MOBILE, Ala. | South Alabama head coach Jesse Ortiz announced the program's 2026 schedule on Wednesday. The 28-match slate features a pair of teams which earned a berth in the NCAA Championship a year ago (Rice and Arkansas State).

"This upcoming season's schedule should put our team to the test," Ortiz said. "Matches against Lipscomb, Tulane, and Kennesaw State will help give our young team much needed experience, while teams like Auburn, Rice and Georgia will help prepare us for the top of the Sun Belt Conference. We are excited for the level of this upcoming preseason."

Prior to the start of the season, South will have a pair of tune ups, first with an exhibition match with West Florida at Jag Gym on Aug. 14. Last season, the Argos captured both the Gulf South Conference regular season and tournament titles, while winning 28 matches and making the program's 19th straight NCAA tournament appearance. South will then host its annual Red versus Blue scrimmage on Friday, Aug. 21 at 6 p.m.

South Alabama will begin the regular season on its home court when it hosts the Jaguar Classic. The Jags will open the season against Rice (8/28), which went 21-10 and 13-1 in the American Athletic last season, capturing the regular-season title. South will then face Mississippi State (8/29) and Sun Belt Conference member Georgia State (8/30) in a non-conference match to close out the opening weekend of play.

The following weekend, the Jaguars head to Nashville, Tenn., for three matches as they are set to face Middle Tennessee (9/4), at Belmont (9/5) and at Lipscomb (9/6).

A week later, South will return home for its second home tournament when it welcomes Tulane, Kennesaw State and Georgia for the South Alabama Invitational. The Jags will open up the four-team, three-day tournament against the Green Wave (9/11) and then face the Owls (9/12) who won 19 matches, and Georgia (9/13).

For the third-straight season, South will compete at the Alabama Showdown where it will face Samford (9/17), UAB (9/18) and Auburn (9/19) in Auburn, the weekend prior to stepping into Sun Belt Conference play.

The Jaguars will be tested right out of the gate when they open up SBC play at James Madison (9/25-26) who went 22-9 in 2025, and won the East Division title with a 13-3 record. South Alabama will also travel to Arkansas State (10/9-10), Troy (10/22-23) and Southern Miss (11/6-7). 

South will welcome Louisiana Tech (10/1-2), making their league debut this fall, in the first of four conference home match series. The three other home SBC series for the Jags are slated to be against Louisiana (10/16-17), ULM (10/29-30) and Georgia Southern (11/12-13).

The Sun Belt Conference Championship will once again be held in Foley, Ala., Nov. 18-22.

All home matches and select road matches will be available on ESPN+. 

For the second-straight season court side seating will be available for fans to purchase. This season, 40 more court side seats have been added bringing the total to 80. Court side seats are still available for purchase for $175 a seat. Bleacher seating inside Jag Gym is free to the public and is on a first come, first serve basis for all regular season home volleyball matches.

2026 SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
- Matches (28): Home (14), Road (11), Neutral (3) 
- NCAA Tournament participants (2): Rice, Arkansas State  
- Non-Conference Opponents: American Athletic (3), Atlantic Sun (1), Conference USA (2), Missouri Valley (1), Southern (1), SEC (3)
- Home SBC series: Louisiana Tech (10/1-2), Louisiana (10/16-17), ULM (10/29-30), Georgia Southern (11/12-13).
- Road SBC series: James Madison (9/25-26), Arkansas State (10/9-10), Troy (10/22-23), Southern Miss (11/6-7)

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