PINE BLUFF, AR — The UAPB volleyball program has released its 2026 schedule, marking the fifth season at the helm for head coach Gabrielle Floyd as the Lady Lions gear up for a slate that blends early tournament competition with a full run through SWAC play. The season opens with an exhibition matchup on the road August 21 against Philander Smith University in Little Rock.

From there, the Lady Lions head into a stretch of tournament action to open the regular season. They open the Betty Austin Invitational — also serving as the SWAC/MEAC Challenge — hosted by Alabama A&M in Huntsville, Alabama, August 28-29. UAPB faces North Carolina Central and South Carolina State on the opening day before closing out tournament play against Delaware State on August 29.

The following weekend brings the Reddie-Tiger Challenge, hosted by Henderson State in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, September 4-5. The Lady Lions take on UT Tyler, Erskine College, Missouri University of Science & Tech, and host Henderson State across the two-day event.

UAPB then travels to Edwardsville, Illinois, for the SIUE Cougar Classic, hosted by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, September 11-12, with matchups against SIUE, Northern Illinois University, and Chicago State University. The tournament swing wraps up September 18-19 at the Skyhawk Classic, hosted by UT Martin in Martin, Tennessee, where the Lady Lions face UT Martin twice as well as the University of West Georgia.

SWAC play kicks off September 25 on the road against Southern University in Baton Rouge, followed by a trip to Alcorn State on September 27. The Lady Lions return home to Pine Bluff for a two-game home stand, hosting Grambling State on September 30 and Monroe on October 5.

October continues with a road trip to Florida A&M on October 9 and Bethune-Cookman on October 11, both in Florida, before UAPB comes back home for a stretch of SWAC matchups: Prairie View A&M on October 18, Texas Southern on October 19, Alabama State on October 23, Alabama A&M on October 25, and Louisiana Tech on October 27.

The Lady Lions close out October on the road at Mississippi Valley State on October 30, then open November with a trip to Jackson State on November 1 and Grambling State on November 4. UAPB returns to Pine Bluff's H.O. Clemmons Arena for back-to-back home games against Southern University on November 6 and Alcorn State on November 8.

The regular season wraps up with a two-game road trip, facing Texas Southern in Houston on November 13 and Prairie View A&M on November 15, before the Lady Lions head to Montgomery, Alabama, for the SWAC Tournament beginning November 20 to close out Coach Floyd's fifth season leading the program.