NEW ORLEANS – The fifth week of Sun Belt volleyball action will feature 12 divisional matches. Eight teams enter the week on active win streaks as the top pairing in the East Division faces off. 12 of the 14 matches will be broadcast on ESPN+.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
- EASTERN CROWN – For the second consecutive week, the top two teams in the East Division will face off. Georgia Southern will travel to face James Madison as both teams enter the contest with a 7-1 mark in conference play. The two team also boast the highest win streaks and the best win percentage over their last ten matches. The Dukes are currently on a seven match win streak and have an impressive 9-1 record in their last ten matches. The Eagles are riding a five game win streak with an 8-2 mark in the last ten matches. Georgia Southern setter Kirsten Barrett leads the conference in assists and assists per set, while James Madison’s Kennedy Louisell continues to pace the league in kills and kills per set. Louisell also continues to lead all of Division I volleyball in points and kills.
- WESTERN PUZZLE – The West Division is currently controlled by South Alabama, who has won seven of its last ten matches with a 7-1 mark in league play. After the Jaguars, the middle of the standings are all within grasp. Arkansas State enters the weekend with a 5-1 mark with Southern Miss standing at 5-3. Texas State is currently 3-4 as both Troy and Louisiana sit at 2-4. The weekends matches feature divisional games across the landscape minus Southern Miss facing Old Dominion.
- WINNING WAYS – Seven of the league’s 14 teams have winning records in their last ten matches as week five sets up with eight teams on an active win streak. James Madison leads the way with a 9-1 record as Georgia Southern is 8-2. Coastal Carolina joins South Alabama, Arkansas State and Southern Miss as being 7-3 over the last ten matches. App State is 6-4 over the last ten matches with Louisiana and Marshall being an even 5-5.
- RPI RANKINGS – Four 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. James Madison now leads the way for the league at 50 as App State comes in at 60. Arkansas State moved to 66 in the rankings as Coastal Carolina rounds out the grouping at 100. Six additional programs reside in the top 150 in Georgia Southern (106), South Alabama (109), Texas State (115), Southern Miss (116) and Marshall (140).
WHERE TO WATCH
| Date |
Time |
Matchup |
Broadcast |
| Thurs. Oct. 23 |
5:00 p.m. |
Southern Miss at Old Dominion |
ESPN+ |
| Thurs. Oct. 23 |
6:00 p.m. |
Arkansas State at Troy |
ESPN+ |
| Fri. Oct. 24 |
5:00 p.m. |
Southern Miss at Old Dominion |
|
| Fri. Oct. 24 |
5:00 p.m. |
Marshall at Georgia State |
EPSN+ |
| Fri. Oct. 24 |
5:00 p.m. |
Georgia Southern at James Madison |
ESPN+ |
| Fri. Oct. 24 |
5:00 p.m. |
App State at Coastal Carolina |
ESPN+ |
| Fri. Oct. 24 |
6:00 p.m. |
ULM at Texas State |
ESPN+ |
| Fri. Oct. 24 |
6:00 p.m. |
Arkansas State at Troy |
ESPN+ |
| Fri. Oct. 24 |
6:00 p.m. |
South Alabama at Louisiana |
ESPN+ |
| Sat. Oct. 25 |
2:00 p.m. |
Georgia Southern at James Madison |
ESPN+ |
| Sat. Oct. 25 |
1:00 p.m. |
App State at Coastal Carolina |
ESPN+ |
| Sat. Oct. 25 |
1:00 p.m. |
Marshall at Georgia State |
ESPN+ |
| Sat. Oct. 25 |
1:00 p.m. |
South Alabama at Louisiana |
|
| Sat. Oct. 25 |
2:00 p.m. |
ULM at Texas State |
ESPN+ |
All Times CT