The Big 12 is trying to get more visibility for a conference that had 10 of its 15 teams finish in the top 50 and 13 in the top 100 of RPI last season. Big 12 Volleyball Opening Set is part of that initiative. The virtual media days will run a week before a Big 12 Season Preview.
Opening Set will stream on ESPN+ as well as being available on BYUtv and Big 12 Studios in mid-August. It is the second year for the event, although last year’s was not well publicized. That was addressed in the second iteration
with the conference sending out a press release several weeks before the event.
The event will encompass two days, beginning on Aug. 11 at 11 a.m. MST on ESPN+ with simulcasts on BYUtv and Big 12 Studios. It will continue on Aug. 12, also beginning at 11 a.m. MST, on ESPN+. It will be hosted by BYUtv’s by Spencer Linton with additional analysis by Amy Gant, Alex Jean Glover, and Sophie Smith. BYUtv will produce the event at its Provo studio. The quartet will return with analysis for the Big 12 Season Preview on Aug. 19 at 4:30 p.m. MST on ESPNU.
In addition to the previews, the new Big 12 is also introducing an in-season challenge. The conference does not hold a postseason tournament, but the challenge will use the in-season tournament format that has become common in several professional sports to take its place.
The challenge will use all conference matches played from Thursday, Oct 1 through Sunday, Nov. 1 to determine a champion via overall record. This stretch includes the “Rivalry Week” from Oct. 15-18 when all teams will play a rival.
Arizona’s 10 matches during the in-season tournament begin on Friday, Oct. 2 with a home match against Iowa State. The Wildcats will continue with matches against Texas Tech, at TCU, at Baylor, at ASU, against BYU, at West Virginia, at Cincinnati, against Houston, and against UCF. The Rivalry Week match will be at ASU on Thursday, Oct. 15.
Arizona’s preparation for the season starts with the Red-Blue match on Aug. 15, followed by exhibitions against Grand Canyon and at New Mexico. The Wildcats start matches that count on Aug. 28 with the Wildcat Classic. The home tournament will include the only three nonconference matches Arizona will play in McKale Center this season. It does not play another home match until ISU comes to town on Oct. 2.
The Wildcats made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 last season and won a tournament match for the first time since 2016. They finished 38th in the final RPI with a 17-13 record.
According to VB Bracketology, Arizona will face the 19th most difficult nonconference schedule this season based on opponent’s final records in 2025. That’s the No. 3 schedule in the conference behind ASU (8) and TCU (13).
The Big 12 season starts with defending conference champion ASU taking on Texas in the 2026 AVCA First Serve, which begins on Aug. 21. The Sun Devils play on the second day of the event.
