The two-time defending SIAC champions are not shying away from tough non-conference matches.
Fort Valley State as part of unveiling its 2026 schedule announced it will play five road matches against teams that ended last season in the top 10 of the national coaches poll.
The team in the opening weeks of the season will travel to the West Coast to play the defending NCAA champions Long Beach State, the NCAA Tournament runner-ups UCLA and USC. Fort Valley State also will travel back out West in March for a two-match road series against BYU.
The Wildcats finished last season undefeated in the SIAC en route to winning the conference championship and returning to the NCAA Tournament.
Among the starters returning for the Wildcats includes outside attacker Isaiah Fedd, the 2025 SIAC Player of the Year. Fedd finished last season in the nation’s top 15 with a 3.87 kills per game average and had a match-high 14 kills on a .357 attack percentage in a loss to Long Beach State in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.
Fort Valley State is a combined 0-8 all-time against Long Beach State, UCLA and USC. In addition, the series with BYU will be the first all-time meeting between the two programs.
Fort Valley State 2026 schedule
Jan. 11 at Queens
Jan. 22 at UCLA
Jan. 23 at Long Beach State
Jan. 24 at USC
Feb. 6 at Barton
Feb. 7 at Mount Olive
Feb. 13 vs. Quincy
Feb. 14 vs. Quincy
Feb. 17 vs. Emmanuel
Feb. 19 vs. Barry
Feb. 27 vs. Lindenwood
Feb. 28 vs. Newberry
March 4 vs. Benedict
March 6 at Emmanuel
March 7 at Benedict
March 13 at BYU
March 14 at BYU
March 18 vs. Kentucky State
March 21 vs. Kentucky State
March 27 at Central State
March 28 at Central State
April 3 at LeMoyne-Owen
April 4 at LeMoyne-Owen
April 8 at Edward Waters
April 11 vs. Edward Waters