2019 Sun Belt Volleyball News and Notes:
Standings | Composite Schedule | Stats | Championship

AROUND #SUNBELTVB
• The 2019 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Championship gets underway Thursday night at Strahan Arena at the University Events Center in San Marcos, Texas.
 
• All seven tournament matches are set for live coverage on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Live statistics are available on SunBeltSports.org.
 
• The Sun Belt boasts three teams in the top 100 in the latest NCAA Division I RPI updated through matches of Nov. 17 – Texas State (39th), Coastal Carolina (50th) and Troy (88th).
 
• Host Texas State (22-8, 14-2 Sun Belt) is the No. 1 seed after securing its second-straight Sun Belt regular-season and West Division titles. The Bobcats enter the championship seeking its third Sun Belt Tournament title (2013, 2018) and having played in four of the last six conference tournament title matches (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018).
 
• No. 2 Coastal Carolina (23-5, 13-3) and No. 8 Arkansas State (16-12, 7-9) are the only two other teams in this year's eight-team field that have captured Sun Belt Tournament titles. The Chanticleers won the 2016 and 2017 titles and the Red Wolves have six conference tournament titles (1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2015) to their credit.
 
• No. 3 South Alabama (20-10, 11-5) achieved its highest seed since joining the Sun Belt in 2013 and reached the 20-win plateau for the first time since 1989.
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• No. 4 Troy (21-8, 10-6) is back in the conference tournament for the third-straight year with its highest seed since being the No. 2 seed for the 2012 championship. The Trojans' 21 wins are tied for the most in a single season this century in school history.
 
• No. Louisiana (14-15, 10-6) is back in the conference tournament after a one-year hiatus. The Ragin' Cajuns enter the championship as league's hottest team on a five-match winning streak.
 
• No. 6 Appalachian State (13-16, 9-7) rolls into the championship on a winning streak of its own, having won its last four matches to close the regular season. The Mountaineers, as the No. 2 seed, fell to Texas State in the championship match last year.
 
• No. 7 UTA (16-12, 8-8) has been in the Sun Belt Tournament field every year since joining the conference in 2013. The Mavericks reached the championship match in their first season and advanced to the semifinals in 2014 and 2016.
 
• Arkansas State has reached the semifinals in each of the last seven conference tournaments, appearing in the title match twice (2015, 2016).
 
• Coastal Carolina sophomore outside hitter Anett Nemeth, the 2019 Sun Belt Player and Offensive Player of the Year, continues to climb the national list in kills per set, ranking eighth at 4.86 per set. She ranks seventh nationally in points per set (5.66). Nemeth highlighted the league's postseason honors announced on Tuesday.
 
• Coastal Carolina remains second in Division I in service aces per set (2.05) and ranks third team service aces (221).
 
• Among the Division I statistical leaders:
 
- Troy sophomore setter Amara Anderson continues to be one of the top setters, entering the week ranked 10th in assists per set (11.50).
 
- The Sun Belt continues to be home to some of the top servers nationally with three ranked in the top 20 in service aces – Coastal Carolina freshman setter Brigitta Petrenko (3rd, 65), Appalachian State senior defensive specialist/libero Emma Reilly (10th, 54) and Texas State senior setter/outside hitter Cheyenne Huskey (t16th, 50).
 
- Anderson, Petrenko, Reilly and Huskey were all named to the All-Sun Belt first team with Petrenko selected as Sun Belt Freshman of the Year.
 
• Georgia State sophomore defensive specialist/libero Lauren Bandera and senior outside hitter Morgan Hash and South Alabama senior middle blocker Kelley Hartman earned CoSIDA Academic All-District® first-team honors in District 3 and are now eligible for Academic All-America honors. Hartman also earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors.
 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
2019 SUN BELT VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Thursday, November 21
Match 1 - No. 8 Arkansas State vs. No. 5 Louisiana (ESPN+), 5 p.m.
Match 2 - No. 7 UTA vs. No. 6 Appalachian State (ESPN+), 7:30 p.m.
 
Friday, November 22
Match 3 - Match 1 Winner vs. No. 4 Troy (ESPN+), 5 p.m.
Match 4 - Match 2 Winner vs. No. 3 South Alabama (ESPN+), 7:30 p.m.
 
Saturday, November 23
Match 5 - Match 3 Winner at No. 1 Texas State (ESPN+), 2:30 p.m.
Match 6 - Match 4 Winner vs. No. 2 Coastal Carolina (ESPN+), 5 p.m.
 
Sunday, November 24
Match 7 - Match 5 Winner vs. Match 6 Winner (ESPN+), 1 p.m.
 
All Times are Central and Subject to Change