MATCH THEMES AND PROMOS
Friday, Aug. 28 | vs. Rice 
Promotion: Home Opener and Schedule Posters

Saturday, Aug. 29 | vs. Mississippi State 
Promotion: Student Appreciation and Free Pizza for Students

Sunday, Aug. 30 | vs. Georgia State 
Promotion: Sunday Funday and Volleyball Bingo

JAG NOTES
•    Cambria Gaier - a preseason all-SBC selection and the reigning freshman of the year - averaged 3.50 kills per set and 4.11 points per set, ranking seventh and fifth, respectively, in the league – and her 0.38 aces per set were fifth most in the Sun Belt during the 2025 season
•    Sarah Gooch posted career numbers last season as she had 3.33 kills per set, 3.83 points per set, a .289 hitting percentage, 1.19 digs per set and 43 total blocks – 22 solo and 21 block assists en route to earning second-team all-SBC honors
•    Despite having her season cut short, she still managed to finish ranked ninth in the SBC in kills and points
•    Middle hitter Dalayla Blackwell averaged 2.64 points per set and nearly two kills a set (1.93)
•    She recorded 170 kills, while posting a .235 hitting percentage, and led the club with 107.0 total blocks (1.22 blocks per set), which ranked fifth in the Sun Belt Conference
•    Alexa Strandberg ranked third on the club with 25 service aces (0.21 aps), and was outstanding defensively at the net as her 106 total blocks were second on the club
•    She had a team-high 23 solo blocks to go along with 83 block assists for a 0.96 blocks per set average
•    Her 23 solo blocks were tied for fifth-most in the Sun Belt Conference
•    South Alabama welcomes five newcomers to the roster for the 2026 season – Anabelle Cerny (Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy), Alivia Freeman (Enterprise State CC), Delaney Lawson (Utah State), Charlotte Pearce (Saraland HS) and Kathryn O'Toole (Assumption HS) – as well as a pair of players who were on the roster a year ago, but did not see time on the court – Marisa Taix and Halle Norvell

MATCH 1
South Alabama (0-0, 0-0 SBC) vs. Rice (0-0, 0-0 AAC)
Location: Mobile, Ala. (Jag Gym)
Date: Friday, Aug. 28
First Serve: 6p.m. CT
Live Stats: USAJaguars.com
Watch: ESPN+
Social: @SouthAlabamaVB

THE SERIES
All-time series: Rice leads series 2-0
Home: -- | Away: 0-1 | Neutral: 0-1
3-set: 0-1 | 4-set: -- | 5-set: -- 
Current Streak: RU 2

SERIES NOTES
•    South Alabama and Rice have met three previous times in the all-time series,
•    The Owls have taken both of those previous meetings, including a 3-0 win in Houston, Texas, during the 2024 season
•    The first series meeting came back during the 1982 season

MATCH 2
South Alabama (0-0, 0-0 SBC) vs. Mississippi State (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
Location: Mobile, Ala. (Jag Gym)
Date: Saturday, Aug. 29
First Serve: 6 p.m. CT
Live Stats: USAJaguars.com
Watch: ESPN+
Social: @SouthAlabamaVB

THE SERIES
All-time series: Mississippi State leads 11-5
Home:1-0 | Away: 1-6 | Neutral: 3-5
3-set: 5-5 | 4-set: 0-3 | 5-set: 0-3 
Current Streak: MSU 3

SERIES NOTES
•    South Alabama and Mississippi State have met 16 previous times in the all-time series, with the Bulldogs holding an 11-5 advantage in those contests
•    MSU has won the last three meetings, all of which came in Starkville, Miss.
•    South's last win in the series came back during the 2018 season when the Jags won in straight sets in Mobile, the only series meeting on South Alabama's home floor
•    The series between the two clubs dates back to the 1982 season

MATCH 3
South Alabama (0-0, 0-0 SBC) vs. Georgia State (0-0, 0-0 SBC)
Location: Mobile, Ala. (Jag Gym)
Date: Sunday, Aug. 30
First Serve: 3 p.m. CT
Live Stats: USAJaguars.com
Watch: ESPN+
Social: @SouthAlabamaVB

THE SERIES
All-time series: South Alabama leads 16-8
Home: 8-0 | Away: 6-7 | Neutral: 2-1
3-set: 7-4 | 4-set: 5-1 | 5-set: 3-3 
Current Streak: USA 3

SERIES NOTES
•    South Alabama and Georgia State have met 24 previous times in the all-time series with the Jags holding a 16-8 series advantage
•    All but four of the series meetings have come either as conference foes either during the regular season or at the postseason league tournament
•    The Jaguars hold an 8-0 record in the series on their home court
•    The two clubs last met during the 2021 season when South won all three match ups 
•    The Jaguars took a five-set decision in Atlanta and then defeated the Panther in four in Mobile, before sweeping them at the conference tournament
•    This meeting will mark the first non-conference contest since the 2012 season

FOLLOW THE JAGS
For complete coverage of South Alabama Volleyball, follow the Jags on social media @SouthAlabamaVB (Twitter), /SouthAlabama (Facebook), @southalabamavb (Instagram) or visit the official home of South Alabama athletics at USAJaguars.com.