MOSCOW, Idaho - After a long offseason, Idaho Volleyball is finally back on the court.
Fresh off a 2025 campaign where they matched the previous three seasons' win totals combined, the Vandals are eager to get back to it, looking to take the next step and bring the program back to the Big Sky Tournament for the first time since 2020.
The first step of this pursuit takes place in Columbia, Missouri, where the Black and Gold will begin a non-conference slate filled with top-quality teams across the country. UI, along with Towson and Western Illinois, will travel to SEC country for the Mizzou Invitational at the Hearnes Center.
Sticking to the standard non-conference style, the invite will feature a round-robin format, where each of the four teams will play each other across three days. Idaho will open the weekend, and the season, against the Towson Tigers on Friday, Aug. 28, before taking on the host Missouri Tigers on Saturday and the Western Illinois Leathernecks to wrap up the action on Sunday.
ABOUT TOWSON
Towson has been a powerhouse in the CAA for over a decade, as the Tigers have won 20+ contests in every full-length season but one since 2013. Last season, they marched out to a 21-6 regular-season record and secured the #3 seed in the conference tournament by way of a 12-4 league performance.
Head coach Don Metil is entering his 14th season with Towson, having accumulated four of the program's five CAA titles, five league Coach of the Year awards, and cemented himself as the school's all-time winner at the position.
ABOUT MISSOURI
A regular SEC contender, Missouri finished 17-11 and 8-7 in conference matches in 2025, notching wins over LSU, Ole Miss, and Auburn. Head coach Dawn Sullivan, mother of Idaho senior Sarah Sullivan, is entering her fourth year at the helm and signed an extension this past offseason to keep her in Columbia through 2029. She has accumulated a 57-33 record running the show for the Tigers, taking them to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament in 2024.
ABOUT WESTERN ILLINOIS
Coming off a 7-24 campaign in 2025, Western Illinois enters the year under first-year head coach Mari Silva. She is coming from four seasons on staff at Towson, where she helped guide the Tigers to one of the most successful stretches in program history under Don Metil. In her time working closely with the liberos and setters, Silva coached up her players to multiple All-CAA honors, including Sydney Stewart, the league's Libero of the Year in 2025.
UP NEXT
Idaho will remain on the road for the non-conference slate, traveling to the Mile High City along with Marist and SIUE for the Denver Invitational, hosted by the titular Pioneers.
FOLLOW THE VANDALS
To stay up to date with Vandal Volleyball, follow the team on Instagram (vandalvolleyball), X (IdahoVolleyball) and visit govandals.com
