ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Lewis University head men's volleyball coach
Dan Friend unveiled the Flyers' 2027 schedule, which features 17 home contests as part of a 29-match slate.
Lewis opens the year with a pair of home exhibition contests against Canadian school Windsor on Jan. 2 and St. Xavier on Jan. 5.
The Flyers kick off their regular-season schedule Jan. 8 against Daemen at 6 p.m., then head downtown to face Roosevelt Jan. 9 at 5 p.m. in their first road contest of the year.
The Red and White will travel east to New Jersey to face NJIT on Jan. 15 before wrapping up the trip in the Garden State against Fairleigh Dickinson the next day. The trip will mark the first time the Flyers have played in the New York-New Jersey area since 2019, when they faced Princeton and NJIT.
Lewis returns home for a four-match homestand beginning against UCSB on Jan. 21. The Flyers and Gauchos have met 12 times, with the all-time series tied at 6-6. Lewis is 2-0 against UCSB at Neil Carey Arena, with 3-1 wins on Jan. 27, 2018, and Jan. 2, 2016. Additionally, Lewis has won four of the past five meetings against UCSB dating back to the 2016 season. The Red and White will wrap up the weekend against Quincy the following day.
On Jan. 27, Lewis will host one of its biggest matches of the year when it welcomes defending NCAA national champion Hawai'i to Neil Carey Arena. The Flyers and Rainbow Warriors have met only once on the mainland, with Hawai'i defeating Lewis 3-1 on Jan. 17, 2020, inside Neil Carey Arena. It will also mark the first time the two teams have met in consecutive years since a three-year stretch of meetings from 2018-20. The Flyers will end their four-match home slate against Emmanuel on Jan. 30.
Lewis will head west for the first time during the 2027 season Feb. 5-6, when it faces BYU in consecutive matches. The Flyers and Cougars have not met since 2024. In their last meeting, Lewis defeated BYU 3-1 at home, earning just its third all-time victory against the Cougars.
The Flyers return home to begin Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) play Feb. 12-13, when they welcome Queens to Neil Carey Arena for back-to-back matches. Lewis will hit the road to close out February with conference contests at Northern Kentucky (Feb. 18), Ohio State (Feb. 20), Lindenwood (Feb. 25) and McKendree (Feb. 27).
March begins with the crosstown rivalry renewal between Lewis and Loyola Chicago, as the longtime foes meet at Gentile Arena in downtown Chicago on March 4.
On March 7, former Lewis men's volleyball player and assistant coach Jacob Kerschner will return to Neil Carey Arena when the Flyers take on Penn State. A member of the Flyers from 2015 through 2020, Kerschner played in 48 matches and appeared in 106 sets during his five seasons with the Red and White. After his playing days ended, Kerschner joined the Flyers' sidelines as a graduate assistant before becoming an assistant coach. While on staff, Kerschner helped lead the team to over 70 wins, a MIVA Championship, and an NCAA Final Four Appearance in 2021. A 2023 AVCA 30-Under-30 selection, Kerschner coached more than 10 All-Americans, including first-team All-Americans Tyler Mitchem and Ryan Coenen. This past summer, Kerschner left Romeoville to head home to the Quaker State to serve as an assistant coach under new Penn State head coach Colin McMillan, who replaced AVCA Hall of Fame inductee Mark Pavlik. Lewis has faced Penn State every year of the program's existence except for 2022 and 2023.
The Flyers continue their homestand against defending MIVA champion and 2026 NCAA Tournament semifinalist Ball State on March 11. Men's volleyball alumnus Mike Iandolo leads the Cardinals.
After facing Purdue Fort Wayne on March 13, the Red and White will welcome Loyola Chicago to Neil Carey Arena on March 18. The match-up will mark the 78th all-time meeting between the Flyers and Ramblers and the 38th meeting inside Neil Carey Arena.
April begins with Lewis' final two regular-season road matches, as the Flyers head to Indiana to take on Purdue Fort Wayne (April 1) and Ball State (April 3). Lewis then returns home to face Ohio State (April 8) and Northern Kentucky (April 9) inside Neil Carey Arena. Last season, the Flyers swept the Buckeyes in Romeoville for the first time since Feb. 6, 2021.
Lewis will close out its 2027 regular season with a pair of home matches against McKendree (April 15) and Lindenwood (April 17).
Tickets are also on sale for all home men's volleyball games. The Flight Pass returns for the 2026-27 year after a successful debut last season. The pass is an
all-access pass that grants admission to
ANY home Lewis University athletic event during the 2026–27 season. The all-access pass costs $250.
Men's volleyball season passes are also available for $85, plus applicable fees. Season passes offer
significant savings and eliminate the need to purchase individual tickets. They're perfect for regular attendees, families, and loyal Flyer fans.
Lewis also continues its partnership with
HomeTown Ticketing, offering flexible ways to purchase and access your passes:
- Buy online via the Lewis Box Office
- Use the HomeTown Fan App (iOS & Android)
- Purchase at the door on game day
Additionally, single match tickets are available with their prices shown below for each match:
| 8-Jan |
Daemen |
$10 |
| 21-Jan |
USCB |
$20 |
| 22-Jan |
Quincy |
$10 |
| 27-Jan |
Hawai'i |
$20 |
| 30-Jan |
Emmanuel |
$10 |
| 12-Feb |
Queens |
$10 |
| 13-Feb |
Queens |
$10 |
| 7-Mar |
Penn St |
$20 |
| 11-Mar |
Ball St |
$10 |
| 13-Mar |
Purdue FW |
$10 |
| 18-Mar |
Loyola Chicago |
$15 |
| 8-Apr |
Ohio St |
$20 |
| 9-Apr |
N. Kentucky |
$10 |
| 15-Apr |
McKendree |
$10 |
| 17-Apr |
Lindenwood |
$10 |
All Lewis students, faculty, and staff, along with families of Lewis student-athletes (via the team pass list), receive free admission.
A full promotion schedule for men's volleyball will be released later.
ATHLETICS ANNUAL FUNDS CAMPAIGN
At Lewis University, athletics is about more than the final score. It is about developing the whole person, building a community rooted in faith and service, and preparing student-athletes to make a difference beyond the playing field. Your support of the Athletics Annual Funds Campaign helps our student-athletes grow in and embody Lewis' Catholic and Lasallian mission by providing them with opportunities to develop as competitors, scholars, leaders and people of character. Together, we can continue to build a program that reflects the values of Lewis University and empowers Flyers to excel in competition, in the classroom and in life. To donate,
CLICK HERE.
For the latest news, scores, and updates on Lewis men's volleyball, visit LewisFlyers.com and follow the Flyers on social media at @Lewismensvb on Instagram and @LewisMVBall on X.
