Wake Forest Athletics
Photo by: BryceMitchell
Deacs Announce Fall 2026 Volleyball Schedule
5/20/2026 8:36:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Wake Forest will make 17 home appearances throughout year two of the Jeff Hulsmeyer era.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest volleyball released its complete fall 2026 schedule on Wednesday, featuring a 31-match slate and 17 home contests. The Demon Deacons will partake in four total invitationals, two of which happening on their home court, and look to build upon a 2025 campaign that saw the program win its most Atlantic Coast Conference victories in 15 years.
"I absolutely love the schedule we have for 2026," said head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer. "It features two home tournaments and the return of the ACC/SEC challenge with Mississippi State coming to town on Sept. 8. We open up at home on September 4th, a day after the football home opener [versus Akron]. This will be an alumni reunion weekend with three tough matches. The ACC is loaded again after having four of the top 10 ranked teams last season – the most of any conference. Come early, fill in the seats and the action will be fast and furious!"
After a mid-August exhibition at the University of Georgia, the Deacs will officially open the fall season near the end of the month on Aug. 28 in LSU's hosted invitational, first facing the Tigers in a season opener. The next day will see Wake Forest match up with Houston for a final showing in Baton Rouge. The Deacs last faced LSU and Houston in Sept. 2011 and Aug. 2014, respectively.
A seven-match homestand makes up the Deacs' first two weeks of September. The team will also host two weekend invitationals during the stretch. Three straight days of competition (Sept. 4-6) will firstly take place during the team's alumni weekend, with a home opener versus Davidson followed by additional contests against Central Florida and Georgetown. Wake Forest has taken the last three matchups over Davidson and knocked off Central Florida, 3-2, on Sept. 2, 2023 in its last meeting en route to snapping the Knights' 22-match win streak at home. Against Georgetown, the Deacs are undefeated in the all-time series.
Wake Forest then brings in Mississippi State for its first midweek test (Sept. 8) during the second 'Showdown at the Net' ACC/SEC Challenge before stepping into another three-match weekend, facing East Carolina, Georgia Southern and East Tennessee State. The Deacs will close out non-conference competition against in-state foes NC A&T and Wofford, first making the trip to nearby Greensboro to face the Aggies (Sept. 17) before lining up against the Terriers at a neutral site the very next day.
Conference play starts for the Deacs during the final weekend of September, as a Big Four weekend will unfold. The Duke Blue Devils come to Winston-Salem for Wake Forest's ACC home opener (Sept. 25) before the Deacs close out their home weekend versus North Carolina. This past fall, Wake Forest completed a season sweep over Duke for the first time since 2012.
Wake Forest travels to The Sunshine State for its first road weekend of ACC action, visiting Miami and Florida State to open October. Afterwards, the Deacs will return to Winston-Salem for home matches versus Boston College (Oct. 9) and Syracuse (Oct. 11) before making their second-ever West Coast trip. Matchups at Stanford and California headline the team's mid-October portion.
For a third-straight season, Wake Forest will take on NC State twice within a week, first making the drive to Raleigh before hosting the Wolfpack on Sunday (Oct. 25). The team's final appearance of October involves a home match against Pitt. Afterwards, Wake begins November with a home matchup versus SMU inside Varsity Arena.
The Deacs head south after the first week of November to visit Clemson (Nov. 6) and Georgia Tech (Nov. 8). Each of the last five meetings versus the Tigers has gone the way of Wake Forest. A week later, the team will roll into the neighboring state for matches at Virginia and Virginia Tech.
Through the final two weeks of the regular season, three of Wake Forest's four matches will happen on the road, visiting Louisville, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech in a rematch for the latter. The team's home finale is set for Black Friday (Nov. 27), hosting the Clemson Tigers in an afternoon matchup.
The full online schedule can be found here.
Fall 2026 Wake Forest Volleyball Schedule
* - ACC match
^ - 2026 ACC/SEC Challenge
All times listed in ET
Fan Information
There will continue to be free admission for general admission seating for all home volleyball single matches. The team plays each home contest in Varsity Arena, located on the third level of Reynolds Gymnasium (21 Wingate Rd, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27109).
For a third consecutive season, courtside seating will be offered inside Varsity Arena. These cushioned reserved floor seats are limited and provide perfect up-close spectator viewing for all the action alongside the net on the opposite side of team benches. To renew your courtside season tickets or learn more information, please contact the Wake Forest Ticket Office at (336) 758-3322 or tix@wfu.edu. Of note, the priority renewal deadline will be June 18, 2026.
This Past Year
For fall 2025, Wake Forest finished with 15 season victories in year one of the Jeff Hulsmeyer era. In conference play, the Deacs earned nine ACC wins for the regular season – their most since the 2010 campaign. In three of the last four years, the team has won eight or more conference matches. Additionally, on its home floor, Wake Forest finished with an 8-5 record for its most wins inside Varsity Arena since 2022.
Within the record books, the 2025 Deacs ranked as a top-15 team in a number of single-season statistical areas throughout program history:
An experienced senior group of Rian Baker, Paige Crawford, Emma Farrell and Olivia Murphy also finished their collegiate careers last fall. The standout class combined for 62 wins and 1,495 sets played. In addition, Baker, Crawford and Farrell etched their names within the program's career records:
Season Outlook
Wake Forest returns eight players to its roster for fall 2026. A trio of Patrycja Lagida, Ryleigh Whitekettle and Sanaa Williams are coming off standout first seasons with the Deacs, each ranking as top-five individuals on the roster in multiple statistical categories. Becca Bellows led the team in assists as a sophomore this past fall while Kelis Hawkins and Sadie Poeck were some of the top defenders on the team in areas of blocking. Elena Dragani and Dhru Lalaji round out the core of returners, holding strong skills in passing.
The Deacs have added nine total newcomers, four of which joined the program for the spring semester – Amina N'Diaye, Emma Keeping, Andrea Roman and Lyla Stewart. Keeping and Stewart officially inked with the Deacs in November as two members of the 2026 recruiting class. Roman, the reigning Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Defensive Player of the Year, was Wake Forest's second transfer of the winter offseason before N'Diaye signed shortly after the New Year. Wake Forest's five other newcomers – Catherine Burke, Laiya Ebo, Camille McCoy, Ava Roddey and Mattea Saunders – will arrive this summer prior to the start of the school year.
Non-Con Success
Since the start of the 2019 campaign, the program has totaled a 50-16 record versus non-conference opponents, tallying a win percentage of .757. Additionally, Wake Forest has gone 18-2 at home against such foes during that span. Non-conference play did not take place during the spring 2020 season.
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"I absolutely love the schedule we have for 2026," said head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer. "It features two home tournaments and the return of the ACC/SEC challenge with Mississippi State coming to town on Sept. 8. We open up at home on September 4th, a day after the football home opener [versus Akron]. This will be an alumni reunion weekend with three tough matches. The ACC is loaded again after having four of the top 10 ranked teams last season – the most of any conference. Come early, fill in the seats and the action will be fast and furious!"
After a mid-August exhibition at the University of Georgia, the Deacs will officially open the fall season near the end of the month on Aug. 28 in LSU's hosted invitational, first facing the Tigers in a season opener. The next day will see Wake Forest match up with Houston for a final showing in Baton Rouge. The Deacs last faced LSU and Houston in Sept. 2011 and Aug. 2014, respectively.
A seven-match homestand makes up the Deacs' first two weeks of September. The team will also host two weekend invitationals during the stretch. Three straight days of competition (Sept. 4-6) will firstly take place during the team's alumni weekend, with a home opener versus Davidson followed by additional contests against Central Florida and Georgetown. Wake Forest has taken the last three matchups over Davidson and knocked off Central Florida, 3-2, on Sept. 2, 2023 in its last meeting en route to snapping the Knights' 22-match win streak at home. Against Georgetown, the Deacs are undefeated in the all-time series.
Wake Forest then brings in Mississippi State for its first midweek test (Sept. 8) during the second 'Showdown at the Net' ACC/SEC Challenge before stepping into another three-match weekend, facing East Carolina, Georgia Southern and East Tennessee State. The Deacs will close out non-conference competition against in-state foes NC A&T and Wofford, first making the trip to nearby Greensboro to face the Aggies (Sept. 17) before lining up against the Terriers at a neutral site the very next day.
Conference play starts for the Deacs during the final weekend of September, as a Big Four weekend will unfold. The Duke Blue Devils come to Winston-Salem for Wake Forest's ACC home opener (Sept. 25) before the Deacs close out their home weekend versus North Carolina. This past fall, Wake Forest completed a season sweep over Duke for the first time since 2012.
Wake Forest travels to The Sunshine State for its first road weekend of ACC action, visiting Miami and Florida State to open October. Afterwards, the Deacs will return to Winston-Salem for home matches versus Boston College (Oct. 9) and Syracuse (Oct. 11) before making their second-ever West Coast trip. Matchups at Stanford and California headline the team's mid-October portion.
For a third-straight season, Wake Forest will take on NC State twice within a week, first making the drive to Raleigh before hosting the Wolfpack on Sunday (Oct. 25). The team's final appearance of October involves a home match against Pitt. Afterwards, Wake begins November with a home matchup versus SMU inside Varsity Arena.
The Deacs head south after the first week of November to visit Clemson (Nov. 6) and Georgia Tech (Nov. 8). Each of the last five meetings versus the Tigers has gone the way of Wake Forest. A week later, the team will roll into the neighboring state for matches at Virginia and Virginia Tech.
Through the final two weeks of the regular season, three of Wake Forest's four matches will happen on the road, visiting Louisville, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech in a rematch for the latter. The team's home finale is set for Black Friday (Nov. 27), hosting the Clemson Tigers in an afternoon matchup.
The full online schedule can be found here.
Fall 2026 Wake Forest Volleyball Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time | Location |
| Saturday, Aug. 15 | Georgia (Exhibition) | 1 p.m. | Athens, Ga. |
| Friday, Aug. 28 | LSU | 7 p.m. | Baton Rouge, La. |
| Saturday, Aug. 29 | Houston | 2 p.m. | Baton Rouge, La. |
| Friday, Sept. 4 | Davidson | 6:30 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Saturday, Sept. 5 | Central Florida | 5:30 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Sunday, Sept. 6 | Georgetown | 2 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Tuesday, Sept. 8 | ^Mississippi State | 6:30 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Friday, Sept. 11 | East Carolina | 6:30 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Saturday, Sept. 12 | Georgia Southern | 5 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Sunday, Sept. 13 | East Tennessee State | 2 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Thursday, Sept. 17 | NC A&T | 5:30 p.m. | Greensboro, N.C. |
| Friday, Sept. 18 | Wofford | 4 p.m. | High Point, N.C. |
| Friday, Sept. 25 | Duke* | 6:30 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Sunday, Sept. 27 | North Carolina* | 1 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Friday, Oct. 2 | Miami* | 7 p.m. | Miami, Fla. |
| Sunday, Oct. 4 | Florida State* | 1 p.m. | Tallahassee, Fla. |
| Friday, Oct. 9 | Boston College* | 6:30 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Sunday, Oct. 11 | Syracuse* | 1 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Friday, Oct. 16 | Stanford* | 10 p.m. | Stanford, Calif. |
| Sunday, Oct. 18 | California* | 4 p.m. | Berkeley, Calif. |
| Wednesday, Oct. 21 or Friday, Oct. 23 | NC State* | TBD | Raleigh, N.C. |
| Sunday, Oct. 25 | NC State* | 1 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Friday, Oct. 30 | Pitt* | 6:30 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Sunday, Nov. 1 | SMU* | 1 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Friday, Nov. 6 | Clemson* | 6 p.m. | Clemson, S.C. |
| Sunday, Nov. 8 | Georgia Tech* | 1 p.m. | Atlanta, Ga. |
| Friday, Nov. 13 | Virginia* | 6:30 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Sunday, Nov. 15 | Virginia Tech* | 1 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Friday, Nov. 20 | Louisville* | 7 p.m. | Louisville, Ky. |
| Sunday, Nov. 22 | Notre Dame* | 1 p.m. | South Bend, Ind. |
| Wednesday, Nov. 25 | Virginia Tech* | 1 p.m. | Blacksburg, Va. |
| Friday, Nov. 27 | Clemson* | 3 p.m. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
^ - 2026 ACC/SEC Challenge
All times listed in ET
Fan Information
There will continue to be free admission for general admission seating for all home volleyball single matches. The team plays each home contest in Varsity Arena, located on the third level of Reynolds Gymnasium (21 Wingate Rd, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27109).
For a third consecutive season, courtside seating will be offered inside Varsity Arena. These cushioned reserved floor seats are limited and provide perfect up-close spectator viewing for all the action alongside the net on the opposite side of team benches. To renew your courtside season tickets or learn more information, please contact the Wake Forest Ticket Office at (336) 758-3322 or tix@wfu.edu. Of note, the priority renewal deadline will be June 18, 2026.
This Past Year
For fall 2025, Wake Forest finished with 15 season victories in year one of the Jeff Hulsmeyer era. In conference play, the Deacs earned nine ACC wins for the regular season – their most since the 2010 campaign. In three of the last four years, the team has won eight or more conference matches. Additionally, on its home floor, Wake Forest finished with an 8-5 record for its most wins inside Varsity Arena since 2022.
Within the record books, the 2025 Deacs ranked as a top-15 team in a number of single-season statistical areas throughout program history:
- Tied for 6th in total assisted blocks (423)
- Tied for 10th in service aces-per-set average (1.42)
- 13th in assists-per-set average (12.19)
- 13th in total service aces (160)
- Tied for 14th in points-per-set average (16.59)
- 14th in hitting percentage (.214)
- 14th in kills-per-set average (13.96)
- Tied for 15th in total assists (1,378)
An experienced senior group of Rian Baker, Paige Crawford, Emma Farrell and Olivia Murphy also finished their collegiate careers last fall. The standout class combined for 62 wins and 1,495 sets played. In addition, Baker, Crawford and Farrell etched their names within the program's career records:
- Rian Baker – 7th in career assists (2,609) and 6th in career service aces (114)
- Paige Crawford – 5th in both career kills (1,400) and career service aces (119)
- Emma Farrell – 3rd in career digs (1,882)
Season Outlook
Wake Forest returns eight players to its roster for fall 2026. A trio of Patrycja Lagida, Ryleigh Whitekettle and Sanaa Williams are coming off standout first seasons with the Deacs, each ranking as top-five individuals on the roster in multiple statistical categories. Becca Bellows led the team in assists as a sophomore this past fall while Kelis Hawkins and Sadie Poeck were some of the top defenders on the team in areas of blocking. Elena Dragani and Dhru Lalaji round out the core of returners, holding strong skills in passing.
The Deacs have added nine total newcomers, four of which joined the program for the spring semester – Amina N'Diaye, Emma Keeping, Andrea Roman and Lyla Stewart. Keeping and Stewart officially inked with the Deacs in November as two members of the 2026 recruiting class. Roman, the reigning Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Defensive Player of the Year, was Wake Forest's second transfer of the winter offseason before N'Diaye signed shortly after the New Year. Wake Forest's five other newcomers – Catherine Burke, Laiya Ebo, Camille McCoy, Ava Roddey and Mattea Saunders – will arrive this summer prior to the start of the school year.
Non-Con Success
Since the start of the 2019 campaign, the program has totaled a 50-16 record versus non-conference opponents, tallying a win percentage of .757. Additionally, Wake Forest has gone 18-2 at home against such foes during that span. Non-conference play did not take place during the spring 2020 season.
| Season | Non-Conference Record | Win Pct. |
| 2025 | 6-5 | .545 |
| 2024 | 8-3 | .727 |
| 2023 | 9-2 | .818 |
| 2022 | 8-3 | .727 |
| 2021 | 9-2 | .818 |
| 2019 | 10-1 | .909 |
| Total | 50-16 | .757 |
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
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