Northern Michigan's volleyball team begins its 2026 campaign at home Thursday, Aug. 27, with the UP North Tournament, a three-day, 12-match event at Vandament Arena in Marquette running through Saturday, Aug. 29.
The Wildcats were picked fourth in the GLIAC preseason coaches poll announced Monday, Aug. 24, with 73 points. NMU returns two All-GLIAC Second Team honorees in senior setter Allie Barlow and senior Liesl Haugen after tying for second in the conference standings last season with 12 league wins.
Barlow posted 1,088 assists in 2025, averaging 10.06 per set, both second-best in the GLIAC, according to NMU Athletics. Haugen tallied at least 20 digs in 12 of her 24 matches.
Seven schools will compete across the three days: NMU, Winona State, St. Cloud State, Minnesota Duluth, Tiffin (Ohio), Michigan Tech and Cal State East Bay, according to NMU's official schedule.
NMU's schedule
- Thursday, Aug. 27: vs. Winona State, 2:30 p.m.; vs. St. Cloud State, 6:30 p.m.
- Friday, Aug. 28: vs. Minnesota Duluth, 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 29: vs. Tiffin, 4:30 p.m.
Friday is the tournament's busiest day with five matches starting at 9 a.m.
Michigan Tech in the field
The Huskies, seventh in the GLIAC poll at 49 points, play three matches beginning Friday, Aug. 28 at 2 p.m. against St. Cloud State. Michigan Tech returns 10 players from 2025 under second-year head coach Cindy Pindral, including four All-GLIAC honorees, and adds seven newcomers, per the Huskies' athletics department.
GLIAC landscape
Ferris State tops the preseason poll with 99 points and nine first-place votes after back-to-back NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearances. Grand Valley State sits second (90 points), Wayne State third (78). Lake Superior State was picked 10th with 16 points, according to WZMQ.
Tickets and what's next
Admission runs $12 for a single match, $20 for a day pass and $40 for an all-tournament pass for the general public. Students under 18 pay $10 per match, $15 per day or $20 for the full tournament. Seniors, military members and NMU faculty and staff get in for $10 per match. NMU students with a paid athletic fee enter free.
After the tournament wraps Saturday, NMU heads to Cal State East Bay for a Thursday, Sept. 3 match at 5 p.m. in Hayward, California.
