A sure sign of fall
NMU volleyball opens season with UP North Tournament starting Thursday
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MARQUETTE -- It's truly fall tumbling its way quickly onto the sports scene.
Another sign of the season's changes is the beginning of a core sport at Northern Michigan University with the Wildcats volleyball team hosting a season-opening event, the UP North Volleyball Tournament for three days starting Thursday afternoon at Vandament Arena.
Six other schools will converge on Marquette for a total of a dozen matches. On Friday, the busiest day with five matches, there will be five encounters starting at 9 a.m. and the final one scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
NMU plays four of the six visitors, playing back-to-back matches on Thursday's opening day against a pair of Minnesota schools, facing Winona State at 2:30 p.m. and St. Cloud State at 6:30 p.m.
The Wildcats gets a respite for nearly 24 hours, not playing again until they face Minnesota-Duluth at 7 p.m. Friday.
Northern finishes off its run and the entire tournament to play Tiffin of Ohio at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
The other schools entered are fellow GLIAC member Michigan Tech along with a special guest from the West Coast, California State East Bay.
MTU plays its three matches over the final two days, facing St. Cloud State at 2 p.m. Friday, then Cal State East Bay at 9 a.m. Saturday and Winona State at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Here is the entire schedule:
• Thursday -- St. Cloud State vs. Cal State East Bay, noon; NMU vs. Winona State, 2:30 p.m.; NMU vs. St. Cloud, 6:30 p.m.
• Friday -- St. Cloud vs. Tiffin, 9 a.m.; Minnesota-Duluth vs. Cal State East Bay, 11:30 a.m.; Michigan Tech vs. St. Cloud, 2 p.m.; Winona vs. Tiffin, 4:30 p.m.; NMU vs. Minnesota-Duluth, 7 p.m.
• Saturday -- Michigan Tech vs. Cal State East Bay, 9 a.m.; Tiffin vs. Minnesota-Duluth, 11:30 a.m.; Michigan Tech vs. Winona, 2 p.m.; NMU vs. Tiffin, 4:30 p.m.
The tournament page is available online at nmuwildcats.com/sports/2026/7/6/up-open-volleyball-tournnament.aspx, while tickets can also be purchased online at the NMU Tickets website at nmu.universitytickets.com/?cid=171.
Prices include $40 for an all-tournament pass for the general public and $20 for students under 18 years old, while a day pass is $20 for the general public and $15 for students under 18.
Single match admission is $12 for the general public and $10 for seniors, military members, NMU faculty and staff, and students under age 18. NMU students can get in free with their paid athletic fee.
Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release previewing the tournament. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.