SEATTLE - Seattle University volleyball (0-0) will officially kick off its 2026 season, hosting the Steve Nimocks Redhawk Invitational, featuring Chicago State, Eastern Washington and North Dakota, inside the Redhawk Center from August 28-30. All six contests will be streamed live on ESPN+.
The Redhawks don a new look, with 12 newcomers preparing for their first season in red and white. Three transfers joined the program this past January, Bella Jones, Clara Garcia and Hailey McEllrath, while a roster of seven freshmen anticipate their first collegiate season. Two more transfers, Chloee Leslie and Lexi Jones, also joined the program over the summer.
Seattle U finished 8-21 following its first trip through the West Coast Conference, collecting two conference wins over San Francisco and former member Oregon State. The Redhawks had two all conference selections as a result and collected eight wins for the third straight season, matching their highest regular season wins since 2019. SU was elected to finish tied for ninth alongside Pacific in this season’s WCC preseason poll.
Three graduated from last year’s roster in Yasemin Elmas, Elif Teksoy and Marley Hardgrave. Making their return are Grace Jones, Taniyah Pruitt, Adee Butler and Teagan Melton. Melton, Pruitt and Butler make up this year’s senior class.
The Redhawks open the weekend on Friday, August 28 against Chicago State at 6:00 PM. The pair have a shared history as former Western Athletic Conference members and meet for the first time since the 2021 season. Seattle U holds the series edge 13-3, while Chicago State holds a 3-2 record against the Redhawks in their last five meetings.
On Saturday, August 29, the Redhawks will face North Dakota at 4:00 PM. The two programs have only gone head to head four times in their history, last meeting in 2009. Seattle U claimed the first two series matches in 2008 before North Dakota clinched the last two meetings to even the overall series 2-2.
Seattle U wraps the weekend against cross state foe Eastern Washington. The pair meet for the second straight season, but meet for the first time in Seattle since 2019. EWU holds a 3-2 advantage in the last five meetings, but the Redhawks maintain the overall series edge 7-5, including a 3-1 record on their home court.
This year’s iteration of the Seattle U home tournament is named in honor of the late former head coach Steve Nimocks. Nimocks paved the way for the Division I program of today, revitalizing the program after its hiatus. In five seasons of work, Nimocks elevated the volleyball program from NAIA through Division II, while recording the program’s best record to date (22-7) and first ever NCAA Division II tournament berth. He retired in 2003 and remained a champion of Redhawk volleyball until his passing in 2014 following his battle with ALS.
The program has set up a fundraiser in his honor through ALS Northwest. Visit here to learn more.
Tickets are available for purchase for all three sessions on goseattleu.com/tix. Each session grants access to both matches for that specific day.
Following the weekend, the Redhawks hit the road, traveling down I-5 to Corvallis, Ore. for the Oregon State tournament.
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