Just like that, it's time to talk about a new season.
The 2026 NCAA women's volleyball season will kick off at the Eight of the nation's premier teams will battle it out across six different matches inside the Fiserv Forum — home of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks — for a chance to set the tone for the regular season.
Check out the storylines, schedule and teams below.
2026 AVCA First Serve Schedule
Times, order of matches and broadcast information will be announced at a later date
- Friday, Aug. 21 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis.
- Wisconsin vs. Kentucky
- Texas A&M vs. Louisville
- Saturday, Aug. 22 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis.
- Wisconsin vs. Louisville
- Texas vs. Arizona State
- Sunday, Aug. 23 at the Firserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis.
- Pittsburgh vs. Kentucky
- Texas A&M vs. SMU
History of AVCA First Serve
The 2024 AVCA First Serve in Louisville marked the revival of a similar preseason event that the association sponsored from 1995-2011 and 2014. Due to new NCAA exemptions prior to the 2024 season, the AVCA was once again able to host four of the nation's top teams.
In 2025, the AVCA First Serve hosted eight matches between 10 teams across Lincoln, Nebraska. and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Four of the teams made it to at least the regional finals of the 2025 NCAA tournament while Texas A&M secured its first win of its national title season against Minnesota in the last match of the invitational.
📈 HOW IT WENT DOWN: 2025 women's volleyball undefeated tracker
Storylines to watch this year
While it's still VERY early out from 2026 women's volleyball season, there are a few things to keep an eye on with the schedule release.
For the first time in the new AVCA First Serve era, Nebraska will not be participating in the event where they have historically shined. In 2024, the Huskers earned a 3-1 victory over Kentucky before their 2025 appearance where they walked away with two wins against No. 3 Pittsburgh and No. 6 Stanford to start their 33-match win streak.
🎞️ RELIVE: Nebraska shines, Kansas impress at 2025 AVCA First Serve
Even without the Huskers, there will still be plenty of action as all eight featured teams finished in the top 12 of the final 2025 AVCA rankings, and on the first day of competition, we'll see some epic rematches from the 2025 NCAA tournament.
Wisconsin is set to face Kentucky in a rematch of the 2025 national semifinal thriller where the Cats edged Wisconsin 3-2 in dramatic fashion. On the same day, reigning national champion Texas A&M will square off against Louisville in another five-setter rematch from the 2025 regional semifinals.
PUNCHED OUR TICKET TO THE NATTY🗣️😼 x
— Kentucky Volleyball (@KentuckyVB)
In fact, all four of the 2025 national semifinalists from Kansas City will be in Milwaukee kicking off the new season. But they will each face new challenges.
🏆 TEXAS A&M MAKES HISTORY: Aggies secure their first national title in sweep over Kentucky
Texas A&M lost nine critical seniors last year to graduation after their historic title run, but have seemed to reload in the portal well while returning star outside Kyndal Stowers, who was named the NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
Kentucky graduated Eva Hudson, one of the lifelines of its 2025 national runner-up team, but picked up a huge portal addition in Notre Dame's Morgan Gaerte to hopefully create another dynamic outside duo with Brooklyn DeLeye. They'll boast a veteran team while returning the AVCA Freshman of the Year in Kassie O'Brien and libero Molly Tuozzo.
Pittsburgh lost some big names to the portal while graduating middle Bre Kelley. But the good news is Pitt still has Olivia Babcock for one more year while adding setter Izzy Starck to their arsenal, from Penn State.
📺 WATCH: Olivia Babcock's 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament highlights
Just an hour away from its home court, Wisconsin will make its 2026 debut without graduates Mimi Colyer or Carter Booth, but will lean on its veteran setter Charlie Fuerbringer.
With the elite 2025 senior class graduating, there will be some big shoes to fill and some questions left unanswered up until the first serve of the 2026 season. Until then, get yourself ready for another epic women's college volleyball season. The countdown begins today.
