FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Fayetteville State volleyball begins its 2026 campaign this weekend at the Pickle Invitational hosted by the University of Mount Olive. The Broncos enter the season with lofty expectations after being selected as the preseason favorite to win the CIAA and will face a challenging non-conference slate against Wingate, Georgia College, and host Mount Olive.
The opening weekend will provide an early test for a Bronco squad looking to build momentum before conference play begins later this month.
Weekend Schedule
Friday, September 4
Saturday, September 5
- vs. Georgia College, 11:00 a.m.
- vs. Mount Olive, 7:00 p.m.
All matches will be played at Kornegay Arena in Mount Olive, North Carolina.
Scouting the Wingate Bulldogs
The Broncos open the season against a hot Wingate squad that enters the weekend with a 2-0 record after defeating Lee and host Lander at the Lander Invitational. Wingate has long been one of the premier NCAA Division II volleyball programs in the Southeast and will provide an immediate measuring stick for Fayetteville State's season opener.
Scouting the Georgia College Bobcats
Saturday begins with a meeting against Georgia College. The Bobcats enter the weekend searching for their first victory after opening the season 0-4 at the Bobcat Classic, where they faced West Alabama, Southern Wesleyan, Carson-Newman, and Albany State.
The contest marks the first of two matches on Saturday for the Broncos and provides another regional challenge before the evening showdown with the tournament host.
Scouting the Mount Olive Trojans
The weekend concludes against host Mount Olive. The Trojans have already opened their season and carry a 2-1 record into the week after victories over Mars Hill and Fort Valley State.
Playing the host school in the tournament finale will give Fayetteville State a match-up against a team that has already accumulated valuable early-season experience.
Looking Ahead
This weekend marks the beginning of what the Broncos hope will be a championship season. After being selected as the CIAA preseason favorite, Fayetteville State opens 2026 with three challenging non-conference match-ups against Wingate, Georgia College, and Mount Olive before turning its attention toward conference play.
Follow the Broncos
Fans can follow all of Fayetteville State's matches throughout the Pickle Invitational with live statistics and video streaming provided by the University of Mount Olive.
📊 Live Stats:
https://umotrojans.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary
📺 Live Video Stream (Conference Carolinas Digital Network):
https://conferencecarolinasdn.com/umotrojans/?B=4072069
For complete post-match coverage, recaps, statistics, and updates throughout the weekend, visit FSUBroncos.com and follow@FSUBroncos on social media.
First Serve: Friday, Sept. 4 at 3:00 p.m. against Wingate in Mount Olive, North Carolina.
