NEW ORLEANS – The fourth week of Sun Belt volleyball action will feature 12 divisional matches. Seven teams enter the week on active win streaks as the top pairing in both the East and West Divisions face off. 11 of the 14 matches will be broadcast on ESPN+.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• EASTERN SHOWDOWN – Coastal Carolina has remained the only unbeaten team in the league over the first three weeks to headline the East Division, however the Chanticleers welcome James Madison for a pair of matches that will decide the leader in the division. The Dukes are currently on a five game win streak after dropping the conference opener. The two teams were picked second and third in the preseason polls, with James Madison leading in nearly every offensive category, while Coastal Carolina leads the league in blocks. The matchup takes an interesting turn at overall records, with the Chants just 3-2 at home and the Dukes 1-4 on the road. The matchup also features two of the league’s brightest stars offensively in Coastal Carolina’s Jalyn Stout and James Madison’s Kennedy Louisell. Between the two student-athletes, they have won six of the seven Offensive Player of the Week accolades.
• CLASSIC WESTERN – The top two teams in the West Division square off in a pair of matches as well. South Alabama split last weekend’s series with Texas State in a pair of five set matches to enter 5-1. The Golden Eagles from Southern Miss are riding a three game win streak with a 5-1 divisional record and an impressive 3-1 showing in road contests. The Jaguars are a perfect 4-0 on the year at home. Brynn Botkin from Southern Miss continues to lead the league in service aces at 35 with South Alabama’s Briana Wilson ranking third in digs per set at 4.32.
• WINNING WAYS – Seven of the league’s 14 teams have winning records in their last ten matches as week four sets up with seven teams on an active win streak. James Madison leads the way with a 9-1 record as Coastal Carolina, Southern Miss and Arkansas State are each 8-2. Georgia Southern and App State are each 7-3 in the last ten contests as South Alabama is 6-4. 
• RPI RANKINGS – Five Sun Belt programs rank inside the top 100 of the third RPI poll that was released earlier in the week, as the league ranks seventh overall in conference RPI. App State leads the way for the league at 53 as Arkansas State comes in at 58. James Madison moved up to 72 in the rankings as Coastal Carolina (93) and Southern Miss (96) returned to the top 100 after a pair of wins. Four additional programs reside in the top 150 in Texas State (118), Louisiana (128), South Alabama (137) and Marshall (140).

 WHERE TO WATCH
 

Date	Time	Matchup	Broadcast
Thurs. Oct. 16	4:00 p.m.	ULM at Marshall
Thurs. Oct. 16	5:00 p.m.	App State at Georgia Southern	ESPN+
Thurs. Oct. 16	6:00 p.m.	Troy at Louisiana	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 17	5:00 p.m.	App State at Georgia Southern	EPSN+
Fri. Oct. 17	5:00 p.m.	ULM at Marshall
Fri. Oct. 17	5:00 p.m.	Georgia State at Old Dominion	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 17	5:00 p.m.	James Madison at Coastal Carolina	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 17	6:00 p.m.	Southern Miss at South Alabama	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 17	6:00 p.m.	Troy at Louisiana
Fri. Oct. 17	6:00 p.m.	Texas State at Arkansas State	ESPN+
Sat. Oct. 18	1:00 p.m.	Texas State at Arkansas State	ESPN+
Sat. Oct. 18	1:00 p.m.	Southern Miss at South Alabama	ESPN+
Sat. Oct. 18	1:00 p.m.	Georgia State at Old Dominion	ESPN+
Sat. Oct. 18	1:00 p.m.	James Madison at Coastal Carolina	ESPN+

All Times CT