NORMAL, Ill. – Returning a veteran squad that brings back eight players that started at least nine matches last season in addition to enrolling the top-rated recruiting class in program history, Illinois State volleyball head coach Allie Matters has put together a challenging 2025 schedule to test the ISU squad, featuring six schools that played in last season's NCAA Tournament, three that played in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC), four from power-four conferences, and an 11-match home schedule featuring three schools from power conferences.

"I couldn't be more thrilled to share our preseason schedule with our Redbird fans," said Matters. "This will be a tough slate for us, and I have full confidence that this roster will rise to the challenge. We are lucky to be situated geographically where volleyball is so competitive, we don't have to travel very far to play in big matches. We are most looking forward to hosting a very talented trio of teams in our Linda Herman Invitational at CEFCU Arena. Our fans will witness high-level volleyball and an extremely competitive environment. With returning most of our offense, while sprinkling in some new transfers and freshmen, we are eager to get the season underway."

Prior to the official start of the season, ISU will host its annual Red/White scrimmage on Thursday, August 14, and then travel to Charleston, Illinois, for an exhibition match at Eastern Illinois University on August 23 in which the Redbirds will help open the new Panther volleyball facility.

With the preseason events concluded, the regular season opens in Kalamazoo, Michigan, at the Western Michigan Tournament. The Redbirds open at 2 p.m. on Friday, August 29 against BIG EAST member and 2024 NIVC quarterfinalist DePaul, before coming back a day later to battle the reigning Mid-American Conference Champion Western Michigan Broncos at 5 p.m. The tournament concludes on Sunday, August 31 against the Oakland Grizzlies at 11 a.m.

The following weekend the team travels west to Coralville, Iowa, to compete in the Hawkeye Invitational. The tournament will open for ISU against the Loyola Ramblers, who advanced to the second round of last season's NCAA Tournament, with a first serve coming on September 4 at 3 p.m. The next day, on Friday, September 5, the Redbirds will face off against tournament host and Big Ten opponent Iowa at 6 p.m. The tournament finale will be played on Saturday, September 6 against BIG EAST foe Butler at 11 a.m.

From September 12-14 ISU will host the Linda Herman Classic, named in honor of longtime volleyball head coach and ISU Percy Family Hall of Fame inductee Linda Herman. The tournament opens on Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. as the Cincinnati Bearcats and the University of Illinois face off inside CEFCU Arena, and that match is followed by the Redbirds taking on the Miami Hurricanes, a team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. A day later the Hurricanes and Illini will meet at noon on Saturday, September 13, with the Redbirds taking on Big 12 member Cincinnati at 4 p.m. The tournament concludes with an in-state match-up with the Illini at 2 p.m. Last season Illinois advanced to the NCAA Tournament, falling in the opening round.

The pre-MVC slate closes in Dayton, Ohio, at the 2025 Dayton Flyer Invitational. The tournament opens on Friday, September 19 when the Redbirds face off against UC Santa Barbara at 10 a.m., before coming back later that day to face off against Wright State at 4 p.m. Last season the Raiders advanced to the NIVC, and the meeting with WSU is the first since Matters left the school to become the head coach at Illinois State. The tournament concludes on Saturday, September 20 at noon against the host Flyers, who went 31-3 last season, sweeping their A-10 schedule before advancing to the NCAA Tournament.

The following weekend, September 26 and 27, the Redbirds will be on the road at Indiana State and at Bradley to open play in the 16-game MVC season, with the conference season culminating at the 2025 MVC Tournament.