Northwestern volleyball will open its doors to Evanston fans Saturday, Aug. 15, with a free Meet the Team Night on the lakefront starting at 5:30 p.m.

The event features drills from the 2026 Wildcats, food trucks, and a poster giveaway where fans can get their poster signed by players, according to a Northwestern Football post on X. No specific address beyond "the Lakefront" has been announced.

The timing gives residents their first close look at a roster that has been almost entirely rebuilt. After finishing 5-23 in 2024, third-year head coach Tim Nollan's squad surged to 17-15 last season, rising three spots in the Big Ten standings. But the players who drove that run are largely gone.

Outside hitter Ayah Elnady (371 kills), setter Lauren Carter, outside hitter Rylen Reid and setter Sienna Noordermeer all departed. In their place, Nollan brought in six freshmen, the program's largest incoming class since 2018, plus key transfers. Middle blockers Hayley Schaaf and Maya Stillwell, outside hitters Simone Huarte and Clara Schramm, and setters Kaitlyn Bodnar and Ellie Stiernagle join a squad that will have two freshman setters. Stiernagle is ranked No. 78 nationally on Prep Dig.

The headliner among transfers is junior Mara Štiglic, who tallied 431 kills at Utah State last season. That total exceeded every Wildcat's 2025 output. Cate Schnell arrives from Tennessee to deepen the outside hitter group.

Returning contributors include rising sophomore Bella Bullington (291 kills in 2025) and rising senior Campbell Paris (252 kills), according to a Daily Northwestern season preview published Aug. 12.

"We want to be known as the best skill developers in the country," Nollan said at the Big Ten Volleyball Media Days in Chicago on Aug. 3, according to Inside NU. "We want to train the best. We want to have the most improvement within our student-athletes."

At those same media days, Nollan credited senior liberos Gigi Navarrete and Drew Wright for sparking last year's turnaround by committing to what he called "the Northwestern way." Both represented the program at the event.

The Wildcats enter 2026 with a new carrot: the inaugural Big Ten Women's Volleyball Tournament, set for Nov. 20–25 at Fishers Event Center in Fishers, Indiana. The top 15 teams in the regular-season standings qualify, and the championship match on Nov. 25. It will be the first women's college volleyball conference tournament championship on broadcast television.

Saturday's lakefront event is free and requires no registration. Fans can meet the new-look roster, grab a signed poster and watch the Wildcats run drills before the season opens.