New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz officially released its 2026 women's volleyball schedule today.

The 2026 season marks the beginning of a new era for the Hawks, as they begin competition in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) and NCAA DIII Region IV.

The 2026 schedule features 21 teams which qualified for their respective postseason tournaments in 2025. Included in that group are two conference champions who earned NCAA DIII berths, two conference finalists and seven conference tourney semifinalists. Six squads were ranked within their respective NCAA DIII regions at season's end.

New Paltz faces Western Connecticut State University to open the 2026 season at home on September 1. The weekend of September 4-5 sees the Hawks travel to Virginia Beach, VA to the Batten University Marlin Invitational where they will face the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Millikin University (IL), Swarthmore College (PA) and William Peace University (NC). September 11-12 Is the Hawk Invitational where New Paltz will face off against cross-rive rival Vassar College, Colby-Sawyer College (NH), and Springfield College. September 15 puts the Hawks at the University of Hartford. Then the Hawks are in New York City on September 19 at the Baruch College Tri-Match, facing Baruch and the University of Mt. St. Vincent. New Paltz opens the NJAC season at Ramapo College of New Jersey on September 22. Hosting the annual New Paltz Challenge, the Hawks will face John Jay College, Alfred University, and Moravian College (PA) on September 25-26. New Paltz hosts its first NJAC match, against Montclair State University on September 29.

October 1 will see New Paltz at William Paterson University and on October 3, the Hawks will compete in the Union College Tri-Match, against host Union and SUNY Plattsburgh. New Paltz is home on October 6, hosting Kean University and are the host for the New Paltz Tri-Match against Centenary University (PA) and Brooklyn College. October 13 continues the home stand, against Rutgers University-Camden. October 17 sees the Hawks travel down the Garden State Parkway for a tri-match against Stockton University and Swarthmore College. The final home match is October 22, against Rowan University. New Paltz closes out the NJAC and regular season wih three matches on the road, first on October 27 at Rutgers University-Newark, then on to Dunmore, PA to face host Marywood University and Clarkson University on October 31.

The 2026 NJAC postseason tournament begins with the quarterfinals on November 10, semifinals on November 11 and the championship match on November 14. The NJAC champion will have their ticket punched to the 2026 NCAA DIII tournament, with regional matches scheduled for November 19-21 and the national semifinal and championship matches on December 2-5 at the UPMC Cooper Fielhouse in Pittsburgh, PA.

Check out the full 2026 women's volleyball schedule here.

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