Arizona volleyball sets 2024 nonconference schedule

Arizona volleyball released its first Big 12 Conference schedule at the beginning of April, but the Wildcats were still finalizing their nonconference schedule at that time. It has now been posted.

The season kicks off on Friday, Aug. 30 with the Cactus Classic in McKale Center. The Wildcats start their first home tournament with a matchup against Boise State at 6 p.m. That is followed by a match against VCU on Saturday and Tennessee State on Sunday.

Arizona goes on the road to Montgomery, Ala. for the second week of the season. It plays host Alabama State on Thursday, Sept. 5. Prairie View A&M is on the slate for Friday, Sept. 6 and Alabama on Saturday, Sept. 7.

The Wildcats stay on the road to take part in New Mexico State’s tournament during week three. They play both Abilene Christian and Texas Southern on Friday, Sept. 13, and wrap things up with the host Aggies on Saturday, Sept. 14.

UA finally returns to McKale Center for the Wildcat Classic on Friday, Sept. 20 to finish out the nonconference portion of the schedule. The weekend starts against Southern Utah. UC San Diego is up next on Saturday, and North Dakota State finishes things on Sunday, Sept. 22.

The Wildcats start their first Big 12 season on the road at Baylor on Wednesday, Sept. 25.

Arizona head coach Rita Stubbs gave her team a considerably easier challenge in nonconference play this year. Her first season featured five teams that made the NCAA Tournament, including then-No. 1 Wisconsin on the road. The team then went into the tough Pac-12. The result was an 8-23 overall record and a 3-17 run in the final year of the Pac-12.

This year, the Wildcats will not play a team that made the 2023 tournament until conference play. Their only major conference opponent is Alabama, which went 11-18 overall and 1-17 in the SEC last year.