HARRISONBURG, Va. (JMU Athletics) – The James Madison volleyball program has rolled out its schedule for the 2026 season, Head Coach Lauren Steinbrecher announced on Wednesday, May 13.
The Dukes will play a total of 26 matches – 10 coming against non-conference opponents and 16 against Sun Belt Conference foes. The schedule features three opponents who competed in the 2025 Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship – North Carolina, Western Kentucky, and Arkansas State.
“Every match of our away non-conference schedule is designed with one goal in mind – preparing us to be in a position to win the Sun Belt Conference and make a run in the NCAA Tournament,” Steinbrecher said. “Competing against nationally-ranked programs like North Carolina, longtime dominant programs like Western Kentucky, and programs that consistently get 20-plus wins will give us every opportunity to grow into the team we want to become at the end of the season. We are especially excited to compete in front of our fans at the Convocation Center this year! The energy and atmosphere they create give our program a tremendous advantage and an unforgettable playing experience for our athletes. This is a special team, and I can’t wait to get started. Go Dukes!”
The Dukes open their season at home on Aug. 28-29, with two matches against Loyola University Maryland. The following weekend, JMU will travel to Chapel Hill, N.C., for the UNC Invitational (Sept. 3-5), where it will face off against North Carolina (Sept. 3) and Colorado State (Sept. 5). It will be the Dukes’ first matchup against Colorado State since 2006 and against North Carolina since 2013.
JMU will then travel to Bowling Green, Ky., to play three matches against Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 10), Western Kentucky (Sept. 11), and Pepperdine (Sept. 12). Non-conference play concludes back at home with the LD&B Insurance Invitational (Sept. 18-20), where the Dukes will host UNC Greensboro (Sept. 18), Delaware State (Sept. 19), and George Mason (Sept 20).
JMU’s matchup against Eastern Kentucky will be its first against the Colonels since 1998, and the Dukes’ matchup against Western Kentucky will be the first since 2023, when JMU took down the No. 23-ranked Hilltoppers for the first win over a ranked opponent in school history. The Dukes will also renew their series against George Mason, squaring off against the Patriots for the first time since 2012 and the 83rd time since their first meeting in 1975.
Sun Belt Conference action will open with the Dukes staying home to take on West foe South Alabama (Sept. 25-26). The Dukes will also host App State (Oct. 15-16), Coastal Carolina (Oct. 30-31), and Old Dominion (Nov. 6-7) as part of the home conference slate. JMU will travel to play Georgia State (Oct. 1-2), Marshall (Oct. 8-9), and Georgia Southern (Oct. 23-24), along with a trip to Jonesboro, Ark., for a 2025 Sun Belt Championship rematch against Arkansas State (Nov. 13-14) to close the regular season.
The 2026 Sun Belt Championship will be held Nov. 19-22, in Foley, Ala., at the Foley Sports Tourism Center.
Click here to view the entire schedule.
— JMU Athletics —
