ROCK HILL, S.C. -- The Winthrop University volleyball team has unveiled their 2026 schedule, head coach Heather Gearhart announced on Wednesday. 

The Eagles will play a 23-match regular season schedule, headlined by a non-conference slate that features a pair of Power Four opponents in Virginia Tech and Ohio State alongside a deep field of top mid-major programs. The season will close with Winthrop serving as host of the Big South Conference Volleyball Championship at Winthrop Coliseum. 

The Eagles are coming off a 2025 season which saw them claim the Big South Conference regular season title, their first since 2019. Avery Jolley was named Big South Player of the Year and Gearhart earned Coach of the Year honors, while Winthrop placed six honorees on the All-Conference teams. 

Winthrop will host a pair of tune ups to start the year, welcoming Furman on August 15 and Coastal Carolina on August 22 to Winthrop Coliseum for two exhibitions. 

The Eagles open the regular season on the road at the Davidson Tournament, traveling to Davidson, N.C. to face the Wildcats on August 28 and Wofford on August 29. Winthrop then returns home for its regular season home opener, hosting Power Four foe Virginia Tech on September 3 before welcoming Old Dominion on September 5. The Eagles will then make the trip to Columbus, Ohio for a three-day tournament hosted by Ohio State, taking on the Buckeyes on September 11, Youngstown State on September 12 and Southern Indiana on September 13. Winthrop closes out its non-conference slate with its final home tournament, hosting UNC Wilmington on September 18 and NC Central on September 19. 

Big South play begins September 26 as the Eagles travel to Gardner-Webb. Winthrop then returns to Rock Hill for a home weekend against Charleston Southern (Oct. 2) and Presbyterian (Oct. 3). The Eagles hit the road the following week, facing Radford (Oct. 9) and High Point (Oct. 10), before returning home to host UNC Asheville (Oct. 16) and USC Upstate (Oct. 17). Winthrop then plays four straight conference matches away from Rock Hill, traveling to Presbyterian (Oct. 23) and Charleston Southern (Oct. 24), followed by USC Upstate (Oct. 30) and UNC Asheville (Oct. 31). 

The Eagles will wrap regular season conference play with a four-match home stand, hosting High Point (Nov. 6), Radford (Nov. 7) and closing things out with the final home match and senior night against Gardner-Webb on November 13. 

The Big South Conference Volleyball Championship will be held at the Winthrop Coliseum, with the Eagles hosting the event beginning Thursday, November 19. 

Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased HERE.