Miami, FL – Here is the Conference USA preview for the 2026 FIU volleyball season. We’ll be taking a look at the matchups and what it can look like for this season based on previous years.
Last year, FIU went 12-4 in conference play with a 20-12 overall record. Under first-year head coach in Flavia Siqueira, FIU only returns two players from the 2025 roster. In the upcoming season, the Panthers will face eight conference opponents. Here is how FIU has previously matched up against them.
The first CUSA matchup is not until September 25-26 when the Panthers head to Springfield, Missouri to take on the Bears of Missouri State. Last season, FIU swept the Bears, going 2-0 in the regular season and then sweeping them in the semi-final round of the Conference USA tournament.
we’re back in ONE MONTH 🥳
Check out the full schedule on https://t.co/lakA3XywyI 📆 pic.twitter.com/sEq00rZhXm
— FIU Volleyball (@FIUVolleyball) July 28, 2026
October
FIU opens up the month of October against Kennesaw State. In 2025, the Owls posted a 19-9 record, going 12-4 in conference play. When these two teams squared off in Georgia, the Panthers dropped both games. In one matchup last year, the Panthers were up 2 sets to none but weren’t able to close it out. It could be different this year as the matches will be played at home. These matches will take place on October 2-3.
Middle Tennessee State is the next opponent FIU takes on. Although the all-time record may not show it (16-34), FIU took both games against the Blue Raiders. The following weekend on the 16th and 17th, Liberty is in town, which the Panthers have historically played well against (6-2). The one matchup last season was in the postseason, where FIU did not drop a set. Still, not a team to sit back on as Liberty went 20-10 (8-8 CUSA).
The next two weekends are some of the tougher parts of the conference schedule, beginning at Jacksonville State. These have had competitive matchups, but the Panthers have the edge (5-2 overall, 2-0 last season). Last year, FIU had a gutsy performance, coming back from down two sets to none to win the match. But then comes the weekend of Halloween.
On the 30th and 31st, Western Kentucky University comes to town, which will be a Conference USA championship rematch. Western Kentucky has dominated not just FIU (48-7 all-time) but CUSA in general (63-1 in CUSA matchups the past 4 seasons). It’s a challenge to close out the month as the Panthers can dive into November. The Panthers took the Hilltoppers to a fifth set in the championship game, so never say never to dethroning one of the most dominant volleyball teams in the country.
November
Delaware is a team that FIU does not have a large sample size against, but they are undefeated (3-0). Those matches will take place on November 6 and 7. The Panthers will welcome the New Mexico State Aggies on November 13 and 14. The Panthers are 1-14 all-time against the Aggies, with their last meeting in 2024. NSMSU posted a 14-16 record, but went 7-4 in conference play.
Outlook
As said before, with FIU having a great conference record last season and there being so much turnover, it is tough to predict exactly what can happen.
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