JACKSON, Miss. – The penultimate slate of matches for the 2023 regular season takes place this weekend as Bethune-Cookman descends upon the "Magnolia State" when visiting Jackson State and Mississippi Valley State for Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Volleyball action.
 
The Wildcats travel to Jackson, Mississippi to face the Jackson State Tigers on Friday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m., before venturing to Itta Bena, Mississippi to face the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils on Sunday, Nov. 5, at 1 p.m.
 
MATCH #25: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at Jackson State Tigers
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. ET
WHERE: Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center (Jackson, Miss.)
WATCH LIVE: Jackson State Sports Network
LIVE STATS: Click Here
 
MATCH #26: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 5, at 1 p.m. ET
WHERE: R.W. Harrison HPER Complex (Itta Bena, Miss.)
 
IN THE RANKINGS
▪ Bethune-Cookman is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
▪ Jackson State is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
▪ Mississippi Valley State is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep up with everything Bethune-Cookman Volleyball this year by following the Wildcats on all their social media platforms. You can follow @BCUVolleyball on Instagram and @BCUVolleyball on Twitter.
 
NEWS & NOTES
▪ Bethune-Cookman arrives to the weekend in the "Magnolia State" with a 6-18 record overall, including a 6-7 mark in league action.
▪ Mia Delahoussaye leads the BCU offensive attack with 166 kills (2.68 per set), while teammate Elizabeth Phillips has emerged over the last few matches to pick up 110 kills (1.86 per set) over the course of the campaign.
▪ Delahoussaye sits seventh in the league for kills.
▪ Alisha Callender owns a team-high 313 assists (4.35 per set) alongside Madison Coates who owns 241 assists (3.54 per set).
▪ Niara Hightower is atop the SWAC with 96 blocks (1.17 per set). Ktyal Price is fourth in the league with 55 blocks.
▪ Graduate transfer Essence Bell is second in the league and tops amongst the Wildcats with 236 digs (4.92 per set).
 
BCU VS. JACKSON STATE SERIES
▪ The all-time series between Bethune-Cookman and Jackson State is tied at four matches apiece. However, the Tigers have won four of the last five meetings between the two sides, including a 3-1 win in Daytona Beach earlier this season on September 29. BCU collected a 3-1 win in Tallahassee, Florida last year as part of the SWAC Cluster hosted by Florida A&M on Nov. 13, 2022.
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
▪ Jackson State enters the weekend with a 13-9 overall record, and a record of 9-3 in league play. JSU swept three matches in the SWAC Cluster #2 event hosted by the Tigers at the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center in Jackson, Mississippi last weekend. In all, JSU has won four matches on the bounce.
▪ Alexis Williams leads the Tigers with 264 kills (3.14 per set), followed by Hope Briggs with 221 kills (2.63 per set).
▪ Naija Gadis provides the assists from her setter position, leading the squad with 419 (5.44 per set). Fellow setter Karys Dove has contributed 350 assists (4.73 per set).
▪ JSU looks towards Trinity Bryant for digs as she holds 305 (3.63 per set) under her belt.
▪ Second on the squad in digs is Williams with 228 (2.71 per set).
▪ Jordan Jones tops the team in blocks with 74 (0.95 per set).
 
BCU VS. MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE SERIES
▪ B-CU holds an unblemished 6-0 record all-time against Mississippi Valley State, respectfully. The only contest between the two sides that has not ended in a 3-0 Wildcats sweep was a 3-2 decision in favor of BCU back on Sept. 12, 2009, in Montgomery, Alabama. The Cats took down the Delta Devils by a 3-0 mark earlier this season in Daytona Beach on October 1.
 
SCOUTING THE DELTA DEVILS
▪ Mississippi Valley State arrives to the weekend sporting a record of 4-20 overall and holding a SWAC record of 0-12 altogether.
▪ The Delta Devils enter with a 12-match losing streak, as the Delta Devils last win was a 3-0 decision against Tougaloo on September 13.
▪ MVSU is led in kills by Seerdyn James with 100 (1.54 per set), and teammate Michayla Black owns 86 kills (1.32 per set).
▪ Setter Mikayla Lee leads the Delta Devils with 326 assists (4.41 per set).
▪ Five different MVSU players have 100 digs or better, led on the defensive front by the services of Ashlynn Hawkins (156) and James (129), respectively.
▪ In the blocks category, Black has tallied 17 blocks, followed by Lee with 16 on the campaign.
 
A QUICK LOOK AT THE CATS
Record – 6-18 (.250) // SWAC Record – 6-7 (.462) // Last 5 Matches – 3-2 (.600) // Last 10 Matches – 5-5 (.500) // Last 15 Matches – 6-9 (.400)
 
UP NEXT
BCU concludes the regular season with a visit to in-state SWAC opponent Florida A&M on Friday, Nov. 10, as the Cats take on the Rattlers at 6 p.m.
 
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