Women's Volleyball | 6/23/2026 2:36:00 PM

Saint Francis University women's volleyball has quietly built steady momentum in recent years, stringing together three consecutive winning seasons as the program positions itself for its next chapter in the Division III era.

Head coach Sara Spielvogel, now entering her 11th season in Loretto, has put together a schedule that will challenge her young roster.

The Red Wolves open the season in New York at the SUNY Morrisville Mustang Tournament, Sept. 4-5. They will compete against four New York schools, providing a strong early-season measuring stick.

The September calendar also includes road trips to Elizabethtown College, Penn State Altoona and Notre Dame of Maryland. Conference play begins Sept. 23 with a trip to Waynesburg.

Spielvogel's team will return to Loretto for its home opener Sept. 26 against Grove City. The match is also Family Weekend at Saint Francis. First serve is scheduled for 5 p.m., following the Red Wolves football home opener.

Grove City won the 2025 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) championship, its first since 2021. The Wolverines entered the tournament as the fourth seed out of the North Division and went on the road to defeat top-seeded Hiram in the title match. Grove City then advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament, where it fell to Juniata in the first round.

"The upcoming season is all about competitive learning," Spielvogel said. "We are in a new conference with new opponents. Our goals are to learn and grow with every practice and every match while still competing at a high level."

Saint Francis returns three players from the team that reached the NEC championship match last year: setter Alexandra Sappia, Ava Holden and Elsa Richards.

Women's volleyball in the PAC was highly competitive last season. Three schools had 20 or more wins, including Grove City, Westminster and Hiram.

Saint Francis will be on the road for two of those matchups, Oct. 10 at Westminster and Oct. 31 at Hiram. The Terriers went 26-3 overall and 15-1 in the PAC before losing the championship match.

Conference play comes to a close Oct. 24 when St. Vincent travels to Loretto.

As it transitions to Division III, Saint Francis cannot compete in the postseason. The Red Wolves will wrap up the regular season with a match at Pitt-Greensburg.


Click here for the full 2026 schedule.