MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team will host the Jaguar Invitational Sept. 18-19 at Jaguar Gym to open its 2020 home schedule.

South Alabama (0-2) will kick off the Jaguar Invitational with a 10:30 a.m. match on Friday against Stephen F. Austin (5-1). SFA will then take on ULM (1-2) at 2:30 p.m. before the Jaguars square off with the Warhawks at 6:30 p.m. Friday evening.

USA will face SFA at 11 a.m. on Saturday, followed by a 3 p.m. match against ULM to close out the tournament. Every Jaguar home match will be broadcast live and available through ESPN+. Live stats for each match of the tournament will be available through the Jaguar Invitational Central link on the volleyball page at USAJaguars.com, and may also be accessed through the volleyball schedule page or the multimedia link at USAJaguars.com.

South Alabama dropped a pair of non-conference matches at Louisiana last weekend to open the season, falling in straight sets in each match. The Jaguars return to Jaguar Gym this weekend where they won a program-record 15 matches in 2019, finishing with a 15-1 home record last season.

Rachel Hickey leads the Sun Belt Conference in digs per set (6.50) entering the week. Hickey recorded 16 digs in last weekend's season opener at Louisiana, followed by 23 digs in the series finale. Hickey, Hannah Maddux and Maddie Soboleski rank tied for third in the league in service aces per set (0.33). Soboleski ranks fourth in assists per set (8.50), Maddux ranks seventh in kills per set (3.00) and Rebecca Walk ranks eighth in hitting percentage (.304).

South Alabama ranks second in the conference in service aces per set (1.33) and fourth in digs per set (14.17) entering the week. 

ULM defeated Lamar to open the season before dropping a pair of matches to Houston Baptist in a tournament in Nacogdoches, Texas, last weekend. SFA went 4-0 last weekend with wins over Lamar, ULM and Houston Baptist. 

The all-time series between USA and SFA is tied 1-1. The Jags won the first meeting between the schools in 1988 in Jonesboro, Ark., while the Ladyjacks evened the series with a four-set win in Birmingham, Ala., in 1990, which marked the last meeting between the schools.

South Alabama holds a 13-7 all-time lead over ULM in a series that began in 1984. The Jags have won three straight in the series dating back to 2017, including a win in straight sets last year in Mobile. USA is 9-0 all-time against ULM at Jaguar Gym.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Rally Score Club, the volleyball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Rally Score Club go directly to support the South Alabama volleyball program. For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/rallyscoreclub.