AZUSA, Calif. – Head coach Chris Kiefe and the Azusa Pacific volleyball team will look to hit the ground running as the Division III era begins this fall, unveiling a 30-game schedule for the fall of 2026 that sees opponents from across the Pacific Northwest, Southern California, and Arizona that could culminate in a trip to the NCCAA National Tournament in Missouri the first week of December.

Speaking on the team's outlook going into 2026, Coach Kiefe offered up plenty of enthusiasm.  "I'm always excited at the start of a new season.  We've got a senior-heavy roster, which means we have great experience and a solid team culture.  We're eager to add some new players to the mix and continue our legacy of Christ-centered excellence on and off the court."

Those seniors include the outside hitting trio of Flora Sebestyen, who made PacWest all-Second Team last season, as well as veterans Sarah Wilson and Jackie Winfield, all three of whom recorded over 200 kills last season.  Wilson and Sebestyen followed that up with over 200 digs apiece on the defensive end.

The season begins Labor Day weekend with a four-game road set at the Oregon Trail Classic, where the Cougars will face four members of the Northwest Conference, starting with host George Fox University.

The following weekend the Cougars will open the doors of the Felix Event Center for the first time in 2026 for a four-game homestand of their own, including visits from La Sierra in the home opener, former NAIA rival Hope International, and new Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) foe Caltech.

After another weekend tournament in Arizona, the conference season begins in earnest as the Cougars navigate 15 matches against the other members of the SCIAC with a few non-conference home contests scattered in.  Once conference play starts, almost all games will take place on Tuesdays and Saturdays.  

The highlights of the home schedule include a three-game stand in late September against Redlands, Westcliff, and Whittier, and visits in October from both SCIAC teams who made the NCAA Division III tournament last season: Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on October 6th and national runner-up La Verne a week later on the 13th.

2026 Azusa Pacific Volleyball Schedule
Home games in BOLD, all times Pacific

September

September 4 – at George Fox – Newburg, OR – 11:30 a.m.
September 4 – vs Lewis & Clark – Newburg, OR – 7:00 p.m.
September 5 – at Pacific – Forest Grove, OR – 10:30 a.m.
September 5 – vs Linfield – Forest Grove, OR – 3:30 p.m.
September 11 – La Sierra – Azusa, CA – 11:15 a.m.
September 11 – Caltech – Azusa, CA – 2:30 p.m.
September 12 – Justice (AZ) – Azusa, CA – 10:00 a.m.
September 12 – Hope International – Azusa, CA – 2:30 p.m.
September 18 – at Ottawa (AZ) – Surprise, AZ – 11:00 a.m.
September 18 – at Benedictine-Mesa – Mesa, AZ – 4:00 p.m.
September 19 – vs Park-Gilbert – Chandler, AZ – 11:00 a.m.
September 19 – at Justice (AZ) – Chandler, AZ – 3:00 p.m.
September 22 – at Occidental – Los Angeles, CA – 7:00 p.m.
September 26 – Redlands – Azusa, CA – 11:00 a.m.
September 26 – Westcliff – Azusa, CA – 4:00 p.m.
September 29 – Whittier – Azusa, CA – 6:00 p.m.

October

October 3 – at Chapman – Orange, CA – 7:00 p.m.
October 6 – Claremont-Mudd-Scripps – Azusa, CA – 7:00 p.m.
October 10 – at Pomona-Pitzer – Claremont, CA – 11:00 a.m.
October 10 – West Coast Baptist – Azusa, CA – 4:00 p.m.
October 13 – La Verne – Azusa, CA – 4:00 p.m.
October 15 – at Cal Lutheran – Thousand Oaks, CA – 7:00 p.m.
October 17 – at Caltech – Pasadena, CA – 2:00 p.m.
October 20 – Occidental – Azusa, CA – 7:00 p.m.
October 24 – at Redlands – Redlands, CA – 2:00 p.m.
October 27 – at Whittier – Whittier, CA – 7:00 p.m.
October 31 – Chapman – Azusa, CA – 11:00 a.m.
October 31 – West Coast Baptist – Azusa, CA – 3:00 p.m.

November

November 3 – at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps – Claremont, CA – 7:00 p.m.
November 7 – Pomona-Pitzer – Azusa, CA – 11:00 a.m.

In all, the Cougars will visit every team in the conference except La Verne, while all SCIAC teams save Cal Lutheran will make a pilgrimage to the Felix Event Center.  The schedule should prove amenable for those in the area who wish to follow the team on the road, as five of the eight road games against conference opponents are within a 30-minute drive of campus.

Heading into his 23rd season as Cougar head coach, Kiefe said regarding the new competition, "As we head into D3, I'm looking forward to competing against new teams, enjoying more local games, and representing APU well in our new conference.  It's going to be a great season!"

The Cougars will play three of their final four contests at home, culminating with senior day against Pomona-Pitzer on November 7th at 11:00 a.m.  If the Cougars' season proves successful enough, they could earn themselves an invite to the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association tournament in Point Lookout, Missouri, December 2-5.  The Cougars last participated in the NCCAA postseason during the transition period into NCAA Division II during the 2013-14 school year, finishing that year's tournament as national runner-up.