Pitt volleyball will begin the 2026 campaign with two major tests, as the Panthers were announced as hosts for the Opening Spike Classic, featuring matchups against Kansas and Wisconsin.
The two-day event at Petersen Events Center will be televised nationally on ESPN and see Pitt play the Jayhawks Aug. 28 and Badgers on Aug. 30. Stanford and Wisconsin also play on the event’s first day, followed by the Jayhawks vs. the Cardinal on Day 2.
The Opening Spike Classic debuted last season with the Badgers playing host to matches featuring Kansas, Creighton and Texas.
“We’re excited to kick off opening weekend by hosting three of the best teams in the country,” Pitt coach Dan Fisher said in statement. “Fans can look forward to high-level volleyball right here in Pittsburgh. If we want to be the best, we have to play the best, and we’re doing that right away.”
The No. 1-seeded Panthers (28-4, 18-2 ACC) host No. 4 Minnesota at 7 p.m. Thursday in the NCAA Tournament regional semifinals.
A win over the Gophers would propel the Panthers, who have advanced to the Final Four for the last four consecutive seasons, to the Elite 8, where they’d face the winner of the regional semifinal match between No. 2 SMU and No. 3 Purdue.
Next year’s Opening Spike Classic participants — Stanford, Kansas and Wisconsin — are all also currently competing for a national title.
No. 4 Kansas faces No. 1 Nebraska on Friday night, while No. 2 Stanford and No. 3 Wisconsin square off in the afternoon.
The Opening Spike Classic is organized by PlayFly Sports in collaboration with JMI Sports, exclusive multimedia rights holder for Pitt Athletics.
“We are thrilled to be bringing this event back for a second year and to build on the momentum we created with the event launch last year,” said Michael Neuman, co-head of Playfly Sports Consulting. “The Opening Spike Classic is a celebration of women’s achievements in sports, and there is no better way to recognize that than by bringing together these top college volleyball teams to compete.”