FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (August 27, 2026) - Northern Arizona women's volleyball will open its 2026 non-conference schedule this Friday at the Ole Miss Volleyball Invitational in Oxford, Mississippi. The Lumberjacks will face Loyola Marymount, Ole Miss and Southeastern Louisiana throughout the weekend. The match against Ole Miss will be streamed live on ESPN+, while live stats will be available for all three matches.
NAU will begin the weekend at 11 a.m. MST on Friday, Aug. 28, against Loyola Marymount. The Lions lead the all-time series 7-1, dating back to 1982. The last meeting between the two teams came in 2015, when LMU traveled to Flagstaff and the Lumberjacks earned a 3-2 victory.
LMU returns seven players from last season while welcoming seven newcomers, including four transfers and three freshmen.
The Lions were picked to finish third in the 2026 West Coast Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll as they enter their second season under head coach Kolby O'Donnell. LMU also added two new assistant coaches ahead of the 2026 season, with Madi Bugg and Brylee Kelly joining the coaching staff.
The Lions finished 7-20 overall and 5-13 in WCC play last season, placing ninth among 12 teams in the final standings. The conference underwent changes during the offseason, with Gonzaga, Oregon State and Washington State departing for the rebuilt Pac-12 on July 1. Denver and Seattle joined the WCC, bringing the conference total to 10 teams.
LMU recorded 1,177 kills last season, averaging 11.2 kills per set while hitting .159 as a team. The Lions also averaged 13.8 digs and 2.1 blocks per set.
Live stats for the match against LMU can be found here.
NAU will return to the court Friday at 4 p.m. MST to face tournament host Ole Miss. It will be the first meeting between the Lumberjacks and Rebels.
Ole Miss finished last season 14-15 overall and 4-11 in Southeastern Conference play, placing 13th among the league's 16 teams. The Rebels advanced to the Allstate SEC Volleyball Tournament quarterfinals, where they fell 3-0 to No. 3 Texas.
Ole Miss finished the 2025 season ranked No. 78 in the NCAA Women's Volleyball RPI. The Rebels recorded 1,417 kills last season, averaging 12.88 kills per set, while also averaging 13.45 digs and 1.91 blocks per set.
The Rebels are led by head coach Bre Henry and will enter the season with a roster of 18 players, including five incoming freshmen and three transfers.
Live stats for the match against Ole Miss can be found here.
Southeastern Louisiana will be NAU's final opponent of the weekend, with the two teams set to meet at 9 a.m. MST on Saturday, Aug. 30. The Lumberjacks and Lions have met just once previously, with NAU earning a 3-1 victory in 1999.
Southeastern Louisiana was picked to finish fourth in the 2026 Southland Conference Volleyball Preseason Poll. After posting the conference's third-best record in 2025 at 20-9 overall and 12-4 in league play, the Lions received 88 points in the preseason poll.
The Lions return 11 players from last season's squad. 2025 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention selection Kyra McKelvey and 2024 SLC All-Tournament Team honoree Keira Beverly headline the group of players to watch entering the 2026 season.
Live stats for the match against Southeastern Louisiana can be found here.
The Lumberjacks enter the season after claiming the 2025 Big Sky Conference regular-season title with a 23-7 overall record and a 13-3 mark in conference play. NAU was perfect at home last season, going 11-0 at the Rolle Activity Center.
The 'Jacks were picked to finish second in the Big Sky preseason coaches' poll and had two players named to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Outside hitter Hanah Stoddard was selected as the conference's Preseason MVP after earning Big Sky Conference Co-MVP and First-Team All-Conference honors following the 2025 season. She also received AVCA Pacific Region Honorable Mention and AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honors. Gigi Greenlee was also named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
Following the Ole Miss Invitational, Northern Arizona will continue its non-conference schedule at the SDSU Invitational in South Dakota from Sept. 4-5, where the Lumberjacks will face Bradley, South Dakota State and Western Illinois. The 'Jacks will make their first appearance at home Sept. 9-12 when they host UC Riverside, Grand Canyon and Omaha for the annual Lumberjack Classic.
Stay up to date with Northern Arizona volleyball by following the Lumberjacks on X and Instagram.
