RUSTON - Louisiana Tech Volleyball unveiled its 2026 schedule Friday as the Bulldogs prepare to begin a new era in the Sun Belt Conference under second-year head coach Scott Mattera.

The Bulldogs will play 13 regular-season home matches inside the Thomas Assembly Center, highlighted by two home tournaments and the program's Sun Belt opener against Southern Miss.

Louisiana Tech opens the regular season Aug. 28-30 by hosting the Jambalaya Jam, welcoming Iona, Houston Christian, and Little Rock to Ruston before returning home Sept. 10-12 for the Bulldog Bash featuring Grambling State, Mississippi Valley State, and McNeese.
Combined with a Sept. 8 matchup against Alcorn State, Bulldog fans will have six opportunities to see the Bulldogs before conference play begins.

"Being able to host two of our four non-conference weekends is a really big deal," said Mattera. "When you pair that with 13 home matches and a schedule that doesn't overlap with home football weekends, there are a lot of great opportunities for Tech fans to come out, support our team and experience volleyball inside the Thomas Assembly Center."

Louisiana Tech's non-conference slate also includes tournaments hosted by Omaha and Abilene Christian, along with road matches against Northwestern State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Exhibition play begins Aug. 18 against Ouachita Baptist inside the Thomas Assembly Center before the Bulldogs travel to Southern on Aug. 22 for a second preseason tune-up.

The 2026 season also marks the beginning of a new era as Louisiana Tech opens its first campaign in the Sun Belt Conference.

"Everyone is excited about the move to the Sun Belt," Mattera said. "Volleyball is a sport built on rivalries, and having the opportunity to compete against familiar regional opponents throughout the conference schedule is only going to make our program stronger while creating an even better experience for our student-athletes and our fans."

Competing in the league's West Division, the Bulldogs will face familiar regional opponents, including Southern Miss, South Alabama, UL-Lafayette, ULM, and Arkansas State, while adding Troy to the divisional schedule. Conference play consists of a two-match series hosted at a single site, while the Bulldogs' crossover opponents from the East Division will be Old Dominion and Georgia State.

Louisiana Tech opens Sun Belt play Sept. 25-26 by hosting Southern Miss before traveling for a road series at South Alabama and UL-Lafayette. The Bulldogs return home Oct. 16-17 to welcome Troy before making the short trip to Monroe to take on ULM.

Old Dominion visits the Thomas Assembly Center Oct. 30-31 in the West-East crossover series, while Arkansas State closes the home schedule Nov. 6-7.

Louisiana Tech wraps up the regular season with a crossover series at Georgia State before the Sun Belt Volleyball Championship is held Nov. 19-22 in Foley, Alabama.

"We're excited to get the fall schedule out so our fans can start marking their calendars," said Mattera. "There's a lot of momentum surrounding Louisiana Tech Volleyball right now. We finished last season by knocking off two conference tournament teams during our final two home weekends, our team GPA climbed above a 3.5, and we've added an outstanding recruiting class that our fans will get to see this fall. It's an exciting time to be a Bulldog volleyball fan."

Admission to all Louisiana Tech Volleyball home matches is free.

Planning a trip to Ruston this season? Book your hotel through GoTechTravel.com. Whether you're visiting for Bulldog Volleyball or traveling for any occasion, you'll receive the same great hotel rates while helping support Louisiana Tech student-athletes.

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Join us inside the Thomas Assembly Center this season as the Bulldogs begin a new era in the Sun Belt Conference. Admission to all home matches is free, so come out, support the Bulldogs, and Bark Louder all season long.

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