Women’s Volleyball, Baseball, Men’s Basketball, Men’s News for Volleyball

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BYU’s men’s and women’s volleyball teams have released their 2026-27 non-conference schedules, featuring matchups against several high-profile programs. The announcements, made by the BYU Athletics department on July 20, 2026, outline a slate designed to test the depth of the Cougars’ rosters ahead of conference play. The schedules include games against NCAA Tournament participants and programs with recent success in regional competitions.

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Non-Conference Opponents and Key Matchups
The women’s volleyball team will open its non-conference season with a home match against California on August 27, 2026, followed by a road game at Oregon State on August 30. The schedule includes a September 10 visit from Washington State and a September 17 home game against Utah. Notably, the Cougars will face a pair of 2025 NCAA Tournament qualifiers—Colorado on September 24 and Arizona State on October 1. The women’s schedule concludes with a November 11 game at Oregon.

The men’s team’s non-conference schedule features a similar emphasis on competitive opponents. Their season begins with a home match against Hawaii on August 26, 2026, and includes a September 3 road game at San Diego State. The men will face Nevada on September 11 and Utah on September 18. A key matchup against 2025 NCAA Tournament participant Stanford is scheduled for October 10 in Provo. The men’s non-conference play ends with a November 13 game at Washington.

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Roster Context and Season Goals
Both teams enter the 2026-27 season with updated rosters following the 2025 campaign. The women’s team, which finished 22-11 overall and 13-5 in the West Coast Conference, returns 10 letterwinners, including All-WCC selections Ainsley Smith and Maya Lopez. The men’s team, which posted a 19-14 record in 2025, brings back seven starters, including libero Jordan Carter and outside hitter Devin Ramirez.

Head coaches Katie Johnson (women’s) and Chris Whitmore (men’s) emphasized the importance of the non-conference schedule in preparing for WCC competition. “These games will allow us to evaluate our depth and refine our strategies against elite opponents,” Johnson said in a statement. Whitmore added, “The matchups we’ve secured are a direct reflection of our commitment to competing at the highest level.”

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Impact on Conference Play and Tournament Prospects
The non-conference schedules align with the teams’ goals of improving their postseason prospects. The women’s team finished third in the WCC in 2025, while the men’s team placed fourth. Both programs aim to secure higher seeds in the 2026 WCC Tournament, which could affect their NCAA Tournament chances.

The women’s schedule includes two games against 2025 WCC rivals—Utah and Washington State—while the men’s schedule features three games against 2025 WCC opponents: Nevada, Utah, and Washington. These matchups provide opportunities to gauge conference readiness.

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Ticket Information and Fan Engagement
BYU Athletics has released ticket details for the non-conference games. Single-game tickets for women’s volleyball go on sale August 1, 2026, with group discounts available for 10 or more tickets. Men’s volleyball tickets become available August 5, 2026, and include a “Family Fun Night” package for games on September 11 and October 10.

The university also announced plans for pre-game fan experiences, including meet-and-greets with players and interactive activities in the Marriott Center. “We want to create an environment where fans can connect with our teams and feel part of the journey,” said BYU Athletics Director of Communications Mark Reynolds.

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Comparison to Previous Seasons
The 2026-27 non-conference schedules reflect a strategic shift from the 2025-26 seasons. In 2025, the women’s team faced three non-conference opponents ranked in the top 25, while the men’s schedule included two top-25 teams. This year’s schedules maintain a similar level of competition but add games against programs with recent regional success, such as Arizona State and Stanford.

The 2026-27 schedules also differ in timing. The women’s non-conference season begins two days earlier than in 2025, while the men’s schedule starts one day later. These adjustments aim to balance travel logistics and player recovery.

Quoted textAccording to BYU Athletics, the non-conference schedules “were curated to challenge our student-athletes while providing opportunities to showcase our program to a broader audience.”
SourceBYU Athletics Department Statement, July 20, 2026