KIRKLAND, Wash. – Northwest University volleyball has announced its 2026 schedule, featuring two preseason tournaments, a pair of scrimmages, and a demanding Cascade Collegiate Conference slate as the Eagles look to build on last season's success.
Northwest enters the 2026 campaign after finishing 17-12 in 2025 and advancing to the NAIA Opening Round. The Eagles will begin preparations with scrimmages against Edmonds Community College on Aug. 11 in Edmonds and Big Bend Community College on Aug. 25 inside Kristi Brodin Pavilion.
The regular season opens at the Big Sky Challenge in Butte, Montana, where Northwest will face Ottawa University Arizona, Arizona Christian, Carroll College, and the University of Providence on Aug. 21-22. The Eagles will then travel to Surprise, Arizona, for the Ottawa Invitational, taking on Park University Gilbert, Embry-Riddle University, Cumberland University, and Ottawa University Arizona on Aug. 28-29.
Northwest returns home for its regular-season home opener on Sept. 1 against Pacific Lutheran before opening Cascade Conference play on Sept. 4 against College of Idaho.
The Eagles face an early conference challenge with home matches against College of Idaho, Eastern Oregon, Corban, and Bushnell before traveling to Walla Walla and Lewis-Clark State later in September. Northwest continues conference play through October with home-and-home matchups against every CCC opponent before closing the regular season on Nov. 7 at Warner Pacific.
The Cascade Conference Tournament is scheduled for Nov. 10-14, with the location and matchups to be determined.
Head Coach Steven Bain believes the demanding schedule will prepare his team for another run through one of the nation's top conferences.
"When you play in the toughest NAIA Conference in the country, you have to make sure that your preseason schedule has a competitive profile that will prepare your team for the Cascade Conference gauntlet," Bain said. "Opening the 2026 campaign at the Big Sky Challenge will provide an early test against quality competition, and we added a second tournament this year because we will have a young squad that will benefit from the additional experience.
"That additional experience will be tested early as our first six CCC opponents all qualified for the NAIA Tournament, and as tough as that schedule is, I know that our team will be prepared for the opportunity."
Northwest will look to return to the postseason after last year's NAIA Opening Round appearance, with the goal of making another deep run through the Cascade Conference and into the national tournament.
