FAIRBANKS – The Alaska Nanooks volleyball program has officially announced its 2025 schedule, a dynamic mix of competitive non-conference action and a full slate of Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) matchups. The Nanooks will open their campaign in late August, ramping up with three consecutive weekends of high-level non-conference play before beginning the GNAC season at Montana State Billings on September 18.
Head Coach Brian Scott expressed confidence and excitement about the strength of the schedule. "We have scheduled a very difficult preseason for 2025. We will see several regionally ranked and nationally ranked teams during our first three weekends," said Scott. "Our goal has been to get into the NCAA tournament for the past several years, and playing a tough slate of regionally ranked teams will help us achieve that goal. We have a great group of teams attending the Denali State Bank Ice Block Classic this year. CSUSB was one of the teams we were competing with for a final spot of the NCAA tournament last year and Rockhurst has been a powerhouse in the Midwest region for years. It will be great lead-in and preparation for the GNAC schedule starting the following week."
The season begins at home on August 23 with the annual Blue/Gold scrimmage inside the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium. From there, the Nanooks head south for two major non-conference tournaments, starting with the Hawai'i–Alaska Challenge in Anchorage (August 28-30), where they'll face Chaminade, Hawai'i Pacific, and Hawai'i–Hilo. The following weekend, they remain in Anchorage for the UAA Invitational, taking on Cal State San Marcos, Biola, and Minot State.
Alaska returns home September 11-13 to host the Denali State Bank Ice Block Classic, a five-team tournament bringing top regional and national competition to Fairbanks. This year's field includes Alaska Anchorage, Rollins, Cal State San Bernardino, and Rockhurst—teams with significant postseason pedigree. The event will also feature a community-focused atmosphere with a food truck rally and themed promotions.
GNAC play officially begins September 18 on the road at Montana State Billings and continues through late November. The home conference schedule opens on September 25 against Saint Martin's and features fan-favorite theme nights including the White Out vs. Alaska Anchorage (October 2), Dig Pink (October 18), Military Appreciation (November 20), and Senior Day (November 22)."The GNAC looks to be as tough as ever," added Scott. "Many teams are returning very good athletes and I expect that we will have a battle each week regardless of the opponent we face. We look forward to the competition and elevating our level of play to meet the demands of the 2025 schedule."
The regular season wraps up just before Thanksgiving, with postseason NCAA Tournament play beginning December 4 for qualifying teams.
For the full schedule and match details, CLICK HERE.
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