Warriors Announce Challenging 2026 Volleyball Schedule

FREMONT, Neb. – Midland University and head volleyball coach Micah Rhodes have announced the Warriors' schedule for the 2026 season, a slate that features some of the top programs in the NAIA and what could once again be one of the toughest schedules in the country.

Midland opens the season Aug. 21-22 at the ONSET Tournament in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where the Warriors will face Spring Arbor, Aquinas, Cornerstone, and the defending national champion, Indiana Wesleyan.

The Warriors then return home on Aug. 25 to host York before welcoming a loaded field to Fremont for the Midland Showdown on Aug. 27-29. Midland will take on Viterbo, Missouri Baptist, Oklahoma Wesleyan, and St. Thomas during the event.

"We're thrilled to be hosting the Midland Showdown and utilizing our home-court advantage," Rhodes said. "All six teams were 2025 national qualifiers, and five advanced to the final site in Sioux City. It will feel like a mini national tournament and should make for a great weekend of volleyball in Fremont."

The four teams Midland will face in the Midland Showdown combined for a 111-23 record in 2025, and each captured a conference tournament championship.

Following the Midland Showdown, the Warriors travel to Omaha for the CSM Labor Day Classic on Sept. 4-5, where they will face William Carey, Bethany, Evangel, and Bethel.

Conference play begins Sept. 9 at Concordia before Midland hosts Mount Marty in its GPAC home opener on Sept. 12.

"We have the potential to once again have the top strength of schedule in the country," Rhodes said. "Sixteen of the teams on our schedule finished in the RPI Top 50 last season, including five in the Top 10. We play the defending national champions, the national runners-up, and Concordia, who reached the Final Four. Our players embrace that challenge."

Midland's conference schedule includes home-and-home matchups with Concordia, College of Saint Mary, Doane, Hastings, and Mount Marty within GPAC play. The Warriors will also face Dordt, Morningside, Northwestern, Briar Cliff, Dakota Wesleyan, and Waldorf.

Key home conference matches include Morningside on Oct. 2, Briar Cliff on Oct. 3, Concordia on Oct. 24, and Dakota Wesleyan on Oct. 31.

The demanding schedule should help prepare a Midland squad that returns much of the roster that advanced to the NAIA National Championship final site in 2025.

"Playing a schedule like this helps expose areas for growth and prepares our team for pressure situations later in the season," Rhodes said. "We were one of the youngest teams at the national tournament last year, and we return nearly all of our key contributors while adding a talented incoming class. We're excited about the potential of this group."

The Warriors conclude the regular season Nov. 3 when they host Hastings inside Wikert Event Center before turning their attention to the GPAC Tournament and another pursuit of a berth in the NAIA National Championship. For a complete look at the 2026 Midland Volleyball schedule, CLICK HERE. A printable schedule can be found here: PDF SCHEDULE. The schedule for the Midland Showdown is available here, PDF.