BIRMINGHAM, Ala. | The Grambling State University volleyball team will enter this weekend's Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) volleyball tournament as the No. 3 seed as the Lady Tigers will meet sixth-seeded Bethune-Cookman at 6:30 p.m. on Friday in the quarterfinal round, hosted by Texas Southern, at the H&PE Arena.

Grambling State, with its highest seed since finishing runner-up in the SWAC Volleyball Tournament Championship in 2009 (No. 1 West Division), finished the regular season with a 15-11 overall and 12-4 conference record. 

The Lady Tigers are seeking their first SWAC Tournament title since Grambling State won three straight from 1995-1997.

Bethune-Cookman nabbed the sixth seed as the Wildcats went 8-20 overall and 8-8 in SWAC play.

Alabama State (18-13) and Florida A&M (18-12) went 1-1 this season against each other and were named Co-SWAC champions. ASU earns the top seed based on head-to-head results (fewest sets played in the head-to-head matchup). 

Joining the Lady Tigers and Wildcats on the bottom half of the bracket will be No. 2 Florida A&M, the defending SWAC Tournament champions, and No. 7 Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

On the top half of the bracket, Alabama State is the top seed and will open tournament play on Friday against No. 8 Alabama A&M. Jackson State, the fourth seed, will meet Texas Southern, the fifth seed.
 

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS

SWAC Quarterfinal Matchup vs. Bethune-Cookman

• Grambling State, which won three out of its final five matches down the stretch, held off Bethune-Cookman in the only matchup this season, 3-2, on Oct. 31 at the SWAC Round-up
• The match went back-and forth, before Grambling State edged BCU in the fifth set, 15-13
• Jayden James, a three-time SWAC Offensive Player of the Week honoree, leads the Lady Tigers offense, with 356 kills, averaging 3.91 kills per set and hitting .209
• Ana Calderon has registered 537 assists, averaging 5.65 per set
• Nyah Ellis, who has 1,043 career digs, recorded 328 in 81 sets, averaging 4.05 per set
• Haley Gomez leads the front line with 105.0 blocks, averaging 1.12 per set
• Jasmine Moore pace the Bethune-Cookman a offense, which averages 10.20 kills per set
• Moore has 249 kills in 97 sets played
• Alisha Callender has 560 assists, averaging 6.15 assists per set
• Defensively, Adriana Marrero has 274 digs, while Callender is close behind with 206

Potential SWAC Semifinal Matchup
vs. Florida A&M

• Grambling State and Florida A&M met just once this season
• The Rattlers swept the Lady Tigers, 3-0
• FAMU won the match, 25-20, 25-15, 25-18 on Oct. 3
• Dominique Washington leads FAMU with 391 kills and hitting .217
• Irem Ucar has dished out 836 assists, averaging 10.20 assists per set
• Defensively, Brooke Hudson has 487 digs
• Aja Jones is a force up front, with 80.0 blocks in 106 sets played

vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff

• Grambling State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff met twice
• The Lady Tigers swept the season series, winning 3-2 at UAPB and concluding the regular season with a 3-1 victory over the Golden Lions
• Fernanda Spengler and Zykia Jones leads the offense with 284 and 211 kills, respectively
• Nikole Akamine has handed out 546 assists, averaging 5.10 per set
• Breana August is averaging 3.72 digs per set and 331 in 89 sets played
• Kori Diego is key on the front line with 95.0 blocks

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