Sports

OU Softball

Published

7 months ago

May 23, 2025

What are Oklahoma players doing out there on the bases?

Is that a tribute to “Karate Kid” Daniel LaRusso’s match-clinching crane kick in the 1984 All-Valley Karate Championship?

Is it a new take on the classic yoga warrior pose?

Something from ballet?

Nope.

It’s a shoutout to OU’s national champion gymnastics squad: arms up in a victory pose, wrists bent, fingers flexed out.

Jordan Bowers or Faith Torrez or Audrey Davis would be proud.

Oklahoma slugger Ella Parker / OU Athletics

“At the beginning of the season, we love watching women’s sports in general, we love our gymnastics team,” said Sooners captain Nelly McEnroe-Marinas. “We would do that little thing for them. And then, I don’t know, just kind of make a joke out of it. Everything is funny, like to be loose, have fun, be free. We’ve been doing a lot of different celebrations, I would say.”

Patty Gasso’s players would flash the tribute any time some popped up at second base on a double, sometimes after a stolen base, once in a while on first after an important single.

“We love women’s sports and gymnastics is one of the top programs here,” said outfielder Abby Dayton. “We want to represent them well.”

Oklahoma first baseman Cydney Sanders / John E. Hoover / Sooners On SI

That one OU national champion team is being honored by another who’s chasing their fifth consecutive national title and ninth overall is telling about the support that Sooner teams give one another.

“It’s respect — absolute respect for each other,” Gasso said this week as the No. 2 overall seed Sooners host Alabama in a Super Regional at Love’s Field.

“The day after the women’s gymnastics team won, they came onto our field with their trophy,” Gasso said. “Hugged some of our players, sitting in the stands, fans were around them. We were rooting, rooting for women’s basketball.

Gasso and the Oklahoma softball program have done as much for their sport as Geno Auriemma and the Connecticut basketball program or the US Women’s National soccer team.

Oklahoma gymnast Faith Torrez / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Such growth in mainstream popularity has helped clear the way for other phenomena like the Caitlin Clark Experience that swept the nation the last two years and continues in the WNBA.

As these fun moments and historic achievements have laid a pathway for iconic events, women’s sports have gained a powerful seat at the table of American television consumption, and it seems much of that success is rooted in this kind of cross-sport support.

“It’s just respect for women’s sports here and the elite level that we’re all trying to play, all of us, not just the ones named,” Gasso said. “It’s hard to live in this world of elite sport and hard to maintain it. There is a different level of respect that we have knowing the grind that it takes.”

Oklahoma, Alabama Familiar With Dramatic Postseason Battles
How Oklahoma’s Youth Has Become Its Strength
Oklahoma Blasts Its Way to Super Regionals

As women’s sports continue to make signifiant strides internally — like the NCAA Tournament giving its women’s teams the same access to quality food, hotel and training facilities as the men’s teams, or the USWNT fighting for equal pay despite their team drawing bigger crowds and TV ratings than the men — the popularity of women’s sports continues to rise.

Those things can go hand in hand, Gasso hinted this week.

With Alabama coming to town, she looked back at the 2012 national championship series in Oklahoma City, when the start of the final game was delayed nearly three hours by inclement weather but was eventually started and played late into the night despite a driving rain that affected pitchers’ ability to get the ball over the plate.

Alabama beat OU for its first national title.

“I just remember asking, ‘What are we doing?’ “ Gasso said. “And (the answer) was, ‘ESPN won’t come back tomorrow, so we’ve got to play it now.’ ESPN’s saying, ‘We didn’t say that.’ So I’m not getting a real answer.”

Gasso said officials “played it the right way” and insisted she’s not still complaining about it. But she still says it should have been handled differently.

“For me personally, I was disappointed that, if we would have played the next day, it would have been the most-watched female softball game ever and may still hold that because it was such a battle of elite players, elite pitching on both sides,” she said. “It was a tremendous matchup and a tremendous opportunity to bring more fans into the game and to put us in a better position versus a ball slipping out of your hand when you’re trying to pitch it.

“Back then, maybe people didn’t think we deserved better. Now, that would never happen today. It would not.”

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Previewing Kentucky Volleyball vs. Wisconsin Badgers in the Final Four

Published

16 minutes ago

December 19, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Kentucky’s reward for torching its side of the bracket? A date with the program it’s never beaten.

Wisconsin comes into the Final Four at 28–4, fresh off a brutal run through Eastern Illinois, North Carolina, No. 2 Stanford, and No. 1 Texas. Meanwhile, Kentucky sits at 29–2 after sweeping Wofford, Cal Poly, and No. 3 Creighton and outlasting UCLA in four. This isn’t a Cinderella story on either side; this is blue-blood versus rising powerhouse.

On paper, it looks like strength-on-strength almost everywhere you look.

Why Kentucky–Wisconsin is a heavyweight clash of efficiency, blocking, and star power

Kentucky’s offense is built around a vicious one-two punch on the pins. Brooklyn DeLeye is averaging 4.69 kills per set on .289 hitting with 521 kills, while Eva Hudson is right behind her at 4.54 kills per set on .317. That’s 1,000+ kills of high-volume, high-efficiency scoring from the outside and opposite positions. The Cats are hitting .295 as a team with nearly 15 kills per set—elite numbers for this level.

Wisconsin counters with its own superstar in Mimi Colyer, who’s putting up 5.39 kills per set on .340 hitting with 566 total kills. She’s the kind of terminal scorer who can take over a set all by herself. Around her, Carter Booth and Alicia Andrew give the Badgers a massive, efficient middle presence, both are hitting .454 with more than two blocks per match, while Andrew sits at .371 with steady production at the net.

Both teams defend at an absurd level. Kentucky holds opponents to .180 hitting and just over 12 kills per set, with 2.47 blocks per set and 1,653 digs on the season. Wisconsin is just as nasty: opponents are hitting only .184 with 1.79 blocks per set against them and fewer than 12 kills per set.

Translation: this match is probably going to be won at the pins and in transition, not by easy side-outs.

Serving and first contact might be the swing factor. Kentucky has 137 aces and 225 errors on the year, while Wisconsin has 158 aces and 304 errors—both aggressive from the line but willing to live with some risk to knock the other out of the system. The question becomes: who handles that pressure better in serve receive? The Cats have just 79 reception errors across 111 sets; Wisconsin has 85 in 106. Both are tough to rattle, but Kentucky’s backcourt has been incredibly steady during this tournament run.

Setter play will be under the microscope, too. Kassie O’Brien is the engine for Kentucky, averaging 11.02 assists per set and helping spread the ball between DeLeye, Hudson, Lizzie Carr in the middle, and Asia Thigpen on the right. Wisconsin uses Charlie Fuerbringer as its primary distributor, and she’s been excellent at keeping middles engaged while still feeding Colyer in big spots.

From a narrative standpoint, it’s simple: Wisconsin has dominated the head-to-head, winning both prior meetings and dropping just one set total. Kentucky has never gotten over that hump. This time, the Wildcats come in as the higher seed and arguably the more balanced team, while Wisconsin carries the “we’ve been here” aura.

If Kentucky’s passers hold up and DeLeye/Hudson can win enough rallies against a big Badger block, the Cats finally have the firepower to flip the script. If Colyer goes nuclear and Booth controls the middle, Wisconsin’s size and experience could send Kentucky home again.

Either way, it has all the ingredients of a classic: superstar pins, elite setters, massive blocks, and a trip to the national title match hanging in the balance.

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From student-athlete to entrepreneur, Liberal Arts graduate charts next chapter

Published

46 minutes ago

December 19, 2025

Your Sports Nation

“Penn State is the No. 1 school for Division I Fencing. As a national-level athlete, being recruited to one of the best NCAA teams in the country felt like a dream come true,” Maniar said. “When I arrived as a new student, I realized that many of my teammates didn’t understand my capabilities or how I trained, and it often left me feeling isolated, misunderstood and behind. But it also forced me to confront discomfort head-on, dig deep into my resilience and prove to myself, not anyone else, what I was truly capable of.”

Maniar said her experiences in fencing changed her approach to challenges, teaching her to focus on what she can control and persist with strong, disciplined determination.

She brought the same drive to her studies, leading her to become a Schreyer Scholar. She’s maintained a high grade-point average, crediting it in large part to “the structure, rigor and support the program provided,” she said.

While her honors-level courses were challenging at first, Maniar said she can now see how her analytical skills, interpretations and confidence in handling difficult materials have grown due to her involvement in the program. She said she’s grateful for the professors who guided her intellectually, emotionally and professionally throughout her journey.

“I feel incredibly lucky to have had professors who genuinely cared about me as an individual,” Maniar said. “That’s what makes the College of the Liberal Arts so special, whether it’s a 15-person honors seminar or a 200-person lecture, my professors took the time to listen, guide and support me when I reached out to them.”

Those professors include Associate Teaching Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences John Minbiole, whose honors courses, CAS137H: Rhetoric and Civic Life I and CAS138T: Rhetoric and Civic Life II, left such an impact on Maniar, she said, that she became one of his teaching assistants.

“His teaching style was empathetic yet structured and helped me build confidence in public speaking,” Maniar said. “The safe and encouraging environment he created gave me the skills to speak in front of large audiences, something I know will help me immensely in my career.”

Assistant Professor of English and African Studies Samuel Kolawole and academic adviser Julianna Chaszar were two other influences on Maniar’s college experience, she added.

Kolawole and Maniar initially met at a book reading and later in writing classes. Maniar said Kolawole noticed her enthusiasm, encouraged her to write more and allowed her to gain real-world experience with publishers as a social media content manager for his book releases. In this role, she attended events with Kolawole, including one where he won the prestigious Whiting Award in New York, an experience she describes as unforgettable.

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Live updates as Aggies take 2-0 lead

Published

1 hour ago

December 19, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Texas A&M volleyball is going where no previous Aggies team has gone before.

The Aggies pulled two straight upsets against No. 2 seed Louisville and No. 1 overall seed Nebraska to reach their first Final Four in program history. But they are facing a Pittsburgh squad that has appeared in every national semifinals since 2021.

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Led by nine seniors, the Aggies have called themselves the “grittiest team” in the tournament, allowing them to come back and win matches against TCU and Louisville.

“We know how to get down and dirty, and grind when it when it matters most,” outside hitter Logan Lednicky said after the team erased a 1-0 deficit agains TCU.

RELATED: How beating Nebraska helps Aggies volleyball in Final Four

If A&M wins, they will face the winner of the other semifinal: Kentucky vs Wisconsin.

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Texas A&M players celebrate winning the NCAA Division I volleyball playoff game against TCU at Reed Arena on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025 in College Station, Texas.

Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman

Here are live updates of Texas A&M’s national semifinal against Pittsburgh:

Ifenna Cos-Okpalla and Logan Lednicky combine for the block on Nebraska's Harper Murray during the Elite Eight on Dec. 14, 2025 in Lincoln, Neb. — Ifenna Cos-Okpalla and Logan Lednicky combine for the block on Nebraska’s Harper Murray during the Elite Eight on Dec. 14, 2025 in Lincoln, Neb.

Texas A&M Athletics

2025 NCAA Tournament, Final Four

Panthers start on a 2-0 run after Pittsburgh makes a few changes on offense. Stowers swings hard cross court to put the Aggies on the board. Waak serves an error. Cos-Okpalla slams down a ball in the middle of the court in a one-on-one. Pitt delivers two free balls to A&M and Lednicky ties the match at three. Stowers serves an error, but Lednicky gets it back by going line. Pitt’s passing improved on Cos-Okpalla’s serve to break the tie. Perkins ties the match with a swing.

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Pitt sends a kill from the middle to the back row. Hellmuth tools the block and splits two defenders to send A&M into the redzone with an offspeed shot. Fitch serves an error. Hellmuth’s shot goes wide. Waak sneaks a throwdown in the wide open court. Bayless’ kill sneaks into the back corner to put the Panthers in the redzone. Lednicky’s kill does wide and the error ties the set at 21. Stowers’ kill retakes the lead. A tight set from Pitt leads to an attack error. Babcock is blocked to give A&M set point. Babcock goes wide for a kill but misses high hands.

A gritty point continues Pitt’s 6-0 run. The Panthers are serving out of system balls and the Aggies are having trouble adjusting. Cos-Okpalla stops the Panthers’ 8-0 run. Lednicky fins the back corner to close the gap. Lednicky’s kill is blocked but Pitt hit the antena and Stowers serves an ace to continue the Aggies’ scoring run. Pitt goes to Babcock to break the tie. Cos-Okpalla throws down to tie the set again. Lednicky powers it in front of the net for the Aggies to retake the lead. Perkins swings through the Panthers block, forcing Pitt to call a timeout.

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Kelley’s kill couldn’t be dug up and Pitt follows it up with a service error. A&M serves an error. A tight serve from Waak couldn’t connect with Cos-Okpalla’s arm and Waak is called for an error. Babcock goes cross court for the kill and tie. A&M is called for a net violation and the Aggies take the lead.

Lednicky serves a floater that drops over the night and Perkins roofs the Panthers. Hellmuth takes a corner kill. Pitt challenges a Panthers swing was touched but while there was no A&M touch, the call was ruled in. But Pitt serves an error making momentum short lived. Cos-Okpalla blocks gives A&M a four point lead. Pitt calls a timeout.

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Stowers is met with a Babcock block at the net. But the lead is short lived when it sails out of bounds. A dig from a Babcock kill sails out, but A&M challenges the ball was in because it tagged the line. The call will stand due to inconclusive video evidence and A&M loses the challenge. But Stowers gets the kill to tie the match. Babcock gives Pitt the lead but Lednicky ties it again. Babcock is leading the Panthers with 11 kills. Perkins hammers the ball into the middle to retake the lead.

Stowers ties the match for the 17th time. Thomas serves an ace for a fifth set point and Stowers hits high hands to take set one.

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Babcock adjusts and blocks Lednicky. But Waak sends the ball to Lednicky again who had a different blocker to get set point. Babcock forces a second set point. Lednicky’s shot takes a sharp angle to win the set but Pitt challenges if the ball was in and the call is reversed, forcing a 24-24 tie. Hellmuth tools the block for the third set point. Fitch’s serve forces Pitt out of system but Hellmuth’s power tip is blocked and ties the match at 25. Aggies go to Lednicky for the fourth set point but Hellmuth’s serve sails out. Babcock’s swing gives Pitt its first set point. A&M calls a timeout.

Stowers’ swing breaks the tie. Lednicky goes for the high hands on Babcock to catch the Pitt block off balance. Pitt calls another timeout and the Aggies are hitting .519 with Stowers leading the way with seven kills and zero errors.

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Stowers ties it at 18. Pitt takes the lead but A&M challenges that the Panthers were in the net and the call is reversed. Pitt ties it with a quick point. Cos-Okpalla swings to put A&M in the redzone and Stowers goes high for a kill that finds Panther hands. Waak serves an error to put Pitt in the redzone. A tight pass gives Kelley the kill and the tie for Pitt.

Pitt goes on a 3-0 to tie the match. Service from Mosher is coming in deep and hot, forcing the Aggies to play a little out of system. Bayless taps it over for the kill but A&M’s block is coming alive. Cos-Okpalla’s serve goes long to get Pitt within one. Babcock ties the match with a kill after a block touch is deflected. Hellmuth threads the needle of the Pitt block and Babcock goes line. Pitt takes the lead after getting a touch on a long kill. Hellmuth ties it at 17

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A&M wins a point after a rally full of Cos-Okpalla blocks. Pitt takes an early time out after A&M has its largest lead of the night. So far, three Aggies (Stowers, Cos-Okpalla and Lednicky) are hitting above .500.

A 2-0 Aggies run ends with two straight points from Bayless. A&M goes for tips early and Pitt uses them to set up easy kills. A swing from Stowers ties the match at three. Lednicky goes for the kill against Babcock and wins the one-on-one; Cos-Okpalla gets the point on a one-on-one in the middle. Lednicky is finding confidence going down the line early and a serve from the senior give the Aggies an ace. Pittsburgh delivers an early service error.

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Where:T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.

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Q-Collar to make NCAA volleyball appearance in Final Four Pitt-A&M match

Published

2 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Your Sports Nation

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Season Review: 2025 Michigan Volleyball

Published

2 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Captains: Maddi Cuchran, Allison Jacobs, Serena Nyambio

Record: 22-11, 11-9 Big Ten Conference (Ninth Place)

NCAA Tournament: Second Round

The University of Michigan volleyball team finished with its best record since 2018 in head coach Erin Virtue‘s third season at the helm of the Wolverines. Rounding out the season with 22 wins, this marked the 15th time in program history the team has won more than 20 games. U-M finished the season with an NCAA Tournament berth, the first time since 2021 and the first time under Virtue.

Team Highlights

• Michigan compiled a 22-11 overall record and an 11-9 Big Ten Conference mark to finish ninth in the league. The Wolverines were picked to finish 10th in the preseason poll and managed to take sets off five of the eight teams ahead of them, including two wins.

• Eleven of U-M’s 27 opponents earned NCAA Tournament berths, with nine coming from the Big Ten to match a conference record. The Wolverines finished 45th in the RPI, 57 places higher than 2024 and went 20-4 in quads 2-4.

• Michigan started the season 6-0 before dropping a five-set match to Virginia; then finished non-conference play with four consecutive wins to give the Wolverines a 10-1 non-conference record. U-M faced five ranked teams in the first eight games of conference play, but finished the Big Ten season 9-3 to earn an NCAA tournament berth for the first time since 2021.

• The Wolverines got a statement win, defeating then-No. 10-ranked Minnesota — which finished 14th in the RPI and 17th in the AVCA poll. After dropping the first set, U-M went on to dominate the next three sets winning 25-12, 25-14, 25-12 led by a 20-kill performance from Allison Jacobs. U-M finished the match hitting .383 and held Minnesota to a .093 hitting percentage with the help of nine blocks and 53 digs.

• Another highlight came via a five-set win against reigning national champion and No. 19-ranked Penn State. The Nittany Lions controlled the first set with the Wolverines always following close behind before eventually falling 25-21. After falling behind early 11-6 in the second set, U-M battled back to win 25-21. An overall close third set ended in a 28-26 Penn State victory. After a close fourth and fifth set, Michigan won the battle. Four Wolverines tallied double-digit kills, led by 18 each from Jacobs and Ella Demetrician, while Cymarah Gordon added 13 and Serena Nyambio recorded 10.

• Michigan earned its 21st NCAA Tournament appearance, and first since 2021, heading to the Pittsburgh regional where the Wolverines faced off against No.8-seeded Xavier in the first round. U-M won in straight sets (25-19, 25-15, 25-23) for its first NCAA Tournament win since 2019. The Maize and Blue was led by 19 kills from Jacobs and four aces from Maddi Cuchran. The Wolverines then faced off against No.1-seeded Pittsburgh, dropping the first two sets by just two points but fell in three sets.

• The Wolverines retained the state pride flag for the second year in a row. U-M and Michigan State split the series with each program sweeping at home, but U-M held the Spartans to one fewer point over the matches. In the Wolverine win, Cuchran recorded her 1,000th career dig.

• U-M swept Ohio State in both matches this season for the first time since 2019. In Columbus, Michigan hit .471 against the Buckeyes and held OSU to .067, including a -.036 hitting percentage in a 25-9 set-two win. Across the two matches, Jacobs totaled 27 kills and Demetrician added 24 kills, with both recording double-digit kills in both matches.

• Michigan hosted a record 12 games at Crisler Center during the 2025 season. They went 9-3 in those matches, with notable wins over Minnesota, Penn State, and rivals Ohio State and Michigan State, while hosting a record 12,707 fans in a match against Nebraska.

• The Nebraska match marked the first time in program history that Michigan sold out Crisler, and it was just the fourth women’s sports event sell out Crisler. The Wolverines had the highest average attendance in program history, with a 50 percent increase in average attendance compared to 2024. U-M finished the season ranking 17th in the NCAA in total attendance and was 21st in average attendance.

Individual Highlights

• Earning All-Big Ten first-team status and being one of nine unanimous selections, Jacobs had a phenomenal final collegiate season. She tallied 473 kills in 33 matches, including a career-high 26 kills in a double-double performance against Iowa, one of seven double-double matches this season. Jacobs set a new career high in aces with 34, tied for the team lead, and totaled 227 digs (third) and was fifth on the team with 63 total blocks. She finished the season with the 10th-most kills in a single season in program history.

• Making the All-Big Ten second team, Nyambio had a strong senior season. Nyambio became the first U-M player since 2003 with 100 blocks or more in a Big Ten season, recording 104, to tie the program record. She finished the season ranking fourth in the Big Ten and 27th in the nation with a .394 hitting percentage over 449 total attempts, recording 220 kills. Nyambio also led the team with 151 total blocks, good for third in the Big Ten and 22nd in the nation. She finished her career seventh in total blocks, seventh in block assists and 12th in solo blocks.

• Sophomore Jenna Hanes led the Wolverines with a .450 hitting percentage with 185 kills and 23 errors over 360 total attempts. Hanes had the highest hitting percentage in program history since the rally-scoring era began in 2001, with a minimum of 300 attacks. She never had more than two errors in a match and was errorless in 15 matches. Hanes also contributed defensively with 118 total blocks, good for second on the team and 14th in the Big Ten this season.

• Junior Morgan Burke led the Wolverines as their starting setter, playing in all 121 sets and starting all 33 matches, totaling 791 assists this season. Burke recorded 20 assists or more in 20 matches this season, including a career-high 56 against Rutgers. She sits eighth all-time in career assists at Michigan with 2,447. Burke was also second on the team in digs with 241 and tied for the team lead with 34 aces.

• Cuchran led the team with 408 digs, finishing her career with 1,083 — the 13th-best total in program history. She tallied double-digit digs in 24 matches this season, including her first two career double-doubles in back-to-back matches, recording 10 assists against Washington and Oregon. Cuchran added a career-high 27 aces, including four in the NCAA Tournament win over Xavier, to become just the fourth Wolverine with four aces or more in an NCAA Tournament match.

• Demetrician was second on the team in kills with 284 on 700 total attempts, for a .214 hitting percentage. She registered seven double-doubles, including an 18-kill, 11-dig performance against Penn State. Demetrician had 190 total digs this season, good for fourth on the team, and added 20 aces and 41 blocks.

• Lydia Johnson finished the season with a career-best 183 kills and 52 errors on 440 total attempts to give her a .298 hitting percentage. Johnson was also third on the team in total blocks (65). Her strongest match of the season came in the upset win over Minnesota with 14 kills on 22 swings along with three block assists.

• After an injury in last year’s preseason, Gordon contributed in her redshirt freshman season. She had 129 kills on the season and added 56 total blocks, with her season high in kills (13) coming against No. 19 Penn State. Gordon started the final 14 matches, during which U-M went 10-4.

Honors and Awards

Morgan
Burke

Maddi
Cuchran

Ella
Demetrician

Jenna
Hanes

Allison
Jacobs

Serena
Nyambio

American Volleyball Coaches Association

All-America (Honorable Mention): Allison Jacobs

All-North Region (First Team): Allison Jacobs, Serena Nyambio

Big Ten Conference

All-Big Ten (First Team): Allison Jacobs

All-Big Ten (Second Team): Serena Nyambio

Sportsmanship Award: Sydney Schnichels

College Sport Communicators

Academic All-America (Third Team): Allison Jacobs

Academic All-Region: Morgan Burke, Allison Jacobs, Lydia Johnson, Serena Nyambio

Academic All-Big Ten

Morgan Burke, Jr., Movement Science

Maddi Cuchran, Gr., Management

Ella Demetrician, So., LSA undeclared

Camille Edwards, R-Fr., Sport Management

Carly Greskovics, Jr., Sport Management

Jenna Hanes, So., Business Administration

Allison Jacobs, Gr., Management

Lydia Johnson, Jr., Movement Science

Trixie McMillin, So., Engineering

Serena Nyambio, Sr., Biology, Health, & Society

Amalia Simmons, Sr., Biopsychology, Cognition, & Neuroscience

Ellie White, So., LSA undeclared

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USC Men’s Volleyball Announces 2026 Schedule

Published

3 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

LOS ANGELES – USC men’s volleyball has revealed its 2026 competition schedule and will play 16 home matches in the spring.

NONCONFERENCE
The Trojans open 2026 as host to St. Thomas Aquinas College (Jan. 10) and will face the Spartans at Galen Center for a 5 p.m. PT Saturday-night bout. The next week, USC goes to Costa Mesa for its first road test and takes on Vanguard at the Freed Center for Leadership on Jan. 15. The Trojans’ next five matches will be played at Galen Center starting with Princeton (Jan. 16) followed by Fort Valley State (Jan. 24), Ohio State (Jan. 30), Cal State Northridge (Feb. 4), and UC Santa Barbara (Feb. 7).

USC plays a home-and-home with UC Irvine ahead of Valentine’s weekend and visits the Anteaters for a mid-week match on Feb. 11 at 6 p.m. PT at Bren Events Center. UCI then comes to Galen Center for a Friday-night rematch on Feb. 13 set at 7 p.m.

To conclude the month of February, USC will take part in a four-team tournament hosted at the Honda Center Feb. 19-20. The Anaheim arena will serve as the volleyball venue for the 2028 Olympic Games and the tournament—which will also feature UCLA from the MPSF and Big West foes Hawai’i and Long Beach State—will award an NIL prize to the winner.

USC’s final nonconference regular-season match will be against Penn State. The Trojans host the Nittany Lions for a mid-conference one-off on March 14 at Galen Center.

MPSF CONFERENCE
USC—which was picked to finish second in a preseason poll of the league’s head coaches—opens MPSF play with crosstown rival UCLA and will meet the Bruins on March 4 for a 7 p.m. match at Galen Center. The teams then play a second time on March 6 at Pauley Pavilion. Each home team won in last spring’s meetings. The Trojans then head to Concordia to face the Eagles on March 12 in Irvine, Calif. USC plays CUI just once in an unbalanced conference schedule.

The Trojans then play their next six MPSF matches at home and host conference newcomer Jessup in back-to-back matches at USC’s North Gym (March 20-21). Menlo will visit Galen Center for matches on March 27 and 28. While the Oaks joined the MPSF for the 2025 season, USC did not face Menlo last spring. Stanford then comes to Galen Center for the Trojans’ first two matches of the month of April. The teams will meet in Friday-Saturday matches (April 3-4) set for 7 p.m. and 5 p.m. respectively.

In its first and only out-of-state regular-season competition, the Trojans head to Provo, Utah, to take on BYU (April 10-11) at the Smith Fieldhouse. USC then closes the regular season with 2025 MPSF champion Pepperdine. The Trojans host the Waves on April 16 for Senior Night and then visit Pepperdine for the rematch on April 18 at Firestone Fieldhouse.

MPSF TOURNAMENT
BYU and the Smith Fieldhouse will serve as host of the 2026 MPSF Tournament set for April 22-25 in Provo, Utah. Quarterfinal matches will be played on Wednesday (April 22) followed by two semifinal matches on Thursday (April 23). The MPSF championship match is set for Saturday evening, April 25. The winner receives the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA Championship set to be played May 9-11 at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion.

In 2025, the Trojans went 21-7, finished second in the MPSF (8-4), and were awarded the second seed into the conference tournament. There, USC finished as runner-up to Pepperdine, which hosted the championship in Malibu, Calif. USC opened the year with a nine-match win streak for its best start to a season since 1991 (28-0) and won 10 matches in a row (Feb. 26-April 3) for the program’s longest win streak since 2012 (18 in a row). It was head coach Jeff Nygaard‘s second 20-win season (20th in program history). USC led the MPSF for many weeks in all statistical categories but aces and finished the season as the NCAA leader in blocks (2.86 bps) with 16 matches in double-digits. The Trojans set a new school record for hitting percentage in a match (.691 vs. Dominican, Feb. 8) and hit better than .300 in 19 matches (plus-.400 in 10 contests). Dillon Klein was named to the AVCA All-America first team and was a first-team All-MPSF choice.

For more information on the USC men’s volleyball team and to purchase tickets, please visit USCTrojans.com/MVB. Fans of the Trojans can follow @USCmensvolley on Instagram, X, and Facebook.

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