HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Bethune-Cookman Volleyball rides a six-match winning streak into the weekend as the Wildcats travel to Alabama for a return trip to Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opponents Alabama A&M and Alabama State.
 
MATCH #24: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at Alabama A&M Bulldogs
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. CT
WHERE: T.M. Elmore Gym (Huntsville, Ala.)
LIVE STATS: Click here
 
MATCH #25: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at Alabama State Hornets
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 3, at 3 p.m. CT
WHERE: Lockhart Gymnasium (Montgomery, Ala.)
LIVE STATS: Click here
WATCH: Click Here
 
IN THE RANKINGS
▪ Bethune-Cookman is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
▪ Alabama A&M is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
▪ Alabama 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 is riding a six-match winning streak into the weekend, as well as eight of the last nine overall.
▪ The Wildcats enter the weekend tied for second place in the league standings with Jackson State.
▪ Last weekend, senior middle blocker Niara Hightower reached 100 blocks for the season, as well as amassing 300 career blocks at Bethune-Cookman.
▪ Hightower is joined by graduate middle blocker Ktyal Price being ranked in the top five of the league in blocks – Hightower (3rd) and Price (4th).
▪ Hightower is also fourth in the SWAC in hitting percentage (.279), while senior outside hitter Jasmine Robinson is 10th in the SWAC for kills.
▪ Robinson picked up her second consecutive – and third in the past four weeks, SWAC Newcomer of the Week award this week.
▪ A native of Fleming Island, Florida, Robinson is also ninth in the league for points.
▪ Five Wildcats have 100 or more kills on the season – Robinson (219), Elizabeth Phillips (148), Hightower (130), Mecca Freeman (100) and Price (100).
▪ Senior setter Alisha Callender has a team-leading 399 assists with freshman setter Nola Hemphill (38) just behind her.
▪ Callender also tops the squad in digs with 193, with junior libero/defensive specialist Rylee Davis just behind her at 192. Despite missing most of the early stages of the season, Phillips is third on the team with 191 digs.
 
BCU VS. ALABAMA A&M SERIES
▪ The series between the two teams is tied at 5-5.
▪ In matches taking place in Huntsville, Alabama A&M has a record of 2-1.
▪ The series began in 1998, with the Bulldogs taking the first three meetings.
▪ At home, B-CU has won four of the last meetings all-time.
▪ Since joining the SWAC, B-CU has a 5-2 advantage, including a 3-0 win last month in Daytona Beach.
 
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
▪ Alabama A&M comes into the weekend sporting a record of 5-17 overall, while holding a 3-7 mark in SWAC play.
▪ The Bulldogs have dropped their last four matches on the spin, including a pair of setbacks in Texas to Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M, respectively, in their last outings.
▪ The team leaders in kills are Fatima Ramirez (252) and Saldy Amparo-Smith (222).
▪ Setter Grace Tapscott tops the squad in assists with 381, followed by Laela Price with 211 assists. Tapscott also leads the team in service aces (32).
▪ AAMU's leader in digs is Michell Jerez with 228, followed closely by Ramirez with 175 digs.
 
BCU VS. ALABAMA STATE SERIES
▪ Bethune-Cookman holds a 10-7 advantage over Alabama State in the all-time series that dates back to October 6, 2000.
▪ The Wildcats' first win in SWAC play over the Hornets came earlier this season in Daytona Beach.
▪ B-CU's win in October erased a seven-match losing skid to the Hornets.
▪ The series is tied 3-3 in matches played in Montgomery, Alabama.
 
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
▪ Under the direction of veteran head coach Penny Lucas-White, Alabama State owns a record of 8-15 overall and an even 5-5 mark in the league.
▪ ASU has a record of 4-5 at home this season sitting sixth in the league standings.
▪ Two Hornets have 150 or more kills – Jyriah Morgan (153) and Kaylen Hines (150).
▪ A pair of setters pace the Hornets offense as Kamrynn Clay (454 assists) and Sierra Scanian (284 assists) quarterback the attack. Clay and Scanian also have 23 service aces apiece.
▪ Breanna Swanson tops the squad in digs (133) as four total players have 100 or more digs on the campaign.
▪ Zanobia Willis has 71 blocks and Kaylen Hines has 52 blocks.
 
A QUICK LOOK AT THE CATS
2024 Record – 12-11 (.522) // 2024 SWAC Record – 9-2 (.818) // Last 5 Matches – 5-0 (1.000) // Last 10 Matches – 8-2 (.800) // Last 15 Matches – 9-6 (.600) // Head Coach Brittany Williams is seeking her 96th all-time victory when facing Alabama A&M.
 
UP NEXT
The Cats host Florida A&M in a return match at Richard V. Moore Gymnasium on Friday, Nov. 8, at 6 p.m.
 
Follow Bethune-Cookman Volleyball on X/Twitter (@BCUVolleyball) and Instagram (@BCUVolleyball) for all of the latest news and updates. For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUAthletics), Instagram (@BCU_Athletics) and BCUathletics.com.