Badger volleyball reveals 2026 schedule

The Amarillo College volleyball program and head coach Scott Sandel announced its 2026 schedule this week, featuring 12 home games at the FirstBank Southwest Center.

Before the Badgers’ 31-match slate gets underway in Roswell, New Mexico, on Aug. 20, AC will prepare for its fall campaign with three preseason home events.

Badger fans will have their first opportunity to watch the 2026 unit compete during the Blue/White Scrimmage, set for Thursday, Aug. 13 at 4 p.m.

AC will then host its first-ever alumni match on Saturday, Aug. 15, beginning at 11 a.m. The Badgers will close out the preseason schedule on Tuesday, Aug. 18, vs. West Texas A&M University at 2 p.m.

All preseason events will be free to attend.

Schedule breakdown

Scott Sandel’s fourth year with the Badgers and the program’s fifth season since Amarillo College’s athletics reboot will begin once again in the Land of Enchantment.

AC will compete in the NMMI Classic for the third consecutive year in Rowell, New Mexico, Aug. 20-22.

The tourney’s schedule will be a formidable test out of the gates. Eastern Arizona (10), Casper (14), and Weatherford (2) finished the 2025 season ranked in the top 15.

The Badgers’ home opener follows on Monday, Aug. 24, vs. Lamar Community College, beginning at 6 p.m.

A lengthy road trip, featuring eight games, takes place over the next two weeks before AC returns to Amarillo for its home tournament, Sept. 10-12.

Unlike the previous two years, Sandel’s squad will begin its home tourney on a Thursday with an opening stanza against Blinn College.

The matchup will be AC’s second crack at the perennial powerhouse, which finished last fall as the No. 9-ranked NJCAA Division I program in the country. Another nugget of note – The Bucs ' second-year head coach Gregg Whitis, who took over for current West Texas A&M head volleyball coach Terry Gamble, was an assistant for Sandel at Northern Michigan University (2000-2002).

The second day of the AC tourney for the Badgers features matchups against Trinidad St. at 10 a.m. and a nightcap against McCook at 8 p.m.

The Badgers’ third annual home event concludes with a rematch vs. Navarro at 1 p.m.

AC’s is scheduled to host a pair of conference matches in September and four home WJCAC contests in October.

The following is the Badgers’ Western Junior College Athletic Conference home matchups: New Mexico Junior College (Saturday, Sept. 19), New Mexico Military Institute (Wednesday, Sept. 30), Frank Phillips (Saturday, Oct. 3), Clarendon (Saturday, Oct. 10), Midland (Saturday, Oct. 17), Odessa (Wednesday, Oct. 21), Western Texas (Saturday, Oct. 31).

The group of conference opponents features three 2025 national qualifiers in Odessa, Frank Phillips, and NMMI. Each program ended last season ranked in the top 12.

For the Badgers’ complete 2026 schedule with start times and locations, visit the team’s schedule page on acbadgers.com.