MILWAUKEE – Susie Johnson has announced the 2025 schedule for the Milwaukee volleyball team. The slate features seven opponents that qualified for postseason play in 2024, including four teams that reached the NCAA Championship.
 
The season will begin with a pair of matches against host Omaha on Aug. 29 and Aug. 30. Last season, the Mavericks were 14-2 in Summit League play, reached the conference semifinals and earned a bid to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC), where they advanced to the 'Super 16'.
 
Following the season-opening trip to Nebraska, the Panthers will make their home debut at the Klotsche Center with the return of the Panther Invitational for the second straight year. Milwaukee will face Iowa State of the Big 12 Conference on Sept. 5, followed by Central Michigan on Sept. 6, and South Alabama on Sept. 7.
 
For the second consecutive season, the Panthers will play against in-state rival Wisconsin, who reached the Elite Eight before falling to Nebraska in the NCAA Tournament. The Badgers finished 2024 with 26 wins, including 17 in Big Ten play, and will host Milwaukee at the UW Field House on Sept. 9.
 
The Panthers will remain in-state the following weekend for the Marquette Tournament. Action at the Al McGuire Center begins with James Madison on Sept. 12, and Ball State on Sept. 13, before concluding with host Marquette on Sept. 14. Last year, the Golden Eagles earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship and reached the Sweet 16, where they were eliminated by eventual champion Penn State.
 
Milwaukee will take on its second-straight Big East opponent when DePaul visits the Klotsche Center on Sept. 17. The Panthers have won the last four home matchups against the Blue Demons, all in straight sets. DePaul reached the third round of the 2024 NIVC and finished the season with 21 victories.
 
The final weekend of non-conference play will take place in the desert, as Milwaukee will head to Arizona State for a trio of matches from Sept. 19-21. The Panthers will face Grand Canyon and Pepperdine over the first two days, marking their first-ever meetings with both programs. Host Arizona State, the third NCAA Championship team on the non-conference schedule, finished 2024 with a 30-3 record, won the Big 12 title, and reached the tournament's second round.

"When you look at the schedule as a whole, it looks really tough," stated Johnson. "We know our team will be challenged and pushed in conference play, especially with so much parity across the league. We thought it would be beneficial for us to schedule non-conference opponents who would help prepare us for Horizon League competition."
 
Horizon League play will commence the final weekend of September, as the Panthers host Oakland on Sept. 26-27, followed by a home match against Green Bay on Sept. 30. Other home conference matches include Northern Kentucky (Oct. 10-11), Purdue Fort Wayne (Oct. 31-Nov. 1), and Robert Morris (Nov. 7-8).
 
On the road, Milwaukee will travel to IU Indy (Oct. 3-4), Wright State (Oct. 17-18), Youngstown State (Oct. 24-25), and finish up the regular season at Cleveland State (Nov. 14-15).
 
"There was a lot of turnover across the league, with a lot of seniors graduating – including on our team," Johnson added. "The Horizon League feels wide open this year, and we believe we have a realistic chance to compete again, thanks to our mix of returning players and newcomers."
 
Wright State made the NIVC in 2024, while Cleveland State captured the Horizon League title and represented the conference in the NCAA Tournament.
 
The 2025 Horizon League Championship will be held Nov. 21-23, hosted by the highest seed. The tournament champion will earn an automatic bid to the 2025 NCAA Division I Championship, which begins Dec. 4-5.