PRIMER: Cyclone Invite

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State opens the 2026 volleyball season hosting the Cyclone Invite at Hilton Coliseum Aug. 28-30. Loyola Chicago, Georgia Tech and UNI visit Ames.

Friday, Aug. 28, 6:30 p.m., vs. Loyola (0-0, 0-0 A10)

ESPN+: PxP Evan Wessling, Analyst Delaney Peterson

Tickets (5/$5) | Live Stats | ESPN+ | Media Center | Notes

Saturday, Aug. 29, 4 p.m., vs. Georgia Tech (0-0, 0-0 ACC)

ESPN+: PxP Noah Wolf, Analyst Jesse Klein

Tickets | Live Stats | ESPN+ | Media Center | Notes

Sunday, Aug. 30, 2 p.m., vs. UNI (0-0, 0-0 MVC)

ESPN+: PxP Noah Wolf, Analyst Abby Greiman

With the South Hilton steps closed, fans can enter through the upper and lower West entrances or the North entrance. The student entrance is through the North doors.

The full tournament schedule and more information is available at this link.

Promotions

At the home opener Friday, tickets are 5 for $5. Saturday is the Camper Reunion where campers who participated in Cyclone Volleyball camps in the summer are invited back. Campers can request up to three general admission tickets by emailing cy@mail.iastate.edu. Sunday will be a White Out against UNI, and tickets are buy one get one free. The offer is available here. Click this link for all 2026 promos.

By the Numbers

1 – Rachel Van Gorp is the first in Iowa State history to earn a spot on the AVCA Player of the Year Watch List. Van Gorp is also the one and only libero on the Big 12 Preseason Team.

3 – Christy Johnson-Lynch ranks No. 3 all time in Big 12 history with 219 league victories.

6 – ISU was picked to finish sixth in the 15-team Big 12 Preseason Poll.

19 – The 2026 squad features 11 returners, six freshmen and two transfers.

22 – Christy Johnson-Lynch begins her 22nd season leading the Cyclones.

The Opponents

Iowa State and Loyola will meet for the first time since 1993, while it is the Ramblers' first trip to Hilton since 1985. ISU will play Georgia Tech for the first time in series history, while the Iowa State and UNI series is tied 30-30. The Panthers will play on ISU's home court for the first time since 2022.

All three opponents are 2025 NCAA Tournament teams. Loyola won the A-10 Championship for its tournament ticket, while Georiga Tech took No. 8 UCLA to five sets in the first round. UNI got a first round win against Utah, and took a set from No. 11 Creighton in the second round in Omaha. Like Iowa State, Georgia Tech and UNI received votes in the AVCA Preseason Poll.

Next up, Iowa State travels to Santa Barbara, Calif. for the Gaucho Invite to meet host UCSB and Utah State.