MARQUETTE, Mich. – Head coach Mike Lozier and the Northern Michigan volleyball team have announced the program's schedule for the 2026 season. The upcoming campaign will feature the annual UP Open hosted by the Wildcats at Vandament Arena, a trip to California, and 18 GLIAC matches as Northern prepares for another competitive fall season.

The regular season officially opens with the UP Open Tournament in Marquette from Aug. 27-29. The Wildcats begin the event against Winona State and St. Cloud State on opening day before facing Minnesota Duluth on the 28th and Tiffin on the 29th.

The Wildcats then head west for the Cal State East Bay Tournament beginning Sept. 3. Northern will take on host Cal State East Bay the first day before matches against Colorado School of Mines and Westmont College on the 4th, followed by a matchup vs. San Francisco State on the 5th.

GLIAC play begins the following weekend with road contests at Purdue Northwest on Sept. 11 and Roosevelt on Sept. 12.

NMU opens its home conference slate on Sept. 18 against Davenport before welcoming Saginaw Valley State on Sept. 19. Rivalry action follows on Sept. 22 when Michigan Tech visits Vandament Arena. 

The Wildcats return to the road on Sept. 26 for a matchup against Grand Valley State before returning home to open October against Parkside on Oct. 2.

Northern then travels to Lake Superior State on Oct. 3, beginning the team's longest stretch away from home. The Wildcats continue the road swing with matches at Davenport on Oct. 9 and Wayne State on Oct. 10 before competing at the annual Midwest Crossover Tournament in Hammond, Indiana, on Oct. 16-17.

The final weeks of the regular season feature key home matchups against Ferris State on Oct. 23, Purdue Northwest on Oct. 24, Grand Valley State on Oct. 30, and Wayne State on Halloween night.

Northern closes the regular season with road matches at Michigan Tech on Nov. 3 and Parkside on Nov. 6.

The full schedule can be viewed here.