Schedule Overview
Youngstown State University revealed its 2026‑27 women's basketball non‑conference slate, setting the stage for a season that opens with a home contest against Hiram College on November 2.
The Penguins will enjoy four home games at the Zidian Family Arena, while also traveling to face Buffalo, Heidelberg and Akron, each offering notable first‑time meetings or long‑awaited rematches.
A standout matchup arrives when the team journeys to Colorado, marking the program's first game in the state and its first encounter with a current Big 12 member since the 2023‑24 season.
Later in the schedule, the Penguins will meet Southern California, a game that will see head coach Melissa Jackson face her former mentor Lindsay Gottlieb, adding a personal storyline to the on‑court action.
The non‑conference slate also includes a tournament stop in New Jersey, where the team will play Fairleigh Dickinson for the first time in 46 years and could square off against La Salle or San Diego State.
Overall, the schedule features six road contests, including a return to Toledo's arena for the first time since the 2013 WNIT, and culminates with back‑to‑back games at the FDU Tournament in Teaneck.