JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Volleyball stays in the "Sunshine State" this weekend as the Wildcats travel north to Jacksonville, Florida, competing in the JU Invitational presented by Hampton Inn East Regency inside Swisher Gymnasium on the campus of Jacksonville University. The tournament begins Friday, Sept. 20, running through Saturday evening.
 
MATCH #10: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs. Columbia Lions
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 20, at 9:30 a.m.
WHERE: Swisher Gymnasium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
 
MATCH #11: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs. The Citadel Bulldogs
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 20, at 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Swisher Gymnasium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
 
MATCH #12: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at Jacksonville Dolphins
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 21, at 2:30 p.m.
WHERE: Swisher Gymnasium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
 
IN THE RANKINGS
▪ Bethune-Cookman is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
▪ Columbia is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
▪ The Citadel is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
▪ Jacksonville 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
▪ The Wildcats come into the weekend with a 3-6 record which includes key wins against Manhattan and Oral Roberts, respectfully.
▪ Bethune-Cookman is led in kills by Jasmine Robinson (71). Three players have 50 or more kills each – Niara Hightower (57), Amya Jennings (55) and Elizabeth Phillips (54).
▪ In the two-setter system under Head Coach Brittany Williams, senior Alisha Callender and freshman Nola Hemphill have each amassed 151 assists on the season. Callender also owns 12 service aces, while Hemphill has accounted for 11 aces.
▪ Junior libero Rylee Davis heads up the defensive efforts for the Maroon and Gold with a team-leading 78 digs, followed closely by Callender with 76 digs of her own.
▪ Hightower, the 2024 Preseason Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Blocker of the Year, owns a league-leading 45 blocks (11 solo). Sierra Herndon is fourth in the SWAC in blocks with 24 (20 assisted). Ariel Simmons has added 23 blocks of her own.
▪ For the Cats, this is the best start to a season since beginning the 2018 campaign 5-5, which featured wins over Texas Southern, St. Peter's, Jackson State and Morgan State, respectively.
▪ Defensively, B-CU is holding opponents to just a .173 hitting percentage.
▪ The Cats have also served up 60 aces as a team.
 
BCU VS. COLUMBIA SERIES
▪ Bethune-Cookman and Manhattan have never faced each other in volleyball.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS
▪ Columbia enters the weekend 2-4 overall with the Lions having taken wins from Manhattan and Stonehill.
▪ Hailee Watts is the team's leader in kills with 64, followed by teammates Eva Atkins (36) and Juliana Williamson (34).
▪ The setters for the Lions are Ruby van der Heide and Clara Yu, each of whom has registered 95 assists on the campaign.
▪ Defensively, Hailee Watts tops the Lions with 43 digs, while teammates Delaney Seaman and Ruby van der Heide have tallied 36 digs apiece.
▪ Harper Justema has recorded a team-high 21 blocks, with the next closest being Juliana Williamson (9).
 
BCU VS. THE CITADEL SERIES
▪ The Citadel leads the all-time series against Bethune-Cookman by a 7-4 count in a series that dates back to September 15, 2000.
▪ The Bulldogs have captured the last six meetings consecutively, including a 3-0 decision last year during the Bash at the Beach hosted by B-CU in Moore Gymnasium.
▪ The last win for the Wildcats came courtesy a 3-0 sweep of the Bulldogs in Charleston, South Carolina, on Sept. 8, 2006.
▪ B-CU won the first two meetings in the series, as well as four of the first five meetings overall.
 
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
▪ The Citadel arrives to Jacksonville with a 3-5 overall record, which includes wins against UT Martin, Grambling State and Montana State. However, they have lost their last three matches on the spin.
▪ Of the losses by the Bulldogs, one came against No. 2 Nebraska, and one to Alabama out of the SEC.
▪ The Bulldogs are powered in kills by Ali Ruffin with 95 kills, and Mackenzie Martin has 91 kills of her own.
▪ The setter for The Citadel is Belle Hogan with a team-leading 257 assists and 14 service aces.
▪ Defensively, Jaelynn Elgert leads the bunch with 123 digs (4.56 dig/s). Teammate Ali Ruffin adds 117 digs (3.90 dig/s).
▪ The Citadel has Aaliyah Byers with 25 total blocks, as well as Sophie Childs with 17 blocks.
 
BCU VS. JACKSONVILLE SERIES
▪ Bethune-Cookman has never defeated Jacksonville, as the Dolphins hold a 52-0 advantage in a series that dates back to 1989. The two teams have not met since 2019, where the Cats dropped a 3-1 decision in Jacksonville.
▪ During the first eight meetings of the series, the Cats failed to record a set victory.
▪ Until 2019, the two programs met at least once annually, with 2015 being the only year of exception.
 
SCOUTING THE DOLPHINS
▪ In hosting the JU Invitational presented by Hampton Inn East Regency, Jacksonville has a record of 3-6 on the year. That includes two wins over SWAC opponent Southern (La.), as well as New Orleans.
▪ Last weekend, the Dolphins dropped all three of their matches in the Georgia Tournament in Athens, Georgia.
▪ Cami Kelsay has a team-high 83 kills, followed by Breanna McDonough with 63 kills and Alija Heins with 51 kills.
▪ Emily Hodsdon serves as the primary setter for the Dolphins, as she has posted a team-high 265 assists (8.55 a/s) across the campaign.
▪ The libero for the Dolphins is Ana Tobar, having reeled in 106 digs (3.42 dig/s).
▪ Two players have 20-plus blocks, led at the top by Madison Clark (27) and followed by Alija Heins (22).
 
A QUICK LOOK AT THE CATS
2024 Record – 3-6 (.333) // 2024 SWAC Record – 0-0 (.000) // Last 5 Matches – 2-3 (.400) // Last 10 Matches – 3-7 (.300) // Last 15 Matches – 6-9 (.400) // This will be Bethune-Cookman's first-ever meeting with Columbia, and the 53rd meeting all-time against in-state opponent Jacksonville.
 
UP NEXT
Bethune-Cookman enters SWAC play with a road trip to the "Magnolia State" to face Mississippi Valley State (September 27) and Jackson State (September 29), respectively.
 
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