The Valparaiso University tennis program has revealed its schedule for the 2026-2027 season, the first year of James Gleghorn's head coaching tenure at Valpo.
 
Gleghorn will make his Valpo debut against his former team, as the Beacons host Indiana Wesleyan on Sept. 12 at 10 a.m. at The Valpo Tennis Complex. The season opener against the Wildcats will be the first of two matches that day for the Beacons, who will host Huntington at 3 p.m.
 
The fall slate continues with a pair of visits to Normal, Ill. for events hosted by Illinois State – the Redbird Duals (Sept. 26-27) and the Redbird Invitational (Oct. 2-4). Valpo will wrap up the fall by taking part in the ITA Midwest Regional (Oct. 8-11), hosted by the University of Illinois.
 
The Beacons will face three power-4 conference opponents this season, starting with the spring opener on Jan. 16 at Big Ten foe Indiana. Valpo will head to Madison, Wis. on Feb. 14 to play at Big Ten member Wisconsin and a neutral-court match against Arkansas. The Badgers were an NCAA Tournament team last season. Valpo has not played a dual match against a power-conference (Big 12, Big Ten, SEC, ACC or the old PAC-12) opponent since March 9, 2011 against Virginia Tech. The season opener against Indiana will be Valpo's first match against a Big Ten opponent since April 13, 2006 against Michigan State.
 
Valpo will host a trio of nonconference road matches, welcoming Chicago State (Jan. 18), Oakland (Feb. 13) and IU Indy (March 27). Other nonconference road opponents include Milwaukee (Feb. 20), Marquette (Feb. 21), Southern Indiana (March 7), Charleston Southern (March 11), Eastern Michigan (March 20) and Purdue Northwest (March 30), plus a neutral-site match against Campbell in Charleston, S.C. on March 10.
 
The Beacons will face a road-heavy conference slate this season, with five of the seven matches and each of the first five slated to take place away from home. Valpo will play at Illinois State (April 3), Bradley (April 4), UIC (April 11), Drake (April 17) and UNI (April 18) before finally coming home to host Murray State (April 24) and Belmont (April 25) in the final two regular-season matches prior to the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
 
Home matches will take place at the Valpo Tennis Complex when weather permits, or at The Courts of Northwest Indiana when weather forces the match to be played indoors. The Beacons are coming off a 12-8 record and the program's highest win total in 20 years.