KOKOMO, Ind. - The Indiana University Kokomo volleyball program has officially released its 2026 regular season schedule, as the Cougars are coming off a 2025 campaign that saw them earn a third consecutive top-16 finish at the NAIA Volleyball Championship Final Site.
Head coach Heather Hayes's squad is set to play 13 regular season matches inside the Student Activities & Events Center on the campus of IUK in 2026, including seven River States Conference contests. Homecoming week will feature a conference showdown against IU Southeast on October 2nd, while Senior Day is slated for November 7th against Brescia (Ky.).
Following the season-opening Onset Invitational in Fort Wayne on August 21st and 22nd, the Cougars will return home the following weekend to host the 2026 IU Kokomo Volleyball Invitational inside the SAEC, where they will face four opponents that finished inside the NAIA Top 25 in the final 2025 coaches poll. IU Kokomo will then head back to Fort Wayne for Indiana Tech's Liz Lykowski Memorial Tournament before opening River States Conference play at home against WVU Tech on September 11th.
The 2026 schedule features one of the toughest non-conference slates in the nation, with five opponents entering the year ranked inside the NAIA Top 25, including No. 9 University of the Cumberlands (Ky.), No. 10 Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio), No. 11 Missouri Baptist, No. 16 The Master's University, No. 17 Aquinas (Mich.), and No. 23 Cornerstone (Mich.). Additional opponents receiving votes in the postseason poll include Grand View and Lindsey Wilson (Ky.).
The River States Conference Championship is set to begin in November, with the NAIA National Championship Opening Round following at campus sites across the country. Pool Play at the final site in Sioux City, Iowa, is scheduled to begin in early December.
In order to see the full 2026 season schedule, click HERE.
MATCHES BY STATE BREAKDOWN
- Indiana - 26
- Kentucky - 3
- Illinois - 1
For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
