The countdown is over. UTEP volleyball is back on the court, and this time the stakes feel different. After a 25-5 campaign, a Conference USA regular-season title, and back-to-back NCAA Tournament bids, the Miners aren’t sneaking up on anybody anymore — they’re walking into 2026 as a target. This season comes with a twist: it’s UTEP’s first ride in the Mountain West Conference, a massive step up in competition and exposure.
El Paso, get ready. This is the most anticipated volleyball season Memorial Gym has seen in years.
The Preparations
Head coach Ben Wallis has had his group grinding through the preseason the hard way — on the road, against teams that won’t do them any favors. The Miners opened with a pair of true road tests, an exhibition trip to Arizona State on Aug. 15 and another at Texas Tech on Aug. 22. That’s not a soft warmup. Arizona State is the reigning Big 12 champion. Games like these build toughness.
That’s the whole point. Wallis isn’t scheduling this program to pad a record anymore. He is building calyss.
A Non-Conference Slate With Teeth
Once the real games start, the pressure doesn’t let up. UTEP’s 2026 non-conference schedule includes six opponents that finished inside the top 50 of last year’s NCAA RPI rankings — a signal of just how much respect this program has earned. The Miners themselves finished the 2025 season ranked No. 19 nationally.
Season Opener: Circling Aug. 29-30
Here’s what to mark on the calendar. UTEP officially opens the 2026 campaign at the NMSU Tournament, a road-and-home doubleheader weekend that’s become an early-season staple for this rivalry.
- Saturday, Aug. 29 — The Miners travel to Las Cruces to take on Tulsa, last year’s American Athletic Conference champion, as the true season opener.
- Sunday, Aug. 30 — UTEP comes home to Memorial Gym for its home opener against in-state rival New Mexico State, a White Out game that always brings an electric crowd.
That Tulsa matchup is no gimme. Beating a reigning conference champion in the very first match of the year and would be a statement win — exactly the kind Wallis wants his team making early.
Who to Watch
This is a program that returns real continuity after a 25-win season, and how the returning core carries that momentum into a new, tougher conference will be the story to track all fall.
Where to Watch
Home matches at Memorial Gym are always the move if you can get there — nothing beats live volleyball with the Sun City crowd making noise. For road and conference action, Mountain West matches will stream on the conference’s new subscription platform, so make sure that’s set up before September hits.
What to Watch
This is a program with something to prove in a brand-new league. The schedule is harder, the stakes are higher, and the Miners have already shown they’re not backing down from the challenge. Aug. 29 against Tulsa is circled — but Aug. 30 at home is where El Paso gets its first look at this new-era squad.
Buckle up, Miners fans. This one’s going to be fun to watch unfold.
