Louisiana Begins 2025 Season Hosting Sawyer Camillo Classic

LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Volleyball officially launches its 2025 season this weekend in Lafayette, Louisiana at the historic E.K. Long Gym as host of the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic from Friday-Sunday, August 29-31.

Louisiana is starting its fifth season under the leadership of head coach Kristi Gray. The Ragin' Cajuns are slated to play once each day throughout the Labor Day weekend.

The Ragin' Cajuns open the weekend and the season at 6:00 p.m. on Friday taking on Texas Southern. UL continues tournament play on Saturday vs. Tarleton State at 2:00 p.m., then concludes the event on Sunday vs. New Orleans at 1:00 p.m.

Admission to all UL Volleyball home matches throughout the season is free and open to the public. Available parking lots can be found on the Volleyball Match Day Parking page.

For can track the progress of the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic through the Tournament Central page at RaginCajuns.com/SawyerCamilloClassic.

The Ragin' Cajuns are welcoming 11 new members to the roster for the 2025 season including several transfers from highly successful programs.

Senior opposite hitter Cailin Demps looks to build upon her first career 200-kills season – she recorded 294 last season. UL has gained valuable experience at setter with junior transfers Ryleigh Garis and Nene Hawkins having combined to play in 413 sets.

Louisiana Volleyball hosts Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic
Friday-Sunday, Aug. 29-31 | Lafayette, La. (E.K. Long Gym)

Friday, Aug. 29 vs. Texas Southern // E.K. Long Gym // 6:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Twitter Updates

Saturday, Aug. 30 vs. Tarleton State // E.K. Long Gym // 2:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Twitter Updates

Sunday, Aug. 31 vs. New Orleans // E.K. Long Gym // 1:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Twitter Updates

SERIES HISTORY
- Texas Southern: Louisiana leads, 9-0 | Last match: W, 3-0 on 9/9/2023 in Jacksonville, Fla.
Streak: UL +9
- Tarleton State: First Meeting
Streak: -
- New Orleans: New Orleans leads, 47-35 | Last match: W, 3-1 on 9/15/2023 at E.K. Long Gym
Streak: UL +3

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic
Friday-Sunday, Aug. 29-31, 2025 | Lafayette, La. (E.K. Long Gym)

Friday, Aug. 29
3:00 p.m. – Tarleton State vs. New Orleans
6:00 p.m. – Louisiana vs. Texas Southern

Saturday, Aug. 30
11:00 a.m. – New Orleans vs. Texas Southern
2:00 p.m. – Louisiana vs. Tarleton State

Sunday, Aug. 31
10:00 a.m. – Texas Southern vs. Tarleton State
1:00 p.m. – Louisiana vs. New Orleans

SET POINTS

The fifth season of the Kristi Gray era begins Friday-Sunday, August 29-31 when Louisiana opens the regular season hosting the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic tournament at E.K. Long Gym.
The Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic is dedicated in honor and memoriam of the former Ragin' Cajun who passed away at her home in Argyle, Texas following the 2012 season.
UL hosts two tournaments in non-conference play for the second straight season and is scheduled to play 13 matches total at E.K. Long Gym this fall.
The Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic is a homecoming for former Ragin' Cajuns associate head coach Jazmyne Johnson who's now the head coach at Tarleton State.
Louisiana is welcoming 11 new members to the roster for the 2025 season including several transfers from highly successful programs.
Senior opposite hitter Cailin Demps, last season's leader in kills, is the veteran leader, and lone senior, on a squad that's 70 percent underclassmen.
Junior transfers Ryleigh Garis and Nene Hawkins, with combined 413 sets played at the DI level, provide transformation at the setter's position.
Harley Krause (SFA), who posted 78 kills, and Marlee Ervin (Southern Utah), who produced 108 kills, are the impact transfers on offense.
Cailin Demps reached double digits in kills 15 times in the 2024 season and was team leader in kills in 14 out of 25 matches.
Jazmine Gaston posted a 150-150 season of kills and digs in her rookie season (2024); she was the second-leading scoring option with 194 kills (2.3/set).
UL ranked Top 25 nationally in digs per set (16.9) in 2024 and expects its defense to remain a strong suit.
Kennedy Gustafson is the veteran of the back row group, having appeared in every match the past two seasons. She has starter's experience at libero from her freshman season (2023).
In the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Ragin' Cajuns were picked fifth in the West division.

UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
The Ragin' Cajuns travel to Nacogdoches, Texas for a three-day tournament from Thursday-Saturday, September 4-6 at Shelton Gym on the Stephen F. Austin campus.

Louisiana meets host-SFA on Thursday (Sept. 4) at 5:30 p.m., Sam Houston on Friday (Sept. 5) at 7:00 p.m. and Abilene Christian on Saturday (Sept. 6) at 11:00 a.m. while in Nacogdoches.

The tournament at SFA starts a five-match road trip. The Ragin' Cajuns next home matches at E.K. Long Gym are scheduled for September 19-20 in the Ragin' Cajuns Classic.

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 -

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Players Mentioned

Cailin Demps

Marlee Ervin

Ryleigh Garis

Jazmine Gaston

Kennedy Gustafson

Nene Hawkins

Harley Krause

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