A program with a boatload of returning talent, the 2025 Valpo volleyball team will face a 29-match slate this fall, as the 2025 schedule was unveiled Monday.
 
The Beacons will have a stern test right out of the gate in the preseason, making the short trip to West Lafayette, Ind. to take on Purdue in an exhibition match Aug. 15. The Boilermakers went 27-7 last season, advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament and were ranked #9 in the final AVCA poll.
 
Two weeks later, the regular season opens up at the USI Invitational in Evansville, Ind. Valpo opens the season against host Southern Indiana — the first meeting in program history against the Screaming Eagles — before taking on Northern Kentucky and Saint Louis. The next weekend brings a tournament at Eastern Michigan, where the Beacons face Purdue Fort Wayne and Niagara in addition to the hosts.
 
A brief step away from tournament play comes on Tuesday, Sept. 9 with a visit to Northwestern for the first time in program history. Valpo returns to tournament action later that week with a trek to the Lehigh Steel Classic, facing off there against Lehigh, NJIT and Sacred Heart.
 
The preconference slate closes the weekend of Sept. 19-20 at Western Illinois' Leatherneck Classic. The Beacons' first match at WIU pits them against Missouri, which finished last season ranked #19 nationally and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. Valpo then caps the tournament with a matchup against Chicago State, which advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season after sweeping the Northeast Conference regular season and tournament titles.
 
The Missouri Valley Conference schedule opens up at the ARC Sept. 26 against Drake, kicking off the 16-match conference slate. Valpo will play Drake and UNI once apiece at home, Indiana State and Evansville once apiece on the road and the other six conference opponents twice in home-and-home matchups. The regular season concludes at the ARC Nov. 15 against Bradley.
 
The top six teams in the MVC regular season standings advance to the MVC Tournament, which opens Nov. 19 with seeds three and four hosting seeds six and five, respectively, in first-round matchups. The top two seeds will host their respective semifinal match on Nov. 22, with the top remaining seed hosting the title match on Nov. 25. The tournament champion will receive the MVC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
In an anomaly in this era of college athletics, the Valpo volleyball program brings back all 16 players who had remaining eligibility after last season and welcomes a pair of freshmen to the program as well. In all, 78.1% of the kills, 84.4% of the service aces, 78.0% of the digs and 93.9% of the blocks return in 2025 from the 2024 squad.

Volleyball season tickets are on sale now for only $98.  Anyone who purchases a season ticket will receive a Valpo Yard Sign (one per account) while supplies last!