Louisiana Resumes SBC Play, Hosts Southern Miss

LAFAYETTE – It's Dig Pink Weekend at E.K. Long Gym from Thursday-Friday, October 10-11 as the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball team shows support for those who have battled breast cancer during the Sun Belt Conference series with Southern Miss.

The matches in the USM series – UL's only home contests in October – begin at 6:00 p.m. both nights. Fans are encouraged to wear pink.

Free pink rally towels will be handed out on Thursday while supplies last and pink phone lights can be collected to help light E.K. Long "pink" during pre-match introductions both nights.

Admission to all UL Volleyball home matches throughout the season is free and open to the public.

Due to Festival Acadiens et Créoles, for Friday only the volleyball event parking (free of charge) will be at Zone 5 (Wharton Hall), Zone 7 (between E.K. Long and Dupre Library) and along Hebrard Boulevard. Parking for Thursday's match will follow normal regular season guidelines.

THE MATCHUPS
Thursday, Oct. 10 vs. Southern Miss // E.K. Long Gym // 6:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Twitter Updates

Friday, Oct. 11 vs. Southern Miss // E.K. Long Gym // 6:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Twitter Updates

SERIES HISTORY
- Southern Miss: Louisiana leads, 26-14 | Last match: W, 3-0 on 11/3/2023 in Hattiesburg, Miss.
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 8-4 | Sun Belt Matches: Tied, 2-2
Current Streak: UL +1

SET POINTS

Louisiana resumes Sun Belt play following a break from action following the cancellation of the App State series in Boone (Hurricane Helene impacts).
The last time out, September 27-28 at E.K. Long, Louisiana battled preseason SBC West favorite Texas State: digs were tied (118-all), blocks nearly even (20-16 for TXST) and there were 55 ties and 18 lead changes.
The Cajuns are coming off their top two hitting percentages of the season, hitting .222 (56-21-158) and .216 (39-15-11) against Texas State. UL boasted a .219 percentage in the two-match series.
Louisiana has played through 304 ties and 123 lead changes this season, lending to a deceiving record.
With her first block recorded on September 17 at Southeastern, Cami Hicks broke the tie with Kim Rodgers and became the program's rally scoring era career blocks record holder.
Now at 421 career blocks, Cami Hicks is the first Ragin' Cajun to reach 400 career blocks in the rally era.
Cami Hicks entered October as the SBC leader in total blocks (69). She led the league in blocks per set (1.35) during non-conference play.
Cailin Demps found her footing the final week of non-conference play, scoring 45 kills (3.5/set) over 13 sets.
Libero Mio Yamamoto has posted seven 20-plus dig efforts this season and 17 total in the Cajuns uniform.
Freshman Jazmine Gaston hit a season-high .303 (13-3-33) in the series finale against Texas State. Gaston currently ranks second on the team with 143 kills (2.8/set).
In her debut with Louisiana last season, Mio Yamamoto led the Sun Belt in digs (296) in conference play in earning the highest honors for a libero in UL Volleyball history – first team All-SBC and Libero of the Year.
The Cajuns entered the season shorthanded, without the services of all-conference setter Siena DeCambra (season-ending injury) and a 300-200 kills-digs performer Shyia Richardson sidelined with injury.
Mio Yamamoto represented Louisiana on the 2024 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Volleyball team. Yamamoto was selected the Preseason SBC Libero of the Year; she claimed the award in 2023.

UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana travels to Troy, Alabama for its first official road matches in Sun Belt Conference play set for Friday-Saturday, October 18-19 at Trojan Arena on the Troy University campus.

UL and Troy are slated to meet at 6:00 p.m. on Friday (Oct. 18) and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 19). Both matches are being televised on ESPN+.

The journey to Troy marks the first of back-to-back trips to the state of Alabama to close out the month of October – the Ragin' Cajuns visiting Mobile to face South Alabama the following weekend (October 24-25).

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 -

Louisiana Resumes SBC Play, Hosts Southern Miss

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Players Mentioned

Siena DeCambra

Cailin Demps

Jazmine Gaston

Cami Hicks

Shyia Richardson

Mio Yamamoto

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University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Louisiana Resumes SBC Play, Hosts Southern Miss

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Players Mentioned

Siena DeCambra

Cailin Demps

Jazmine Gaston

Cami Hicks

Shyia Richardson

Mio Yamamoto

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