Aztec Volleyball Unveils 2026 Schedule

SAN DIEGO – San Diego State volleyball head coach Brent Hilliard announced the team’s highly anticipated schedule for the 2026 campaign, as the Aztecs embark on their inaugural season as members of the Pac-12 Conference.

In all, SDSU is slated to play 26 regular-season matches this fall, highlighted by nine home dates, as well as three non-conference tournaments away from the friendly confines of Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.

The Aztecs’ attractive yet challenging schedule features 12 teams that finished with a winning record last year, combining for a 243-119 ledger (.671), as three of those squads qualified for the NCAA Championships.

San Diego State begins its regular-season slate in earnest when it travels to the Pacific Northwest for the University of Washington Tournament, Aug. 28-30, in Seattle, where the Scarlet and Black will battle IU Indy, the host Huskies and UC Irvine on successive days.

The Aztecs’ season opener marks their first meeting against the Jaguars, who compiled an 18-14 record in 2025 and advanced to the semifinals of the Horizon League tournament. In addition, SDSU will square off against Washington for the first time since 2009 before engaging the Anteaters for the first time in a regular-season match since 2016.

The Aztecs will head north for the UC Davis Tournament the following weekend, Sept. 4-5, when they will contend with the host Aggies and Cal Poly, respectively. SDSU will be renewing acquaintances with UCD for the first time since 2013, before engaging a Mustang squad that advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen a year ago, where it fell to No. 1 Kentucky. The Aztecs have not faced Cal Poly since the 2015 campaign.

San Diego State returns to northern California for the second consecutive week when it competes in the Santa Clara Tournament, Sept. 11-13. The Aztecs will lock horns with the host Broncos, California and Cal State Bakersfield on successive days. SDSU will battle Santa Clara for the first time since 2012 before seeking to avenge a 3-1 loss to the Golden Bears at their home tournament in Berkeley in 2025. Additionally, the Scarlet and Black will face the Roadrunners for the first time since 2018.

The road-tested Aztecs will finally open their home schedule on Sept. 18 with a clash against Arizona, looking to build on their 20-12 advantage in the all-time series. The teams last met at Peterson Gym in 2022, where the Wildcats won in straight sets.

SDSU will remain local the following day when it heads down the freeway for crosstown battle against the University of San Diego at Jenny Craig Pavilion, seeking to turn the tables on the Toreros, who escaped with a narrow five-set victory on The Mesa in 2025. USD finished with a 25-5 record last season, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

In their first season of Pac-12 competition, the Aztecs will play a home-and-away schedule against each of their eight league opponents.

SDSU will resume its role as road warriors for its first four Pac-12 matches, opening its conference slate at Colorado State (Sept. 24) and Fresno State (Sept. 26), followed by a swing through Boise State (Oct. 1) and Washington State (Oct. 3).

Along with the Aztecs, the Rams, Bulldogs and Broncos move to the Pac-12 from the Mountain West, while the Cougars rejoin the league after spending the last two volleyball seasons as members of the West Coast Conference. SDSU will square off against WSU for the first time in program history.

San Diego State will play seven of its next eight matches at home, including four straight encounters against Oregon State (Oct. 8), Gonzaga (Oct. 10), Utah State (Oct. 15) and Texas State (Oct. 17).

Like Washington State, the Beavers have played the last two volleyball campaigns in the WCC, alongside the Zags, who also join the Pac-12 this year. The Aztecs last faced Oregon State in 2018 and have had recent success against Gonzaga, winning twice in Spokane in 2023 and 2024.

Meanwhile, the ggies captured the regular-season and tournament championship in their final season in the Mountain West in 2025, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Championships. In addition, the Bobcats move to the Pac-12 this season from the Sun Belt Conference after compiling a 17-13 overall record last year.

The Aztecs will commence the second half of their Pac-12 schedule with a return engagement against Gonzaga on the road (Oct. 24) before jetting back to “America’s Finest City” for rematches against Boise State (Oct. 29), Washington State (Oct. 31) and Fresno State (Nov. 5).

Following a quick trip to the Lone Star State for a repeat encounter with Texas State (Nov. 12), SDSU will conduct its final home match of the regular season against Colorado State (Nov. 14) to highlight Senior Day festivities.

The Aztecs will return to the road to wrap up thier maiden season in the Pac-12, traveling to Oregon State (Nov. 17) and Utah State (Nov. 19).

The top four teams in the conference will qualify for the Pac-12 Championships, Nov. 21-23, at a site to be determined, vying for an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Information on single match and season tickets for San Diego State’s 2026 home schedule will be available at a later date.

The Aztecs return seven letterwinners from a year ago, led by all-conference libero Zara Stewart and setter Kendall Mairs. In addition, SDSU welcomes a talented newcomer class for 2026, including incoming freshman Logan Cary, who was named Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Colorado as a high school senior last fall.