USF opens its inaugural season Feb. 20 at Tulane;
Will host two home events on Clearwater Beach.

TAMPA, FLA., JAN. 9, 2026 – University of South Florida Beach Volleyball Head Coach Pri Piantadosi-Lima has announced the program’s competition schedule for its inaugural 2026 season, marking a historic milestone as the newest varsity sport within USF Athletics.

The Bulls, which open their debut campaign February 20–21 at Tulane and will face a challenging slate that features seven teams that were ranked in the final 2025 AVCA Collegiate Beach Volleyball Poll, including No. 8 Florida State (two meetings), No. 11 LSU, No. 15 FAU, No. 17 Georgia State, No. 18 FGCU and No. 20 Washington.

South Florida will host a pair of two-day tournaments on Clearwater Beach during its inaugural season. The Bulls will welcome teams for the Stampede Beach Opener March 27–28 and The Gulf Front Invitational April 17–18. Home events will feature five or six teams with several matches each day, highlighted by marquee matches generally in the 1:30-3:30 p.m. window each day.

Admission to all South Florida home beach volleyball events is free.

“This schedule represents years of building, planning, and believing in what USF Beach Volleyball will become,” Piantadosi-Lima said. “We are ready to compete and officially represent the University of South Florida on the sand. Our players have been building toward this moment, and beginning our first NCAA season is something we take great pride in.”

USF will compete in beach volleyball as a member of Conference USA. FAU is the defending conference champion after winning the 2025 CUSA Beach Volleyball Tournament. The 10-team league also includes FIU, Jacksonville State, Missouri State, Sam Houston, Tarleton State, Tulane, UAB and UTEP.

Following the season opener at Tulane, the Bulls travel to Florida State February 27–28 to face a Seminoles program that reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament last year.

South Florida returns to the Tampa Bay area March 6–7 for matches at the University of Tampa, marking the Bulls’ first local competition before their home debut later in the month.

The Bulls continue play at Coastal Carolina March 13–14 before hosting their first-ever home event, the Stampede Beach Opener, March 27–28 on the sands of Clearwater Beach. The two-day showcase will feature teams from Sacramento State, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, UAB and UTEP and will introduce South Florida Beach Volleyball to the Tampa Bay community.

“Playing our first match at Tulane will be a moment this program remembers forever, but bringing this sport home to Clearwater Beach is something truly special,” Piantadosi-Lima said. “It’s one of the most beautiful beaches in the country, and also a well-known beach volleyball Mecca where Olympians have come to compete here. We can’t wait for our fans to experience our team up close for the first time.”

USF resumes competition at Georgia State April 3–4 before making the longest road trip of the season to Boise, Idaho, for matches at Boise State April 10–11. The Bulls will close the regular season at home, hosting The Gulf Front Invitational April 17–18 on Clearwater Beach. For that event, the Bulls will host teams from Florida State, FGCU, LSU and Mercer – FSU, FGCU and LSU all were ranked in the top 20 last year.

“We’re building a team, a culture, a standard, and a fan base,” Piantadosi-Lima said. “Every match we play, home or away, is a chance to establish who we are and who we want to become. We’re ready to begin this journey, and we can’t wait for Bulls Nation to join us.”

Postseason play begins with the Conference USA Championship, scheduled for April 23–25 at Sugar Beach in Youngsville, La. The NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship will be held May 1–3 at Gulf Place Beach in Gulf Shores, Ala.

2025 USF Beach Volleyball Inaugural Season Schedule

• February 20–21: at Tulane – New Orleans, La.
• February 27–28: at Florida State – Tallahassee, Fla.
• March 6–7: at University of Tampa – Tampa, Fla.
• March 13–14: at Coastal Carolina – Conway, S.C.
• March 27–28: Stampede Beach Opener – Clearwater Beach, Fla.
• April 3–4: at Georgia State – Statesboro, Ga.
• April 10–11: at Boise State – Boise, Idaho
• April 17–18: The Gulf Front Invitational – Clearwater Beach, Fla.
• April 23–25: Conference USA Championship – Youngsville, La.
• May 1–3: NCAA Championship – Gulf Shores, Ala.

About USF Beach Volleyball
The University of South Florida Beach Volleyball program is the newest program in the now 21-team USF Athletics program. South Florida Beach Volleyball joined Conference USA on July 1, 2025. Pri Piantadosi-Lima was named South Florida’s first-ever beach volleyball head coach on June 6, 2023. She also serves as the head coach of USAV Beach and the national team development program and was honored as the 2022 USA Volleyball Female Junior Coach of the Year. Before joining South Florida, Piantadosi-Lima helped launch the Eckerd College program in 2015 as an assistant coach and helped lead the program to its first AVCA national championship and two consecutive NCAA championship podium finishes.

X, Instagram, and Facebook for all the latest information concerning the USF Beach Volleyball program.

– #GoBulls –

TULSA, Okla.  — Registration for Tulsa Parks’ spring volleyball is now open.

Tulsa Parks said registration is open for the Youth Volleyball: Skills and Play league for grades 2nd through 5th and Volley Tots, a beginner volleyball program for grades Kindergarten through 1st.

Volley Tots is designed to help kids build confidence, learn volleyball fundamentals and have fun in a positive, team-focused environment.

Players will practice skills like serving, passing, setting and hitting through a mix of instruction, drills and game play, all led by supportive coaches.

Tulsa Parks shared the following details for each league:

Youth Volleyball

• Co-ed
• Meets once during the week on Saturday mornings
• Rotates between Tulsa Parks’ Recreation Center
• March 3 – April. 25
• $50 per resident

Volley Tots

• Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
• Reed Community Center
• 5-week introductory program

Spots are limited. You can register by clicking here.

HONOLULU, Hawaii – Loyola Chicago opened the 2026 season with a 3-0 setback at No. 2 Hawaiʻi on Thursday, Jan. 8. In front of 5,800 fans at the Stan Sheriff Center, the Rainbow Warriors claimed the match in straight sets (25-18, 25-19 and 25-15). 

Daniel Fabikovic led the Ramblers offensively with 11 kills on .333 hitting, while Ryan McElligott directed the offense with 26 assists. Loyola recorded nine total team blocks in the match, with Bryce Robbins and Aidan Klein contributing multiple stuffs at the net.

Coach Quote: Shane Davis

“Opening on the road against a team like Hawaiʻi is a great measuring stick for us. We showed flashes of what we’re capable of, especially early in sets but our consistency and execution have to greatly improve. We’ve got some new pieces, but we’ve got to learn to play better together and execute things at a high level. Lots of things to improve on as we prepare for tomorrow’s match.”

How It Happened

Set One | Loyola dropped the first set 25-18 despite a decent showing on the attacking end, putting together a .313 hitting clip with nine kills in the set loss. Kills from Fabikovic and Aleksandar Sosa helped keep the score tight through the midway point until Hawai’i closed the frame on a 9-2 stretch, powered by strong serving and efficient attacking. 

Set Two | The Rainbow Warriors jumped out to an early advantage in set two, capitalizing on a trio of service aces during a decisive run. Loyola responded with improved blocking, led by Robbins and Brad Bell, and kills from Fabikovic and Klein to trim the deficit to three late in the set, but Hawai’i maintained control and took the set 25-19. 

Set Three | Loyola showed fight early in the third, trading points and staying close through the first half. Hawai’i’s serving pressure was pivotal as the home team rattled off a late run to widen the gap and secure the final frame 25-15. The Rainbow Warriors finished the match hitting .211 in the final set, while the Ramblers were limited to a .000 attack percentage.

Inside the Box Score

• Robbins set a career high three block assists and one solo, and Klein also set a career high four block assists. 
• Sosa recorded nine kills in his Loyola debut and added two block assists and one dig.
• Rookie Ayden DesLauriers made his collegiate debut and made three serves for a perfect service percentage. 

Up Next

The Ramblers and Rainbow Warriors rematch tomorrow night, Friday, Jan. 9 at 11 p.m. CT. 

Hoboken, N.J. – The Stevens Institute of Technology men’s volleyball team has announced its schedule for the upcoming season on Friday.

The Ducks, who will be looking for their fifth straight Middle Atlantic Conference Championship, will face a challenging slate this season, culminating with postseason play in April.

The Ducks open the season at home on Friday, January 16, hosting a tri-match at Canavan Arena against St. Joseph’s University–Long Island and Drew University. Stevens will face St. Joseph’s-LI at 2:30 p.m., followed by Drew at 6:30 p.m., with Drew and St. Joseph’s-LI meeting in between.

Stevens begins its road schedule with a matchup at Baruch College on January 20, before traveling to New Paltz on January 28. The Ducks will compete in a multi-match weekend in Union, N.J., on January 30–31, facing Juniata, Lasell, and Kean.

February includes a mix of home and road action, highlighted by a home contest against Carthage College on February 5 and a road trip to Springfield, Mass., for matches against Springfield College and either Drew or Hobart. Stevens also welcomes NYU to Canavan Arena on February 10 before traveling to face Rutgers-Newark on February 17 and competing against Wentworth Institute of Technology and Wheaton College (Mass.) on February 21 in Boston.

MAC play begins on March 4 at Arcadia University. Stevens returns home on March 7 to host Hood College and New Paltz, followed by a conference matchup against Eastern University on March 11. The Ducks continue league play on the road at Misericordia University and Widener University before returning to Hoboken to host Messiah University on March 21.

The regular season concludes with home matches against Southern Virginia University on March 26 and Stevenson University on March 28, before road contests at King’s College (Pa.) on April 1 and a tri-match at Vassar College on April 4 against Vassar and Elizabethtown.

The MAC Tournament begins with the quarterfinals on April 7, followed by the semifinals on April 9 and the MAC Championship on April 11. 

 

ESPN and League One Volleyball (LOVB), the largest brand in youth volleyball, have announced their distribution schedule for LOVB’s 2026 women’s volleyball season. ESPN will present 28 matches across ESPN platforms beginning Sunday, Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET with LOVB Atlanta vs. LOVB Austin on ESPN2, building on a historic year for women’s volleyball across ESPN platforms in which the 2025 NCAA Tournament and regular season delivered record viewership and year-over-year growth.

The ESPN season opener from H-E-B Center at Cedar Park in Austin, Texas, features last year’s No. 1 regular-season team, LOVB Atlanta, as it seeks revenge in its first match since falling to eventual champions LOVB Austin in last season’s semifinals. Atlanta, led by hometown hero Tia Jamerson, faces Madisen Skinner and a LOVB Austin squad featuring eight former Longhorns.

The opening weekend also features LOVB Nebraska hosting LOVB Houston at 4 p.m. on ESPN+, spotlighting hometown favorite Lexi Rodriguez as she steps into a featured role for Nebraska with two-time Olympic medalist Jessica Wong-Orantes taking the season off. Nebraska faces a Houston squad led by Madi Kingdon Rishel, known for its high-energy style and strong social presence across platforms.

Kevin Barnett and Salina Rockwell will call LOVB Atlanta vs. LOVB Austin and Rich Burk and Kevin Wong will provide commentary for LOVB Houston vs. LOVB Nebraska.

All of ESPN. All in One Place.
ESPN offers its full suite of networks and services directly to fans on the ESPN App, providing more choice, flexibility and access to all of ESPN, including more than 47,000 live events per year, on-demand replays, industry-leading studio shows and original programming, and more. The ESPN App gives fans a unique viewing experience that includes multiview and synchronized two-screen viewing options, swipe-able vertical video and a personalized SportsCenter For You, as well as integrated game stats, ESPN Fantasy sports, betting odds and information from DraftKings, sports merchandise, and more. These features are available to all fans who watch on the ESPN App on mobile and connected TV devices, whether they subscribe directly or through a pay TV package. Bundling options available for fans include a limited time offer for the ESPN DTC Unlimited plan with Disney+ and Hulu for $29.99/month for the first 12 months. For more visit stream.espn.com. 

2026 League One Volleyball (LOVB) on ESPN Platforms:

-30-

Media Contact:
[email protected]
[email protected]

The high school girls volleyball season on the SouthCoast was a strong one. Of the area’s nine teams,  five — Dartmouth, Fairhaven, GNB Voc-Tech, Old Rochester and Wareham — qualified for the 2025 MIAA playoffs.

Old Rochester had the deepest run, reaching the Division 3 Elite 8 after winning the South Coast Conference Large Division crown.