DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Volleyball will have its home opener this weekend as the Wildcats host the annual Bash at the Beach Tournament inside Richard V. Moore Gymnasium beginning Friday, Sept. 12, at 10 a.m. The Wildcats welcome teams from Charleston Southern, Jacksonville and South Carolina State to Daytona Beach for the two-day event.
 
MATCH #7: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs. South Carolina State Bulldogs
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 12, at 12:30 p.m.
WHERE: Richard V. Moore Gymnasium (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
WATCH: CatEye Network
LIVE STATS: Click Here
 
MATCH #8: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs. Charleston Southern Buccaneers
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 12, at 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Richard V. Moore Gymnasium (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
WATCH: CatEye Network
LIVE STATS: Click Here
 
MATCH #9: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs. Jacksonville Dolphins
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 13, at 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Richard V. Moore Gymnasium (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
WATCH: CatEye Network
LIVE STATS: Click Here
 
IN THE RANKINGS
▪ Bethune-Cookman is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
▪ Charleston Southern 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
▪ South Carolina 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
▪ For the third consecutive season, Bethune-Cookman is hosting the Bash at the Beach Tournament.
▪ The Wildcats went 0-3 last weekend at the Molly Howard-Gerwig Memorial Tournament hosted by Houston Christian in Texas, but fell in four-set matches across two matches in opening day action.
▪ Tiyanna Preston leads Bethune-Cookman in kills with 45 (1.96 k/s), as Ariel Simmons follows her with 39 kills (1.70 k/s).
▪ Sophomore setter Nola Hemphill has set up the offense with 108 assists (4.70 a/s).
▪ Freshman setter Melissa Gonzalez leads the group in service aces with 12, having also handed out 75 assists (3.26 a/s) thus far on the season.
▪ Newcomer Sthefany Carvalho is the leader in digs from her libero position with 99 (4.30 dig/s).
Freshman middle blocker Kaleigh Williams owns a team-high 29 blocks (27 assisted), followed by senior Mecca Freeman with 20 blocks (18 assisted).
 
BCU VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE SERIES
▪ In a matchup of former Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) adversaries, Bethune-Cookman holds a record of 37-16 all-time against South Carolina State.
▪ The Wildcats have won the last 14 meetings between the two sides dating back to October 13, 2013.
▪ Prior to that, the Bulldogs had won seven-straight matches from 2010-13, respectfully.
▪ The two teams last meet in 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee, with the Cats taking a 3-1 decision at Tennessee State.
▪ Head coach Brittany Williams has never lost to S.C. State in her coaching career.
 
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
▪ South Carolina State arrives to Daytona Beach with a record of 1-4 on the year, which includes a win over SWAC opponent Arkansas-Pine Bluff back on August 30.
▪ The Bulldogs have played two other DSWAC teams aside from UAPB, dropping a pair of 3-01 decisions to Alabama A&M and Southern (La.), respectively.
▪ Kiyah Felder is the team's leader in kills with 38 (2.11 k/s), and she is followed up by Hailey Harris with 33 kills (1.83 k/s).
▪ Three different players have 30-plus assists – Macey McCoy (36), Arianna James (35) and Alissa Williams (33).
▪ Defensively, Xaria Pickett owns the digs with 39 (2.17 dig/s), while teammate Jade Robinson owns a team-leading 10 blocks (seven assisted).
 
BCU VS. CHARLESTON SOUTHERN SERIES
▪ Bethune-Cookman and Charleston Southern have met just twice since 2002.
▪ The Buccaneers have won both previous meetings, including a 3-0 decision from the Wildcats in Charleston, South Carolina back in 2021.
 
SCOUTING THE BUCCANEERS
▪ Charleston Southern is an even 3-3 on the year entering the Bash at the Beach.
▪ The Buccaneers have gathered wins from Loyola (Md.), Southern Utah and cross-town opponent The Citadel on the year.
▪ The kills are provided by Skylar Yates (60), and she is followed closely in that department by Sophia Kluska (48) and Faith Burch (46).
▪ A pair of setters provide the assists in the form of Tristin Sutton (119) and Cara McLean (101).
▪ The libero for the Buccaneers is Presley Morris as she owns a team-best 107 digs (4.65 dig/s).
▪ Blocks are put down by Emma Bednarek with 25 (22 assisted) and Emily Struckmeyer with 17 (15 assisted).
 
BCU VS. JACKSONVILLE SERIES
▪ Bethune-Cookman has never defeated Jacksonville, as the Dolphins hold a 53-0 advantage in a series that dates back to 1989.
▪ Last season, B-CU fell at JU in a five-set thriller – the first five-set match between the two sides since 2011.
▪ Until 2019, the two programs met at least once annually, with 2015 being the only year of exception.
 
SCOUTING THE DOLPHINS
▪ Jacksonville is 4-2 on the season – a mark that includes wins from UAB, UNC Asheville, Mercyhurst and Pepperdine, respectfully.
▪ The Dolphins fell in a four-set match to No. 9 Pittsburgh in their last match.
▪ The offense comes from a variety of areas for the Dolphins as Rebekah Williams (56 kills) and Haley Yount (49 kills) top the group.
▪ Williams also leads the squad with 12 service aces early-on in the campaign.
▪ Bella Dearinger is the setter for the Dolphins with a team-high 130 assists (5.91 a/s) under her belt.
▪ Defensively, Kristina Nika has 67 digs and teammate Williams has gathered 42 digs of her own.
▪ Yount tops the team in blocks (23).
 
A QUICK LOOK AT THE CATS
2025 Record – 2-4 (.333) // 2025 SWAC Record – 0-0 (.000) // Last 5 Matches – 2-3 (.400) // Last 10 Matches – 3-7 (.3300) // Last 15 Matches – 8-7 (.533) // Bethune-Cookman is 1-5 over the last two seasons hosting the Bash at the Beach.
 
UP NEXT
Bethune-Cookman travels to the FAU Tournament hosted by Florida Atlantic taking place on the weekend of September 19-20, in Boca Raton, Florida.
 
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