STATESBORO, Ga. – Bethune-Cookman Volleyball finishes up the in-season tournament portion of the schedule this weekend as the Wildcats travel to Statesboro, Georgia for the GATA Challenge hosted by Georgia Southern inside Hanner Fieldhouse.
 
Bethune-Cookman opens the weekend Friday, Sept. 15, against the host Georgia Southern Eagles at 6 p.m., followed by a Saturday matchup against the Mercer Bears at 1 p.m. The match versus GSU will stream on ESPN+.
 
MATCH #10: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs. Georgia Southern Eagles
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 15, at 6 p.m.
WHERE: Hanner Fieldhouse (Statesboro, Ga.)
WATCH LIVE: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: Click Here
 
MATCH #11: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs. Mercer Bears
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 16, at 1 p.m.
WHERE: Hanner Fieldhouse (Statesboro, Ga.)
 
IN THE RANKINGS
▪ Bethune-Cookman is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
▪ Georgia Southern is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
▪ Mercer 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 is playing in its fourth and final regular season tournament of the 2023 campaign as part of the GATA Challenge hosted by Georgia Southern in Statesboro, Georgia.
▪ This past week, freshman outside hitter Mia Delahoussaye was selected as the female Wildcat of the Week at Bethune-Cookman following a string performance last weekend at the Owls Paradise Classic.
▪ Delahoussaye was named to the Owls Paradise Classic All-Tournament Team as she registered season highs in back-to-back matches for the Wildcats against Youngstown State (11), followed by Incarnate Word (17). She hit at a .350 clip against UIW, adding five digs and a block assist in the process. In all, she recorded 29 kills in three matches, accumulating 11 digs and two block assists.
▪ Niara Hightower is one of four Wildcats with double-digit blocks on the campaign, leading the way with 29 under her belt. AJ Simmons (14), Alyssa King (13) and Ktyal Price (11) follow afterwards in the blocks category.
▪ Sophomore defensive specialist/libero Rylee Davis tops the team with 73 digs thus far, adding 20 assists and two service aces. Davis picked up a career-best 24 digs last weekend versus Incarnate Word.
▪ Despite missing the first three matches of the season All-SWAC Preseason Team member Alisha Callender is atop the Wildcats in assists with 78. Behind her is fellow setter Madison Coates (65), followed by Janleen De Jesus (44).
▪ Malina Spencer is enjoying a breakout season for Head Coach Brittany Williams, as the redshirt senior from Kissimmee, Florida has registered a team-high 42 kills (1.62 per set) to go along with nine total blocks.
 
BCU VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN SERIES
▪ Bethune-Cookman trails the all-time series against Georgia Southern by a count of 8-2. The Eagles collected a 3-0 win from the Wildcats back on Aug. 28, 2021, while it was BCU taking as 3-1 decision away in Statesboro, Georgia in 2017. The only other win for the Cats in the series occurred by way of a 3-2 count back in 1996.
 
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
▪ Georgia Southern enters the weekend with an 8-1 record overall, while playing host Mercer on Thursday evening. The one loss for the Eagles was a 3-0 setback versus UTSA in Buies Creek, North Carolina. The Eagles have won three on the spin entering Thursday evening's match and are a perfect 6-0 at home on the campaign. Jillian Gray leads the squad with 73 kills and hitting at a .272 clip, followed by Reagan Barth with 64 kills and nine service aces. The Eagles use setter Kirsten Barrett to set up the plays, while libero Ashlyn Lovett owns 137 digs.
 
BCU VS. MERCER SERIES
▪ Mercer has won all five previous meetings between the Bears and Wildcats, including recording a 3-1 victory from the Maroon and Gold in DeLand, Florida back on Sept. 9, 2022. Prior to that, the Bears had won two matches in 2008 and '09, respectfully, both in Macon, Georgia.
 
SCOUTING THE BEARS
▪ Prior to facing off against Georgia Southern on Thursday evening, Mercer enters the weekend with a 3-6 record overall, including a win in each of the previous three weekend tournaments on the campaign. Mercer defeated Mississippi Valley State on the opening weekend, while then defeating Idaho State and Charleston, Southern, respectively, the following weekends. Kylee Quigley has a team-high 80 kills, while Skyler Bumpers has 62 kills and hits at a team-high .467 clip for the campaign. Quigley also has 15 service aces, while setters Kiera McCarles (136 assists) and Jessica Dunn (95 assists) set up the offensive attack. Bumpers has 33 total blocks, and teammate Abbey Havrilla has registered 112 digs in defense.
 
A QUICK LOOK AT THE CATS
Record – 0-9 (.000) // SWAC Record – 0-0 (.000) // Last 5 Matches – 0-5 (.000) // Last 10 Matches – 0-10 (.000) // Last 15 Matches – 4-11 (.267) // BCU will play the 189th match of the Brittany Williams era when the Wildcats face off against Youngstown State on Friday evening.
 
UP NEXT
Bethune-Cookman opens Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) next weekend as Alabama A&M and Alabama State visit Richard V. Moore Gymnasium. BCU will be playing at home for the first time since the season-opening Bash at the Beach (August 25-26). Alabama A&M visits Friday, Sept. 22, at 6 p.m. Meanwhile, BCU plays host to the ASU Hornets on Sunday, Sept. 24, at Noon.
 
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