SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Summit League officials announced Wednesday an updated scheduling plan for volleyball, after the traditional fall regular season was pushed to the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The updated schedule will allow for student-athletes to compete in a meaningful league-only schedule in the spring, while focusing on the health and safety of all those involved.

The Summit League Volleyball Championship will feature the top four teams from the regular season competing for a chance to earn the league’s automatic bid to the subsequent NCAA Championship. The tournament will be held at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., on April 2-3.

For volleyball, Summit League schools will play a 16-match regular season between Sunday, Jan. 31, and Saturday, Mar. 27. Teams will play the same opponent twice at one site to reduce travel, with each school hosting four weekends and playing on the road four weekends.

NDSU opens the season at Kansas City on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. The Bison host South Dakota State on Feb. 7-8, Oral Roberts on Feb. 14-15, Western Illinois on Mar. 5-6, and Omaha on Mar. 12-13. Ticket information for volleyball will be released at a later date.

The Summit League schedule begins with volleyball matches held on Sundays and Mondays for the first five weeks to avoid conflicts with basketball games for league schools that share facilities. Once the basketball regular season concludes, the volleyball schedule returns to primarily Fridays and Saturdays to close the season.