VBelo Daily: January 11, 2026
2026 is off to a hot start. This is going to be a fun year. Today we also have our first MPSF matchup...which is weird.
Number of the Day
63 - There was so much amazing that happened yesterday that this one was tough to pick. But we are going with Hunter Hopkins (Purdue Fort Wayne) who finished with 63 assists. Despite the loss, the Mastodons have some silver lining with their setter.
Yesterday’s Scores
Asics Invitational (UCSB)
#6 UC Irvine (91%) def. Maryville (9%)
3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-21)
#11 CSUN (99%) def. Kentucky State (1%)
3-0 (25-10, 25-10, 25-21)
#17 UC Santa Barbara (88%) def. Harvard (12%)
3-1 (22-25, 25-18, 25-14, 25-19)
Non-conference
#20 Lincoln Memorial (95%) def. North Greenville (5%)
3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-23)
#3 Long Beach (92%) def. #15 McKendree (8%)
3-0 (25-22, 35-33, 25-16)
The model still sees this as a loss, but wow it is an impressive loss to open the season. The model does reward close sets though 😉
🚨Missouri S&T (27%) def. Purdue Fort Wayne (73%)
3-2 (25-21, 23-25, 20-25, 25-23, 15-13)
The GLVC came to play in their first season as a conference. These are not new teams and they are showing that they can hang.
Roberts Wesleyan (81%) def. D’Youville (19%)
3-0 (33-31, 25-14, 25-17)
#13 Penn State (99%) def. Manhattan (1%)
3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-20)
First match EVER for Manhattan! Welcome to the party.
#16 Ball State (76%) def. NJIT (24%)
3-1 (25-13, 21-25, 25-12, 25-12)
🚨Catawba (24%) def. #19 George Mason (76%)
3-2 (20-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-22, 15-12)
Massive win for Catawba! This is the first win in program history over a ranked opponent.
The bad news is that GMU had their star OH, Liam French, go down with a leg injury late in the game. Hoping for a quick recovery for the senior ❤️
Merrimack (82%) def. Dominican (18%)
3-1 (22-25, 25-22, 25-16, 25-17)
Queens (48%) def. Tusculum (52%)
3-0 (25-22, 25-17, 25-22)
#5 Southern California (90%) def. St. Thomas Aquinas (10%)
3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-15)
#12 Lewis (48%) def. #9 Stanford (52%)
3-0 (30-28, 25-21, 25-22)
I was high on Stanford this year with all of their returners. I still am, to be clear. But wow am I impressed with Lewis! The MIVA looks to be complete chaos, yet again.
#8 BYU (88%) def. Saint Francis (12%)
3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-19)
🚨UC Santa Cruz (16%) def. Menlo (84%)
3-2 (20-25, 25-23, 19-25, 25-14, 15-4)
Lindenwood (59%) def. Vanguard (41%)
3-0 (25-18, 25-12, 25-22)
Today’s Match Projections
MPSF
Concordia (2%) vs #1 UCLA (98%)
The MPSF needs to figure out their wonky schedule. At least these teams are playing once.
Non-conference
Lees-McRae (9%) vs Charleston (91%)
NJIT (41%) vs Purdue Fort Wayne (59%)
Daemen (6%) vs #4 Pepperdine (94%)
Fort Valley State (49%) vs Queens (51%)
Rockhurst (12%) vs #10 UC San Diego (88%)
And funny enough this is the calm before the chaos.