Volleyball Returns to E.K. Long Gym as Louisiana Hosts Arkansas State

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball team returns home to Earl K. Long Gym for its Sun Belt Conference home opener from Thursday-Friday, September 29-30, hosting Arkansas State in a two-match series.

The Ragin' Cajuns (7-4, 1-1 Sun Belt) and Red Wolves (5-9, 0-2 Sun Belt) are scheduled to meet Thursday (Sept. 29) at 6:00 p.m. and Friday (Sept. 30) at 4:00 p.m. Both matches are being televised on ESPN+.

Admission to all Ragin' Cajuns home volleyball matches is free. Fans should park in the designated ParkMobile parking lots which can be found on the Volleyball Match Day Parking page.

The ASU series marks the start of a four-match homestand for Louisiana that keeps the squad at E.K. Long Gym through Saturday, October 8.

The Ragin' Cajuns are celebrating Louisiana Salutes Weekend honoring current and former military members. Thursday is a Black Out Match with fans encouraged to wear black while Friday features a live national anthem and presentation of the colors.

SERIES HISTORY
- Arkansas State: ASU leads, 49-22 | Last match: W, 3-2 on 10/28/2021 in Jonesboro, Ark.
Sun Belt Matches: ASU leads, 34-15 | Current Streak: Won 3

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

Home, Sweet Home: Louisiana was last at Earl K. Long Gym during Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 2-3) for the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic, having spent the past three weeks on the road concluding with the Sun Belt-opening series at Troy last weekend.
Ready to Settle In: Beginning with the Arkansas State series, six of the next eight Sun Belt matches are at Earl K. Long Gym.
Making Them Earn It: Louisiana's defense has held the opposition to a sub-.200 hitting percentage the last four outings. The Ragin' Cajuns rank third in the Sun Belt in opponents' hitting percentage (.169).
Defensive Centerpiece: For each of the past two weeks, Cami Hicks has averaged over one block per set. The Sept. 20 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week totaled 11 blocks (4 BS, 7 BA) over eight sets in the Sun Belt series at Troy.
Always in It: Eleven (11) matches into the season, the Ragin' Cajuns have played 45 sets and have yet to be swept.

NEW FACES
- Kristi Gray welcomed five newcomers to the program in the offseason. Transfers Mya Wilson (Georgia Southern), Paige Guidry (Nicholls), Celeste Darling (Houston) and Paola Garcia (UNLV), plus incoming freshman Lauryn Hill (Frisco, Texas/Liberty HS) as the newest members of the squad.
- Wilson hit .220-plus and accumulated at least 150 kills and 50 blocks each season at Georgia Southern (2019-21). Darling, who returns to Louisiana after competing as a freshman with the Ragin' Cajuns in 2019, helped lead Houston to the American Athletic Conference West Division title in the 2020-21 season and a 20-win season the following fall campaign.

PRESEASON PRAISE
Kelsey Bennett and Coco Gillett, both All-Sun Belt Conference selections in 2021, represented Louisiana on the 2022 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Volleyball team.

UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana continues its homestand at Earl K. Long Gym from Friday-Saturday, October 7-8 with a Sun Belt West Division showdown against Texas State.

The Ragin' Cajuns and Bobcats are scheduled to meet at 6:00 p.m. on Friday (Oct. 7) and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 8), both matches live on ESPN+.

FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsVB), Facebook (/RaginCajunsVB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsVB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Volleyball.

Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.

- www.RaginCajuns.com -

Volleyball Returns to E.K. Long Gym as Louisiana Hosts Arkansas State

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Kelsey Bennett

Celeste Darling

Paola Garcia

Coco Gillett

Paige Guidry

Cami Hicks

Lauryn Hill

Mya Wilson

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University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Volleyball Returns to E.K. Long Gym as Louisiana Hosts Arkansas State

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Kelsey Bennett

Celeste Darling

Paola Garcia

Coco Gillett

Paige Guidry

Cami Hicks

Lauryn Hill

Mya Wilson

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