ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Griffon Volleyball (22-4, 10-2 MIAA) will enter the 2026 MIAA Volleyball Championship as the No. 2 seed following a runner-up finish in the MIAA regular season standings.
The Griffons will open postseason play against No. 7 seed Northwest Missouri (9-16, 6-6 MIAA) on Thursday, Nov. 12, at noon inside Civic Arena in St. Joseph.
MoWest secured the No. 2 seed after defeating Emporia State in Saturday's regular season finale. The Griffons finished conference play with a 10-2 record, trailing only top-seeded Nebraska Kearney, which completed an undefeated 12-0 MIAA campaign.
The 2026 MIAA Volleyball Championship features the conference's top eight teams and will take place Nov. 12-14 at Civic Arena. The tournament is hosted by the St. Joseph Sports Commission.
Season Series Against Northwest Missouri
MoWest enters Thursday's quarterfinal matchup having won both meetings against Northwest Missouri this season, earning straight-set victories in St. Joseph and Maryville.
The Griffons first defeated the Bearcats 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-10) on Sept. 25 at the MWSU Fieldhouse in MIAA play. MoWest followed with another 3-0 victory (25-17, 25-7, 25-22) on Oct. 20 in Maryville in a non-conference matchup.
The Griffons have won five consecutive matches against Northwest Missouri, all in straight sets, dating back to the 2024 season. MoWest has also claimed 15 consecutive sets against the Bearcats entering Thursday's postseason meeting.
MIAA Tournament Outlook
The Griffons will look to advance to Friday's semifinal round with a quarterfinal victory over the Bearcats. With a win, MoWest would face the winner of No. 3 Washburn and No. 6 Pittsburg State on Friday, Nov. 13, at 5 p.m. inside Civic Arena.
The other half of the bracket features No. 1 Nebraska Kearney against No. 8 Fort Hays State and No. 4 Emporia State against No. 5 Central Oklahoma.
The championship match is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m.
Fans can purchase tickets at theMIAA.com/tickets and watch all tournament matches live on The MIAA Network. Saturday's championship match will also be streamed live on The Spot – Kansas City 38.
2026 MIAA Volleyball Championship Schedule
Quarterfinals | Thursday, Nov. 12
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No. 2 MoWest vs. No. 7 Northwest Missouri | Noon
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No. 3 Washburn vs. No. 6 Pittsburg State | 2:30 p.m.
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No. 1 Nebraska Kearney vs. No. 8 Fort Hays State | 5 p.m.
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No. 4 Emporia State vs. No. 5 Central Oklahoma | 7:30 p.m.
Semifinals | Friday, Nov. 13
Championship | Saturday, Nov. 14
