Everything to know ahead of Wisconsin Badgers' 2026 volleyball season

The Wisconsin Badgers couldn't have asked for a tougher start to the 2026 volleyball season.

Wisconsin, which earned the No. 6 spot in the AVCA Preseason Rankings, will do battle with No. 3 Kentucky and No. 7 Louisville in back-to-back days to start the year.

This is a Badgers team that is tasked with playing a number of ranked opponents, and it's something that should only make them stronger as they look to replicate the success of their 2021 season.

In a year when there will be a Big Ten conference tournament for the first time ever, longtime head coach Kelly Sheffield knows just how important each game is here in 2026.

When does the Badgers' season begin?

Wisconsin volleyball opens the 2026 season in Milwaukee for the AVCA First Serve. The Badgers will take on No. 3 Kentucky to open the season, followed by No. 7 Louisville. Both games will air nationwide on ESPN and FOX.

Opening Spike Classic will be one to watch

Straight after beginning the year against a pair of top-seven opponents, Wisconsin has another tall task as they'll play No. 5 Stanford and No. 4 Pittsburgh from August 28-30 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Three more ranked opponents before conference action

Sheffield's squad will host No. 17 Florida on September 2, then travel to Texas, where they'll play No. 8 Texas A&M on the 11th and finally No. 2 Texas on the 13th.

Oregon opens the Big Ten slate

Whether or not Oregon is still ranked No. 25 by the time September 24 rolls around remains to be seen, but for the meantime, the Badgers are tasked with taking on a ranked opponent in their first conference match of the season.

First four conference games are against ranked opponents

If taking on the No. 25 Ducks wasn't daunting enough, Wisconsin will travel to No. 9 Purdue, host No. 16 Indiana, and then head to No. 14 Minnesota from September 24 to October 4.

All eyes on No. 1 Nebraska

In what could be a season-defining game for the Badgers, the projected top two teams in the Big Ten will square off on October 10 in Lincoln, Nebraska.

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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Everything to know ahead of Wisconsin Badgers' 2026 volleyball season