The University of Idaho volleyball program has released its full 2026 schedule, lining up 30 regular-season contests — the most the Vandals have played in a single season since 2019 — along with a family-friendly exhibition opener and a free kids clinic to kick off the home slate in Moscow.
Exhibition Opener and Home Debut
Idaho volleyball gets its first taste of competition August 15 when the Vandals host Washington State in an exhibition match at Bohler Gym in Pullman, with first serve scheduled for 5:00 PM PT. The Cougs matchup gives head coach Romana Redondo Kriskova a chance to evaluate the roster in a low-stakes environment before meaningful results begin to count.
The official home opener arrives one week later, August 22, when Idaho welcomes Spokane Community College to Memorial Gym in Moscow at 3:00 PM PT. Following the match, the program will hold its fourth annual free kids clinic, open to children in grades kindergarten through fourth grade — a community tradition that has become a fixture on the Vandals’ fall calendar.
A Road-Heavy Non-Conference Slate
Before Latah County gets to see the Vandals in action, Idaho’s non-conference schedule opens on the road with four consecutive away weekends. The season tips off at the Mizzou Invitational hosted by Missouri, where Sarah Sullivan — a senior captain for the Vandals — will face her mother, Dawn Sullivan, who serves as Missouri’s head coach. That family storyline alone figures to draw national attention to Idaho’s early-season performance.
Four programs on the non-conference docket are completely new opponents for the Vandals: Marist, Sacred Heart, New Orleans, and Florida A&M. Additionally, Towson, Western Illinois, SIUE, Cal Baptist, and Utah Tech represent only the second time ever Idaho has faced those programs.
Redondo Kriskova expressed enthusiasm about the schedule’s challenge. “We are fired up to announce our non-conference schedule,” she said. “Even though it’s four weekends on the road, we have great competition ahead of us that will test us, prepare us, develop us, and help us grow.”
Conference Realignment Adds Intrigue to Big Sky Play
The 2026 Big Sky Conference season brings some notable changes to the volleyball landscape. Utah Tech joins the Big Sky for the first time this year, giving Idaho yet another new opponent on the conference schedule. Meanwhile, Southern Utah returns to the Big Sky after spending five seasons competing in the Western Athletic Conference, a familiar face re-entering the fold.
Sacramento State, however, has moved on — the Hornets are now competing in the Big West Conference in 2026, altering the competitive makeup of the league Idaho calls home.
The goal at the end of all 30 regular-season matches is straightforward: qualify for the Big Sky Tournament, slated for November 23-25. Idaho last made that postseason field in 2020, and returning to the conference tournament is a stated priority heading into the fall campaign.
Building Toward a Tournament Return
The expanded 30-match schedule reflects a program aiming to build depth and competitive experience. The combination of first-time and second-time-only opponents throughout non-conference play suggests the coaching staff is deliberately seeking out varied competition to sharpen the roster before Big Sky games begin to define the season.
With summer workouts set to begin ahead of the fall campaign, the Vandals will have time to integrate returning players and any newcomers before the August exhibition. The Moscow community will have its first look at this year’s squad at Memorial Gym on August 22, with the free post-match clinic offering families in Latah County an easy entry point into Vandal athletics.
For fans looking to follow Idaho athletics and broader developments at the university, additional coverage of campus news — including the University of Idaho Aerial Arts Summer Camp showcasing student performances June 26-27 in Moscow — is available through local and statewide reporting.
What Comes Next
Idaho volleyball returns for summer workouts in the coming weeks as the program prepares for a demanding fall schedule. The Washington State exhibition on August 15 at Bohler Gym will serve as the team’s first public test, followed by the home debut and kids clinic on August 22 at Memorial Gym. The Big Sky Tournament runs November 23-25, with Idaho hoping to end a six-year absence from the postseason field.