. 6 | at Rice | Houston, Texas |
| Wednesday, Sept. 9 | Lindenwood | Huff Hall |
| Friday, Sept. 11 | at Marquette | Milwaukee, Wis. |
| Sunday, Sept. 13 | Marquette | Huff Hall |
| Wednesday, Sept. 16 | at Eastern Illinois | Charleston, Ill. |
| Saturday, Sept. 19 | vs. Arkansas | Jonesboro, Ark. |
| Sunday, Sept. 20 | at Arkansas State | Jonesboro, Ark. |
| Thursday, Sept. 24 | Minnesota* | Huff Hall |
| Saturday, Sept. 26 | USC* | Huff Hall |
| Friday, Oct. 2 | at Washington* | Seattle, Wash. |
| Sunday, Oct. 4 | at Oregon* | Eugene, Ore. |
| Thursday, Oct. 8 | Wisconsin* | Huff Hall |
| Sunday, Oct. 11 | at Purdue* | West Lafayette, Ind. |
| Thursday, Oct. 15 | Michigan State* | Huff Hall |
| Sunday, Oct. 18 | Michigan* | Huff Hall |
| Friday, Oct. 23 | at Maryland* | College Park, Md. |
| Saturday, Oct. 24 | at Rutgers* | Piscataway, N.J. |
| Thursday, Oct. 29 | Northwestern* | Huff Hall |
| Sunday, Nov. 1 | Ohio State* | Huff Hall |
| Thursday, Nov. 5 | UCLA* | Huff Hall |
| Sunday, Nov. 8 | at Indiana* | Bloomington, Ind. |
| Thursday, Nov. 12 | at Nebraska* | Lincoln, Neb. |
| Saturday, Nov. 14 | Penn State* | Huff Hall |
| Tuesday, Nov. 17 | at Iowa* | Coralville, Iowa |
| Fri-Wed., Nov. 20-25 | Big Ten Tournament | Fishers, Ind. |
* denotes Big Ten matches
BOLD denotes home matches
