Pitt Volleyball set to play Kentucky in 2026 season opener

The Pitt volleyball team is set to open the 2026 season against 2025 National Runner-Up Kentucky on Aug. 23, 2026, at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Pitt leads the all-time series against Kentucky, 7–3, and enters this matchup on a four-match winning streak. The Panthers swept the Wildcats in the last meeting at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, where Olivia Babcock contributed 15 kills to the victory.

Kentucky reached the national championship match in 2025 but was defeated by Texas A&M in straight sets. Meanwhile, the Pitt volleyball team has made five straight National Semifinal appearances and has won four consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference Championships.

Star player Babcock, a two-time AVCA National Player of the Year, will return for the 2026 season. Additionally, the 2024 AVCA National Freshman of the Year, Izzy Starck, is set to make her debut in Wisconsin alongside other talented newcomers.

The general public sale for tickets will begin on Jan. 30, 2026.

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