Emmanuel is making the most of its only trip outside of the Southeast during the upcoming season.
Emmanuel as part of recently unveiling its 2027 schedule announced it will play a non-conference road match against Lewis on Jan. 30.
This early season match is the only opponent on the Lions’ schedule that finished last season ranked in the national coaches poll.
Lewis ended the 2026 season with a postseason upset victory against No. 15 Lindenwood and advanced to the MIVA Tournament semifinals. The Flyers also return multiple starters including First-Team All-MIVA setter Cameron Hoying.
Emmanuel last season ended a three-year postseason drought and reached the ConfCarolinas Tournament quarterfinals. All-ConfCarolinas libero Josh Staehler was sixth in the nation with a 2.55 digs per game average and had a team-high 13 digs in a regular-season finale upset victory against Mount Olive to clinch a postseason berth.
The Lions in the offseason also hired David Goss to be their new head coach. Goss is a former two-time All-American with Stanford who in 1992 set the NCAA single-match record with 55 kills.
This will be the third all-time meeting between Lewis and Emmanuel with the Flyers winning the most recent meeting in 2025.
2027 Emmanuel schedule
Jan. 16 at Fort Valley State
Jan. 27 vs. Fort Valley State
Jan. 29 at Roosevelt
Jan. 30 at Lewis
Feb. 9 vs. Johnson University
Feb. 11 at Barry
Feb. 12 at Barry
Feb. 17 at Lincoln Memorial
Feb. 20 at Erskine
Feb. 24 at Life
Feb. 26 vs. Lincoln Memorial
Feb. 27 vs. North Greenville
March 2 vs. Cumberland
March 12 at Mount Olive
March 13 at Barton
March 19 vs. Lees-McRae
March 20 vs. King
March 21 at Belmont Abbey
April 2 vs. Barton
April 3 vs. Mount Olive
April 7 vs. Erskine
April 9 at North greenville
April 13 vs. Belmont Abbey
April 16 at King
April 17 at Lees-McRae