BEAUMONT, Texas – Just days after the announcement of his contract extension, fifth-year head coach Alvin Brooks has released his 2025-26 schedule. The 31-game schedule will see Lamar University play at home 15 times, including the renewing of a historic non-conference rivalry (UL Lafayette), face three first-time opponents (Montana, Oakland and Omaha) and make a trip out west.
 
"We've put together some tough non-conference schedules every year," said Brooks. "Last year, we played three eventual tournament teams, a defending conference champion in Sam Houston here, and that prepared us for conference play. This year's schedule is no different. We have Omaha coming here, we play in the Montana MTE and Montana won its league last year, we also travel to TCU and San Diego State who are always tough and UL Lafayette is coming to Beaumont and we travel to UL Monroe among others in non-conference play.
 
"I think this non-conference schedule will once again prepare us for a tough Southland Conference slate. The Southland is going to be very good again, like it has always been. The tournament is once against back in Lake Charles so we know going in that we have to win on the road to advance to the NCAA Championship tournament," added Brooks.
 
The Cardinals officially tip off the 2025-26 season Monday, Nov. 3^rd when they host second-year program Texas A&M-San Antonio. It marks the second-straight year the Jaguars have come to Beaumont. Following that game the Cardinals will hit the road for four straight including dates at TCU (Nov. 10), UL Monroe (Nov. 17), Montana (Nov. 23) and Oakland (Nov. 24). The games against both Montana and Oakland will take place in Missoula, Mont., as part of the Montana MTE tournament.
 
The Cardinals will close out the month of November back in the Golden Triangle as they open a three-game homestand on Nov. 29^th. Big Red will host Our Lady of the Lake before historic rival UL Lafayette comes calling (Dec. 3). It will be the Ragin' Cajuns first trip to Beaumont since the 2011-12 season. The Cardinals close out that homestand Saturday, Dec. 6 with an early-season start to Southland Conference play against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
 
Following the Conference opener, Big Red will travel to San Diego to take on the San Diego State Aztecs (Dec. 10) and return home six nights later to face UT Rio Grande Valley. The Cardinals close out non-conference play Saturday, Dec. 20^th against Omaha.
 
The game against the Mavericks will be Lamar's final game before taking nine days off for the Christmas holidays. Big Red will be back in action to start conference play full time on Monday, Dec. 29^th when they travel to Northwestern State.
 
The annual Battle of the Border rivalry dates have been set for Saturday, Jan. 3^rd in Lake Charles, La. and Saturday, Jan. 31^st in Beaumont.
 
Fans can get an early look at the Cardinals when they host Mary Hardin-Baylor Wednesday, Oct. 29^th. All Lamar home games will be played at the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at the Montagne Center and all regular-season home games will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+.