BOCA RATON, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Volleyball is set for the final regular season multi-team event of the 2025 campaign this weekend, as the Wildcats travel south to Boca Raton, Florida for the Owl Paradise Classic hosted by Florida Atlantic. Joining B-CU and the host FAU Owls will be George Washington and Stetson.
 
MATCH #10: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs. Stetson Hatters
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 19, at 10 a.m.
WHERE: Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena (Boca Raton, Fla.)
WATCH: FLOsports
LIVE STATS: Click Here
 
MATCH #11: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs. George Washington Revolutionaries
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 19, at 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena (Boca Raton, Fla.)
WATCH: CatEye Network
LIVE STATS: Click Here
 
MATCH #12: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at Florida Atlantic Owls
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 20, at 1 p.m.
WHERE: Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena (Boca Raton, 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
▪ Florida Atlantic is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
▪ George Washington is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
▪ Stetson 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
▪ Sophomore setter Nola Hemphill was named to the Bash at the Beach All-Tournament Team last weekend.
▪ In three matches, Hemphill shared setter duties alongside freshman Melissa Gonzalez, and still managed to lead the team with 65 assists (5.91 a/s), adding two service aces and a kill in the process.
▪ Kaleigh Williams was named SWAC Newcomer of the Week, while Sthefany Carvalho was tabbed Co-Defensive Player of the Week.
▪ In all, Williams averaged 1.73 blocks per set last week. Additionally, she served up a team-high matching four aces. The Maryland native was just short of a double-double effort with a season-best 11 kills and nine blocks (assisted), adding two service aces, three digs and an assist in a five-set defeat at the hands of Charleston Southern.
▪ Carvalho record a team-high matching four service aces, but she was third in assists (20) and topped the Cats in digs (56). She averaged 5.09 digs per set across 11 total sets in three matches. In a tough 3-2 setback to Charleston Southern, the Brazilian reeled in a season-high 32 digs with a season-high tying three service aces and season-best 10 assists from her libero position on the court.
▪ Bethune-Cookman went 1-2 last weekend hosting the Bash at the Beach, taking a win from former MEAC foe South Carolina State in the process.
 
BCU VS. STETSON SERIES
▪ With record dating back to 1987, Stetson leads the all-time series against Bethune-Cookman by a commanding 60-6 advantage.
▪ The Wildcats have dropped the last seven consecutive against the Hatters.
▪ Bethune-Cookman's last victory over Stetson was a 3-1 decision at Moore Gymnasium in 2015 – Brittany Williams' first season in charge.
▪ The last time thee two teams met was during the Bash at the Beach in 2024, with Stetson collecting a 3-2 victory on the day.
 
SCOUTING THE HATTERS
▪ Stetson arrives to Boca Raton with a 3-6 record, having taken wins from Northern Illinois, Quinnipiac and Youngstown State, appropriately.
▪ Senior setter Nyah Molina etched her name into the Stetson record book last weekend, surpassing 3,000 career assists.
▪ Combined with her 1,000 career digs, Molina is just the third player in program history to reach both milestones.
▪ Outside hitter Zuzanna Bury leads the Hatters with 110 kills (3.55 k/s), followed by Xinlei Yang with 84 kills (2.55 k/s).
▪ Molina tops the squad in digs (125), while defensive specialist Vitoria Stedile is just behind her with 118 digs.
 
BCU VS. GEORGE WASHINGTON SERIES
▪ Bethune-Cookman and George Washington have met just once all-time in volleyball.
▪ The lone meeting was a 3-0 win for the Revolutionaries back on Sept. 1, 2012, in Laramie, Wyoming.
 
SCOUTING THE REVOLUTIONARIES
▪ George Washington comes into the Owls Paradise Classic sporting a record of 5-4.
▪ Last weekend, the Revolutionaries went a perfect 3-0, claiming wins from UMBC, Loyola Maryland and Morgan State, respectfully.
▪ Cayla Cogan tops George Washington with 102 kills, with Taylor Treahy following with 98 kills of her own.
▪ Defensively, Lydia Zeng has recorded 101 digs, while Sydney Hasenfratz leads the team in blocks with 26.
▪ Following the weekend sweep, Treahy was recognized by the Atlantic 10 as Player of the Week for her performance with 37 kills across 10 sets, averaging 3.70 kills/set across the three matches played.
 
BCU VS. FLORIDA ATLANTIC SERIES
▪ Florida Atlantic owns a 49-0 record all-time against Bethune-Cookman with records dating back to 1988.
▪ Head coach Brittany Williams is 0-9 lifetime against the Owls while at the helm in Daytona Beach.
▪ The teams last met in 2023, with FAU claiming a 3-0 in Boca Raton during the Owls Paradise Classic.
▪ B-CU has not taken a set from FAU since 2017, that being a five-set decision.
 
SCOUTING THE OWLS
▪ Florida Atlantic will enter the weekend with a 6-4 overall record, after the Owls went just 1-2 last weekend at the UCF Invitational in Orlando.
▪ FAU is ranked as one of the top teams in the nation for assists per set (12.88), as well as kills (13.91).
▪ The Owls are led offensively by the group of Olivia Hart, Anna Hartman, Erin Morrissey, Madison Dyer, Kayla Richardson, and Maggie Allred. Hart leads the Owls with 112 kills, averaging 3.39 kills per set. 
▪ The Owls' nation-leading assists leaders are Emsley Venard and Victoria Hensley. Venard leads the team with 207 assists, averaging 6.47 per set, while Hensley ranks second on the team with 163 assists, averaging 4.94 per set.
▪ Florida Atlantic's back row is anchored by libero Isabelle Northam with a team-best 132 digs and averaging 4.55 per set.
 
A QUICK LOOK AT THE CATS
2025 Record – 3-6 (.333) // 2025 SWAC Record – 0-0 (.000) // Last 5 Matches – 1-4 (.200) // Last 10 Matches – 3-7 (.300) // Last 15 Matches – 5-10 (.333) // Bethune-Cookman has never beaten the host Florida Atlantic Owls.
 
UP NEXT
The Wildcats welcome a pair of "Magnolia State" schools to Moore Gymnasium for the SWAC opening weekend against Mississippi Valley State (Sept. 26) and Jackson State (Sept. 28).
 
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