The top women’s college volleyball teams in the country are coming to Milwaukee this summer. Taking place August 21-23, the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s (AVCA) First Serve will kick off the 2026 season with eight of the top 12 teams in the nation, and earlier today, they announced who’s coming to Fiserv Forum.

 

AVCA First Serv Teams

 

This year’s event will include all four of the 2025 NCAA Championship semifinalists, along with the reigning national champion Texas A&M Aggies and four Sweet Sixteen finalists. This year’s slate includes:

 

Texas A&M Aggies

Sweeping their way to the team’s first-ever NCAA National Championship in 2025, the Aggies will look to begin their title defense on the right foot against some of the strongest competitors in the nation. Texas A&M is ranked No. 1, according to the AVCA Rankings.

 

University of Kentucky Wildcats

The Aggies' opponent in the National Championship match in Kansas City, the Wildcats, will prowl into Milwaukee looking to seize momentum and take the season by storm. The squad is ranked No. 2 in the nation in the latest poll.

 

University of Pittsburgh Panthers

Another semifinalist in the 2025 tournament, Pitt bowed out in three sets to the eventual national champion Aggies. They weigh in at No. 4 overall in the latest poll and will aim to set the tone for an exciting year ahead.

 

University of Wisconsin Badgers

The hometown favorites exited the semifinals in a heartbreaking, but adrenaline-inducing five-set match with the University of Kentucky Wildcats. Located just an hour west of Milwaukee, the Grateful Read will be out in force to support their Badgers. Wisconsin is ranked No. 5 as of the latest AVCA poll.

 

University of Texas Longhorns

The Longhorns stampeded the tournament, undefeated in nine matches before the quarterfinals. There, though, they ran into a Wisconsin Badgers team that would not be denied, downing the team in Austin three sets to one. They’ll look to return the favor, this time in Wisconsin, ranked No. 6 in the nation.

 

Louisville University Cardinals

The Louisville Cardinals took down Milwaukee’s own Marquette University Golden Eagles in the second round before losing a tight match to the eventual champs. They gave Texas A&M all they could in the third round of the 2025 tournament, pushing them to the brink and playing the full five-game set. With a rematch in mind, the Cardinals are ranked No. 9.

 

SMU Mustangs

The two-seeded Mustangs were rolling through the NCAA tournament, blanking Central Arkansas and Florida and coasting into the third round, where they were ushered out by a hot Purdue squad. This year, SMU looks to race to an early lead in the standings, where they currently sit No. 11.

 

Arizona State University Sun Devils

And finally, a new dawn is rising in Tempe. The Sun Devils slipped against Creighton in the third round of the tournament last year, and the team will eye AVCA First Serve as an appealing opportunity to put the league on notice. They rank No. 12 in the latest standings.

 

AVCA First Serve Banner

 

The marquee 2026 field continues the momentum of the popular, season-opening event, which will feature six matches over three days. The last two AVCA First Serves included two of those season’s final four teams, Nebraska and Louisville in 2024 and Pittsburgh and Texas A&M in 2025, and this year’s version will be the first to include each of the NCAA Championship semifinalists from the previous season.

 

You can get your tickets for AVCA First Serve, which will kick off the 2026 women’s volleyball season, on Friday, Jan. 30, at 10 a.m. CT at www.fiservforum.com. Other updates on the event can be found at the 2026 AVCA First Serve page, and make sure to sign up for the Fan Pack Giveaway that includes tickets, lodging and meal credit for the event.