NEW ORLEANS – The sixth week of Sun Belt volleyball action will feature 12 divisional matches. Troy will travel to Arkansas State in a key divisional matchup as all 14 matches will be broadcast on ESPN+.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR
 

• CLASSIC WESTERN – Troy and Arkansas State will face off in Jonesboro as the two hottest teams in the league in a key divisional matchup. The Red Wolves currently lead the West Division with a 7-1 mark and are 9-1 in league play. The Trojans are 8-2 in divisional and league action and hold the same record over their last ten matches. The Red Wolves hold a 4-2 record at home, as the Trojans have traveled well with a 4-2 mark on the road. Troy enters the weekend with the second best opponent hitting percentage in the league at just .181 while limiting opponents to a league-best 10.61 kills per set. The Red Wolves have showed offensive efficiency this far into the season with a league-leading 12.61 assists per set and are second in the league with 13.70 kills per set. The Trojans also lead the conference in service aces with an average of 2.17 per set, while Arkansas State defensively ranks second in the league with 16.16 digs per set. Individually, Troy’s Ashlynn Axtell ranks third in the league with a .369 hitting percentage on the year as Arkansas State’s Mia Maloney ranks fifth in the league in digs per set at 4.39. Troy’s Kalina Calvillo averages .58 service aces per set to lead the league with Arkansas State’s Erin Madigan ranking fourth in the league in assists per set at 7.61.

 

• EASTERN CLASH – The Eastern Division clash between Marshall and Georgia Southern features prolific offenses and defenses. The Thundering Herd enter the matchup 6-2 in divisional action as the Eagles are 7-1 with both teams showcasing a 7-3 mark in overall league play. The Herd have a slight advantage at home, where they are 6-2 as the Eagles are an even 3-3 on the road entering the matchup. Georgia Southern leads the league in both hitting percentage (.256) and kills per set (13.72) entering the matching as the Eagles’ Alex Myers leads the league in hitting percentage at .399. Marshall follows in second in hitting percentage across the league at .244. Georgia Southern’s Reagan Barth leads the offense where she ranks third in the league at a 3.94 kills per set average as Marshall’s Maddie Smith ranks fifth at 3.37. With two weeks remaining in the regular season, this Eastern Division matchup could have major seeding implications.

 

• NATIONAL STAGE – Arkansas State now leads the way for the league in RPI ranking at No. 69 as they are followed by Georgia Southern at No. 75. James Madison joins the duo in the top 100 at No. 84 with Troy (122) and App State (129) sitting just outside. On the national stage, Troy ranks third in the nation in assists per set as James Madison is also ranked third nationally in blocks per set at 3.11. Southern Mis ranks No. 12 in digs per set with a league-leading 16.65 as App State and Louisiana rank in the top 20 in team assists. The Mountaineers rank No. 13 with 1,100 as the Ragin Cajuns rank No. 19 with 1,083. The Mountaineers also rank No. 4 nationally in team kills with 1,236 with the Dukes ranking No. 2 in team blocks at 236. Individually, Troy’s Kalina Calvillo ranks No. 13 in aces per set as James Madison’s Kennedy Louisell ranks No. 20 at .54. Ayen Nhial from James Madison ranks No. 18 in blocks per set at 1.41 as Coastal Carolina’s Hatteras Welker ranks No. 22 at 1.39. Nhial is joined by teammate Anna Wilson inside the top 25 at No. 24 with 1.38 blocks per set. App State’s MeMe Davis ranks No. 13 in digs pet set at 4.80 as she ranks No. 5 in total digs at 456. Louisell ranks No. 6 in kills per set at 4.70, No. 6 in points (418), No. 5 in points per set (5.50) and No. 8 in total kills (357).  

 

• WINNING WAYS – Eight teams in the league enter the weekend on active win streaks with Arkansas State leading the way on a six-match win streak. Marshall enters the weekend on a three-match win streak as Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina and ULM enter the weekend on a two-match tilt. Louisiana Tech, Troy and App State all concluded the series last weekend with a win heading into the sixth week of league action.

 
 WHERE TO WATCH
 

Date	Time	Matchup	Broadcast
Thurs. Oct. 29	5:00 p.m.	App State at Georgia State	ESPN+
Thurs. Oct. 29	5:00 p.m.	Georgia Southern at Marshall	ESPN+
Thurs. Oct. 29	6:00 p.m.	ULM at South Alabama	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 30	5:00 p.m.	Georgia Southern at Marshall	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 30	5:00 p.m.	App State at Georgia State	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 30	5:00 p.m.	Coastal Carolina at James Madison	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 30	6:00 p.m.	Old Dominion at Louisiana Tech	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 30	6:00 p.m.	Southern Miss at Louisiana	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 30	6:00 p.m.	ULM at South Alabama	ESPN+
Fri. Oct. 30	6:00 p.m.	Troy at Arkansas State	ESPN+
Sat. Oct. 31	11:00 a.m.	Old Dominion at Louisiana Tech	ESPN+
Sat. Oct. 31	12:00 p.m.	Coastal Carolina at James Madison	ESPN+
Sat. Oct. 31	1:00 p.m.	Troy at Arkansas State	ESPN+
Sat. Oct. 31	2:00 p.m.	Southern Miss at Louisiana	ESPN+

All Times CT