Weber State Notebook: Volleyball, soccer schedules set; football, men’s basketball notes

Weber State fall sports schedules are final while Weber State men’s basketball has an early-season matchup set.

Here’s a rundown of the latest news and notes for Weber State team schedules.

MBB ROAD GAME, CHALLENGE CHANGE

Weber State men’s basketball has finalized a game on Nov. 8 at Oregon State, which will likely be the second game of the 2024-25 season. The Beavers, per a contract obtained by the Standard-Examiner, will pay Weber State $85,000 for the trip.

WSU is currently under contract for just one more game so far, a home contest against Utah Valley that is Game 2 in a six-year series.

The Wildcats will also play another road-home pair in the Big Sky-Summit Challenge. Pairings have not yet been released but expect those games to be in early December as opposed to last season’s placement in early January.

Last season, the WSU men defeated Oral Roberts on the road and South Dakota State at home in that challenge series.

FOOTBALL SCHEDULE NOTES

Weber State’s most recent football game contract was signed in October 2023, which set up a 2026 road game at Colorado. Contract documents show the Buffs will pay WSU $700,000 for that game — matching the payout Weber gets from Washington in 2024.

Other payouts for future games: $672,000 from Utah for a 2029 game, $625,000 from Arizona in 2025, and $600,000 twice from BYU for games in 2027 and 2030.

Given WSU’s typical scheduling format that brings in at least one large payout per season to help fund athletic operations, the Wildcats need one more “buy game” for 2028.

Factoring in Weber’s two-game series each with Lamar, Northwestern State and McNeese State, however, and a six-game series with Southern Utah beginning in 2026, the Wildcats have at least two nonconference games lined up for every season between 2025-30.

But WSU still needs at least one home game for 2025 (currently, the Wildcats are slated to go to Arizona and McNeese State) and 2030 (at BYU, at SUU).

While FCS football teams usually play 11 games, 2025 repeats the 2024 calendar that allows teams to play 12 regular-season games. So WSU still needs to sign up two games for 2025, with at least one at home.

The 2026 nonconference schedule (at SUU, at Colorado, home to Northwestern State) is complete.

Weber State has four nonconference games for the 2024 season, opening at Washington on Aug. 31. TV networks released a batch of coverage plans and kickoff times this week, and the Wildcats and Huskies will kick off at 9 p.m. MDT with the game broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

Washington is one of four former West Coast Pac-12 schools that defected to the Big Ten and killed the historic Pac-12 Conference. That change means WSU football will play a Big Ten opponent for the first time.

VOLLEYBALL HOSTS BYU

WSU women’s volleyball team opens its defense of its 2023 Big Sky tournament championship season with the Wildcat Invitational in Swenson Gym.

From Aug. 30-31, Weber State will play Nevada, Utah Tech and Denver at home.

The Wildcats then cap the nonconference season hosting Big 12 power BYU on Sept. 20, then Utah State the next night, Sept. 21.

In between, WSU plays a tournament at SMU from Sept. 5-7 (opponents: Loyola Marymount, SMU, Milwaukee) and a tournament at Missouri State from Sept. 12-14 (opponents: Saint Louis, Missouri State, UT Arlington).

WSU also plays at Utah Valley on Sept. 17.

Big Sky play begins Sept. 25 at Northern Arizona and the Wildcats’ conference home opener is Sept. 28 against Idaho. Senior day is Nov. 16 against Northern Colorado, and Weber finishes the regular season Nov. 23 at Sacramento State.

The Big Sky tournament is Nov. 27-29 at Sacramento State.

WOMEN’S SOCCER SCHEDULE SET

Weber State women’s soccer recently announced the finalization of its 2024 schedule.

After its one-win campaign in 2023, and finishing one point out of the Big Sky tournament field, the Wildcats will be without midfielder Yira Yoggerst and forward Morgan Furmaniak, who both transferred to Iowa State.

Following a Sept. 9 exhibition against Salt Lake Community College, WSU opens the 2024 season at home against Utah Tech on Aug. 15.

WSU is then on the road for five straight matches against San Diego State, Fresno State, Cal State Bakersfield, Texas Tech and Utah. The Wildcats also play Colorado, North Dakota State and Utah Valley on the road.

The Wildcats host Pacific on Sept. 5, Utah State on Sept. 15, and finish nonconference play with Wyoming at home on Sept. 22.

WSU opens Big Sky play at home on Sept. 27 against Northern Colorado, hosts Idaho State on Oct. 13 and Northern Arizona on Oct. 25, and caps the regular season at home against Montana on Oct. 27.

Big Sky road games are against Portland State, Sacramento State, Idaho and Eastern Washington.

Montana hosts the Big Sky tournament on Nov. 6-10.

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