Wolfpack Opens 2026 Season at UCF's Black & Gold Classic

Friday, August 28

Orlando, FL

4PM

NC State

Stony Brook University

Wolfpack Opens 2026 Season at UCF's Black & Gold Classic

8/25/2026 1:03:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Game Notes

RALEIGH, N.C. — NC State volleyball hits the road to open its 2026 season in Orlando at the Black & Gold Classic, hosted by UCF.

The Wolfpack kicks off the weekend against Stony Brook on Friday, Aug. 28 at 4 pm, followed by a Saturday matchup against Robert Morris at 12 pm. NC State wraps up tournament action against host UCF on Sunday at 2 pm. All three matches will stream live on ESPN+

The History with Each Opponent

Stony Brook: Friday's meeting will be the first ever between the two programs.
Robert Morris: Saturday's meeting will be the first ever between the two programs.
UCF: The meeting with the Knights will be the second for the two programs. The last time the two met was in 1984 when NC State won, 3-2.

A Win Would (on Friday) ...
be the first of the season and first over the Seawolves
be the second season opener won under MWK
be the 16th win under MWK
be the 36th season opener won in program history
be the 832nd win in program history

Milestone Watch

Kate Kilpatrick: 23 aces from 100
382 digs from 1500
Sophie Groom: 28 blocks from 300
Elaisa Villar: 188 assists from 1000
Rebecca Ring: 217 kills from 500
Jordan Smith: 290 kills from 500

2026 Roster

Returning Core: NC State returns 11 players from the 2025 roster, matching the retention total from the previous season.
Fresh Class: The Pack added five freshmen this offseason: January enrollees Eva Long, Britni Silver, and Makenna Kowren, followed by Norah Busch ahead of June's foreign tour and Callie Combs later in the summer.
Transfer Addition: Libero Kate Kilpatrick joins the Pack after three seasons at Old Dominion. Kilpatrick previously faced NC State last season at the VCU Invitational.
Staff Update: Assistant coach Jeremiah Burden joins the staff after serving as a graduate assistant at Pepperdine last season. A former libero at Juniata College, Burden was an NCAA Elite 90 Award recipient.

The Pack Got Young

Youth Movement: The 2026 roster is comprised of over 50% underclassmen, bringing the team's average age down to just 19.4 years old. Only five members of the Pack are 21 or older:
- 21 Years Old: Vondran, Kerr, Kilpatrick
- 22 Years Old: Groom, Villar
Embracing the Shift: Head Coach MWK knew heading into this season that outsiders would categorize this squad as a younger group or perceive their youth as a potential disadvantage.
Freshman Foundations: To open last season, the Pack featured four freshmen in the game one starting lineup: Ring, Smith, Francom, and Maciejewicz.
Next-Gen Lineup: Given the depth of young talent, it is entirely possible the Pack could roll out a starting lineup composed exclusively of underclassmen this season.