UE opens season on August 29
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Set to open his first season leading the University of Evansville volleyball program, head coach Zach Weinberg has announced the full 2025 season schedule.
“Our staff is really excited about the slate of matches we’ve lined up for this season. This schedule will present lots of opportunities to learn about ourselves as we head into Valley play, and with so many new faces in the program (mine included), it will be good to get everyone truly integrated,” Weinberg said. “Having Michigan State inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse, as our home opener, is a great opportunity to show a Big 10 institution the level of community and fan support we have here in Evansville and at UE. I hope we can sell out Meeks and have that be an incredible atmosphere for a huge match!”
“Renewing the home and home rivalry with USI was a non-negotiable, in my mind. The two teams always play competitive matches, and when rivalries and bragging rights are at play, stats and history get thrown out the window. Those will be competitive matches, and I’m excited to bring the city together to witness it,” Weinberg added. “Before any “official” matches get underway, we will host our Purple & Orange scrimmage in Meeks at 6PM on Friday, August 22nd. Admission will be free, and it will be the fans’ first chance to see the 2025 Aces live and in person! Aces Fans-we’d love to have you there! 2025 is going to be a great building season for us, and I can’t wait to see everyone in Meeks Family Fieldhouse this year!”
Following an exhibition match on August 23 at Lindenwood, the Purple Aces open the regular season on Friday, August 29 at the Butler Big Dawg Kickoff in Indianapolis. UE faces Butler in the opener while completing the weekend with contests against Middle Tennessee State and Purdue Fort Wayne.
In the home opener on Wednesday, September 3, Evansville welcomes Big Ten foe Michigan State. It will mark the first time a Big Ten school has played inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse since the first match at the facility on Sept. 8, 2017 when UE welcomed Indiana University.
Non-conference action continues on Sept. 4-5 when the squad travels to Atlanta for the GSU Invitational. Hosted by Georgia State, the Aces take on Florida A&M, Queens, and host GSU. Florida A&M is the reigning SWAC Champion, posting a perfect 16-0 league mark on the way to the NCAA Tournament.
UE returns to campus for a home tournament on the 12th and 13th. UAB, Western Illinois, and Morehead State comprise the event. WIU won 17 matches last season while the Eagles represented the Ohio Valley Conference in the NCAA Tournament. Non-conference action wraps up with a home-and-home versus USI. The teams meet up in Meeks Family Fieldhouse on Sept. 18 while the Aces make the trek across town two days later.
Missouri Valley Conference action opens with a home contest versus Bradley on Sept. 26. UE heads to Southern Illinois on the 27th for its first league road match. October begins with home matches versus Belmont and Indiana State on the 3rd and 4th.
Five of the next six matches take place on the road with the stretch opening on Oct. 10 with a road tilt at UNI. The Panthers were a perfect 18-0 in the Valley last season and went 23-7 overall. The weekend continues at Drake, who won 20 matches a season ago while posting a 16-2 MVC mark. The road trip continues on Oct. 14 with a contest at Indiana State.
Evansville faces UNI at home on the 18th before traveling to Belmont and Murray State on the 24th and 25. On Halloween, the Aces host UIC before squaring off against Valparaiso on November 1. Following a road swing to Illinois State and Bradley (Nov. 6-7), UE completes the regular season at home against Drake and Southern Illinois on the 14th and 15th.
The MVC Tournament runs from Nov. 19-25 and will be hosted by the higher seed.
