OPENING SERVE: After a Rocky Mountain District Championship and an eighth-place finish at the NJCAA National Tournament, the Snow College volleyball team begins its 2026 season at the Scooter's Invitational Friday in Garden City, Kansas.
 
The Badgers will kick off the tournament against Pratt Community College beginning at 10:00 a.m. before a meeting with Garden City Community College at 4:00 p.m. They'll wrap up the tournament against No. 14 Frank Phillips College Saturday at 10:00 before their final matchup of the two-day event against Northwest College at 1:00 p.m.
 
A DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP TO REMEMBER: The Badgers claimed their third district championship in program history after defeating No. 10 Eastern Arizona College last season. It's the first since winning consecutive district championships between the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
 
It was the second consecutive season the Badgers and the Gila Monsters have met in the Rocky Mountain District Championship. EAC got the better of the Badgers in 2025 in Ephraim, but Snow College returned the favor, earning a 3-2 victory to punch its ticket to the NJCAA National Tournament for the first time since 2021.
 
PREVIOUSLY ON: The Badgers began the 2025 season with a rocky start. They dropped each of their first four matchups, including a game against the reigning national champions No. 1 Florida Southwestern State College.
 
Snow College rebounded nicely and went on a six-game winning streak, including a victory against No. 6 Northeastern Junior College at the LCCC Invitational in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The roller coaster ride continued as they dropped their next five to conclude the non-conference schedule.
 
The Badgers collected two victories over ranked teams to begin Scenic West Athletic Conference play. They won six of their seven total sets to take both matches against Utah State University Eastern, which was ranked inside the top 10 during each meeting.
 
After winning four of their first seven conference games, the Badgers won two of their final three, including a 3-1 win against No. 5 Salt Lake Community College. They concluded SWAC play with a 6-4 overall record and entered the Region 18 Tournament as the three seed.
 
Snow College met No. 16 College of Southern Idaho in the first round of the Region 18 Tournament. The Badgers fell into a 2-1 deficit against the Golden Eagles but won the last two sets to enter the Region 18 Championship for the second consecutive season.
 
The Badgers came up short in the Region 18 Championship against SLCC, but earned the right to travel to Thatcher, Arizona, to play in the Rocky Mountain B District Championship. Snow College reverse-swept the Gila Monsters to win the championship and secure an automatic bid into the NJCAA National Tournament.
 
The Badgers entered the National Tournament as a 12 seed and defeated No. 5 Barton County Community College 3-0 in the first round. This was the only victory for the team as they would go on to claim an eighth-place finish.
 
2025 BY THE NUMBERS: The Badgers recorded a total of 1,343 kills – a .180 hitting percentage – during the 2025 season. Snow College had seven members of the team record 100 kills or more.
 
The Badgers recorded 1,250 assists throughout the season, which is the third-most in program history and the most since the 2021 season. Ema Thompson accounted for nearly half of those assists as she recorded 639 during the year.
 
Defensively, the Badgers tallied 292 total blocks, one behind the mark set in 2013, for second-best in team history. Four members of the 2025 team recorded 50 total blocks or more.
 
SNEAK PEEK AT THE SCHEDULE: After the Badgers conclude the Scooter's Invitational, they will travel to Cheyenne, Wyoming, to participate in the Laramie County Community College Invitational beginning Aug. 28.
 
They will face off against four teams ranked inside the NJCAA Division I Volleyball Preseason Poll, including Colby Community College, Northeastern Junior College, New Mexico Military Institute, and Casper College.
 
They'll face three opponents at the Starr Corporation Invitational hosted by the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls Sept. 4. Snow College's opponents will include Treasure Valley Community College, Western Nebraska Community College, and Central Wyoming College.
 
The Badgers' final non-conference matches of the season will come at the Bruin Bash hosted by Salt Lake Community College Sept. 11. They'll face the defending national champion Miami Dade College as well as Trinity Valley Community College, Eastern Wyoming College, and Odessa College.
 
Snow College begins SWAC play at home against SLCC Sept. 18 and 19. The Badgers travel to Rangely to face Colorado Northwestern Community College Sept. 25 before returning to Ephraim for a pair of games against Utah State University Eastern.
 
Snow College will play four games in Idaho beginning with CSI Oct. 9. The Badgers conclude their road schedule against North Idaho College before wrapping up the regular season against Truckee Meadows Community College for the first time. TMCC added women's volleyball for the 2026-27 season.
 
The Region 18 Tournament, should the Badger qualify, will take place at the home of the regular-season champion and will begin on Wednesday, Nov. 4. The Region 18 championship will be Nov. 5.
 
CRACKING THE PRESEASON POLL: After a strong finish to the 2026 season, including a Rocky Mountain District Championship, the Snow College volleyball team will begin the season ranked eighth in the NJCAA Division I Volleyball Preseason Poll, which was unveiled Monday.
 
This ranking comes after the Badgers went 15-17 overall during the 2025 season but caught fire late in the year and earned an eighth-place finish at the NJCAA National Tournament. Snow College also claimed the Rocky Mountain District Championship after a 3-2 victory against Eastern Arizona College last fall.
 
The Badgers went 6-4 within Scenic West Athletic Conference play last season and earned a 3-2 victory against No. 16 College of Southern Idaho in the first round of the Region 18 Tournament. With the win, they entered the Region 18 Championship for the second consecutive season.
 
After winning the 2025 NJCAA National Championship, Miami Dade College claimed the top spot in the poll ahead of Florida Southwestern State College. Northeastern Junior College, Weatherford College, and Trinity Valley Community College rounded out the top five.
 
Three other SWAC opponents landed inside the top 20, including Salt Lake Community College just one spot ahead of the Badgers at seventh. The College of Southern Idaho was slotted 18^th, while Utah State University Eastern claimed the final spot at 20^th overall.
 
Snow College will play a total of 14 matches against teams ranked within the preseason poll, including a matchup with MDC Sept. 12 in Taylorsville. All four opponents the Badgers will play at the Laramie County Community College Invitational rank inside the top 20.
 
The Badgers went 7-12 against ranked teams during the 2025 season, including a 3-0 sweep against No. 5 Barton County Community College in the first round of the NJCAA National Tournament.
 
THE RETURNERS AND THE NEWCOMERS: The Badgers return six members from the 2025 squad that finished eighth in the NJCAA National Tournament, including 2^nd-team All-Conference selection Aleah McDaniel.
 
McDaniel was second on the team in kills with 256. She also had 256 digs, which was second on the team as well. She also led the team in service aces with 53 and was fifth overall in total blocks with 38 during the season.
 
Britani Stone returns at Libero. She was fourth on the team with 150 digs last season. Hallie Layton had 137 kills last season, which was fourth overall on the team. Setter Saidey Spencer was second on the team with 283 assists. She also recorded 123 digs during 2025.
 
Sydney Short and Madelyn Neibaur also return for the Badgers after they combined to play 19 sets last season. The team will also be joined by Joa Roberts, who was a member of the 2024 team.
 
The group of returners will be joined by eight incoming freshmen. The 15 members of the team come from five different states, as well as one international player from Prague.
 
ON THE SIDELINE: Michael Daniel returns to the sideline for his sixth season at the helm. During his time at Snow College has compiled an 86-60 overall record and a 30-20 mark within conference play. His teams have played in the Region 18 tournament in four of his previous five seasons, including winning the Region 18 Championship in 2021.
 
After winning the Rocky Mountain District Championship last season, Daniel was named the District Coach of the Year. He has won at least six games in SWAC play in all five of his seasons.
 
He will be joined on the sideline by Kolton Rader, who is entering his third season with the team.
 
UP NEXT: Snow College will travel to Cheyenne, Wyoming, to participate in the LCC Invitational. They'll face a quartet of opponents beginning with Colby Community College Friday, Aug. 28 at 9:00 a.m. They'll also face Northeastern Junior College on the first day of the tournament, beginning at 3:00 p.m.
 
They'll wrap up the two-day tournament against New Mexico Military Institute at 11:00 a.m. and Casper College at 3:00 p.m. For additional information, visit snowbadgers.com.