Southern Miss volleyball head coach Jenny Hazelwood announced the team’s full schedule for the 2026 season. The slate includes 27 regular-season matches, with 16 Sun Belt Conference games and 12 home dates at the Southern Miss Wellness Center, highlighted by the three-day Southern Miss Invitational.
Hazelwood, entering her fifth season, expressed excitement about the schedule. She said, “It’s a great mix of tough nonconference matchups that will challenge us early and push our development. Our team has worked hard all offseason, and this schedule gives us the chance to compete at a high level while building toward our goals.”
The season begins with a series of exhibition matches, starting with the Black & Gold Scrimmage at the Wellness Center on Aug. 8. The Golden Eagles face Mississippi State in Starkville on Aug. 15 and host Nicholls in Hattiesburg on Aug. 22. The regular season opener is set for Aug. 28 in Jacksonville, Alabama, at the Cocky Classic, where they will play Southern in their first match.
Southern Miss then travels to Oxford for a tri-match against Central Arkansas and Ole Miss on Sept. 5. The team’s first home tournament is the Southern Miss Invitational, beginning Sept. 10 with a match against Houston Christian. The event continues through Sept. 12, with the Golden Eagles facing Lamar and Southern in the Wellness Center.
The team’s nonconference schedule concludes with a trip to Memphis for the Rumble at the Roane tournament, where they face Memphis on Sept. 17 and Little Rock on Sept. 18. Sun Belt Conference play begins Sept. 25 with matches against Louisiana Tech on the road. The Golden Eagles will host a four-match homestand starting Oct. 2 against Troy and ending with South Alabama on Nov. 7.
The regular season wraps up with matches in Huntington, West Virginia, against Marshall on Nov. 12 and 13. The top five teams from each division will qualify for the Sun Belt Conference tournament in Foley, Alabama, from Nov. 19 to 22. The champion will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Volleyball Tournament.
Season ticket renewals and new purchases will begin June 30 at 10 a.m. Fans can submit interest forms online or contact the ticket office at 601-266-5418. Renewals can be completed through existing accounts, and new tickets are available via SouthernMiss.com/Tickets or in person at the Pat Ferlise Center during business hours.
