ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The RIT Women's Volleyball team opens the 2026 season at Keuka on Tuesday. Here are six things you need to know about the Tigers entering the season.
 
BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK
Head Coach Jim Lodes returns for his 22nd year on the Tiger sidelines. The program's winningest coach (454-302) is seven wins shy of his 600th during 30 total years as a head coach.
 
ALSO BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK
Sophomore outside hitter Anna Wasula is back to lead an offense that returns all but two of its top attackers, finishing her rookie campaign sixth in the Liberty League with 349 kills as well as 3.53 kills per set. Notching a team-best 19 matches with double-digit kills, including a career-high 29 in a five-set victory over King's (Nov. 1), she was also second on the team with 221 digs as well as 35 service aces.
 
DIGGING THIS SOPHOMORE
Sophomore defensive specialist Isabelle Swain returns after leading RIT and finishing seventh in the Liberty League with 339 digs and 3.49 digs per set during her rookie campaign. She was credited with double-digit digs on 18 occasions last fall, including a career-high 29 digs in the win over King's (Nov. 1).
 
SOUNDS GOOD TO MIA
Outside hitter Mia Gerber returns as the squad's lone senior. Entering her final campaign with 591 kills in 81 matches and 229 sets played during her career as a Tiger, she was selected to captain the squad for a second-straight season alongside Wasula and junior setter Olivia Colling.
 
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Of the 16 players on the roster, eight are second-year players while six are first-years.
 
THE 2026 SCHEDULE
After kicking off the season Tuesday at Keuka, RIT heads to Pennsylvania for four matches at the Saint Vincent Bearcat Challenge this Friday and Saturday (Sept. 4-5). The Tigers will take on Geneseo in the home opener next Wednesday (Sept. 9) before  traveling to the UMass-Boston Invite (Sept. 11-12). After a road date with Brockport (Sept. 18) and a home contest with St. John Fisher (Sept. 19), RIT will open Liberty League play hosting Vassar (Sept. 25) and Bard (Sept. 26) before also facing Fredonia in non-league action (Sept. 26). The Tigers will head to defending Liberty League champion Ithaca (Sept. 30), before a tri-match at St. Lawrence with Potsdam (Oct. 3). Following a tri-match at Nazareth with Russell Sage (Oct. 10), RIT will host Union and Widener for a Brick City Weekend tri-match (Oct. 16-17). The Tigers close conference play with matches at Clarkson (Oct. 23), at Skidmore (Oct. 24) and home with William Smith (Oct. 28), before ending the regular season with two trips to New Jersey for tri-matches at Stockton (Oct. 31) and Rutgers-Camden (Nov. 7).