University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Friday, October 30
Lafayette
6:00 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
vs
Southern Miss
10/29/2026 2:32:00 PM | Volleyball
Conference tournament positioning on the line for both the Ragin’ Cajuns and Golden Eagles
LAFAYETTE – It's Volley Beach Night and Volloween at E.K. Long Gym from Friday-Saturday, October 30-31 as the Louisiana Volleyball team faces Southern Miss in a crucial Sun Belt Conference series and seeks to clinch a spot in the conference tournament.
The Ragin' Cajuns (11-12, 6-4 SBC) are scheduled to meet the Golden Eagles (14-7, 5-5 SBC) at 6:00 p.m. on Friday and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Live video coverage of both matches is available on ESPN+.
Admission to all UL Volleyball home matches throughout the season is free and open to the public.
The Volley Beach Night gathering occurs on Friday while the Volloween celebration highlights the Halloween afternoon festivities.
Louisiana returns to its home court for the first time in three weeks. The Ragin' Cajuns split a four-match road stretch against South Alabama and SBC East-leader App State.
It's a high-stakes series for both teams. In addition to attempting to officially lock down an SBC Tournament spot, UL and USM are also dueling for a Top 3 spot in the SBC West which comes with a first-round bye.
Individually, there'll be key faceoffs on offense and defense: the Cajuns kills leader Sarah Schnell (250 kills) against the Golden Eagles' leader Sadie McAda (307 kills) and liberos Kennedy Gustafson (UL) and Sunni Sheppard (USM) who own 363 digs and 347 digs, respectively.
Both squads have generated 500-plus kills in conference play. Louisiana looks to use its .219 hitting percentage in league play to challenge a USM defense that has rounded up 17.4 digs per set off of league foes.
Louisiana Volleyball hosts Southern Miss
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 30-31 | Lafayette, La. (E.K. Long Gym)
THE MATCHUPS
Friday, Oct. 30 vs. Southern Miss // E.K. Long Gym // 6:00 p.m.
ESPN+ | Live Stats | Twitter Updates
Saturday, Oct. 31 vs. Southern Miss // E.K. Long Gym // 2:00 p.m.
ESPN+ | Live Stats | Twitter Updates
SERIES HISTORY
- Southern Miss: Louisiana leads, 27-17 | Last match: L, 1-3 on 10/11/2025 in Hattiesburg, Miss.
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 9-5 | Sun Belt Matches: Southern Miss leads, 5-3
Current Streak: USM +3
SET POINTS
NUMBERS TO KNEAUX
2.2: UL's averaging 2.2 blocks per set using strength in numbers – with four players having accumulated 30-plus block assists.
17: Louisiana has either out-blocked or matched the opposition's block total in 17 of the 23 matches played.
6.1: Louisiana's offense is paced by the one-two punch of Lolo Lambert (3.3 k/set) and Sarah Schnell (2.8 k/set), who combined average 6.1 kills per set.
250: Sarah Schnell has made an instant impact on offense, her 250 kills surpassing the 162 posted the previous two seasons at JMU. It's her first 200-plus kills season.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
The Ragin' Cajuns take a road trip to north Louisiana, traveling to Monroe for a two-match Sun Belt Conference series with ULM at b1Bank Fant Coliseum from Friday-Saturday, November 6-7.
UL is scheduled to meet the Warhawks at 6:00 p.m. on Friday and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Live video coverage of both matches is available on ESPN+.
The matchup against ULM marks the final division contests in SBC play for Louisiana this season and will finalize the team's seed for the upcoming conference tournament November 19-22 in Foley, Alabama.
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.
Fans can support the volleyball student-athletes, and invest in the program's future, through The Cajuns Edge Fund (click here) to contribute directly to the Louisiana Athletics and Ragin' Cajuns Athletic Foundation's revenue-sharing initiative or by joining the Back Reaux Club (click here).
The Ragin' Cajuns (11-12, 6-4 SBC) are scheduled to meet the Golden Eagles (14-7, 5-5 SBC) at 6:00 p.m. on Friday and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Live video coverage of both matches is available on ESPN+.
Admission to all UL Volleyball home matches throughout the season is free and open to the public.
The Volley Beach Night gathering occurs on Friday while the Volloween celebration highlights the Halloween afternoon festivities.
Louisiana returns to its home court for the first time in three weeks. The Ragin' Cajuns split a four-match road stretch against South Alabama and SBC East-leader App State.
It's a high-stakes series for both teams. In addition to attempting to officially lock down an SBC Tournament spot, UL and USM are also dueling for a Top 3 spot in the SBC West which comes with a first-round bye.
Individually, there'll be key faceoffs on offense and defense: the Cajuns kills leader Sarah Schnell (250 kills) against the Golden Eagles' leader Sadie McAda (307 kills) and liberos Kennedy Gustafson (UL) and Sunni Sheppard (USM) who own 363 digs and 347 digs, respectively.
Both squads have generated 500-plus kills in conference play. Louisiana looks to use its .219 hitting percentage in league play to challenge a USM defense that has rounded up 17.4 digs per set off of league foes.
Louisiana Volleyball hosts Southern Miss
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 30-31 | Lafayette, La. (E.K. Long Gym)
THE MATCHUPS
Friday, Oct. 30 vs. Southern Miss // E.K. Long Gym // 6:00 p.m.
ESPN+ | Live Stats | Twitter Updates
Saturday, Oct. 31 vs. Southern Miss // E.K. Long Gym // 2:00 p.m.
ESPN+ | Live Stats | Twitter Updates
SERIES HISTORY
- Southern Miss: Louisiana leads, 27-17 | Last match: L, 1-3 on 10/11/2025 in Hattiesburg, Miss.
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 9-5 | Sun Belt Matches: Southern Miss leads, 5-3
Current Streak: USM +3
SET POINTS
- After two weeks on the road, UL returns home to E.K. Long for a pivotal SBC West Division matchup.
- UL and USM square off for a spot in the driver's seat to a first-round bye in the SBC Tournament.
- The Cajuns enter the series with a one-game lead over the Golden Eagles for the SBC West No. 3 seed.
- Louisiana continues its 50th anniversary season (launched as a D1 program in 1976).
- The Cajuns offense produced 107 kills (15.3/set) and hit .311 the last time at E.K. Long (vs. LA Tech).
- In USM's last visit, UL tallied 100-plus digs both times; USM fell two shy in Match 2 of equaling the feat.
- UL ranks Top 5 in the SBC and Top 35 nationally in total blocks (202.5).
- Emily Williams ranks fifth in the SBC in total blocks (100) and Top 35 nationally. She's on pace to challenge Cami Hicks' rally era single season record.
- The frontline defense is led by Emily Williams, the first since Cami Hicks in 2024 to reach 100 blocks.
- Sarah Schnell's career-high 18 kills at App State paced UL's second win over an SBC division leader.
- UL pushed SBC West leaders Troy and Arkansas State to a combined 18 sets in splitting four matches.
- Louisiana's roster has several scoring options: there are nine players with 50-plus kills thus far.
- Lolo Lambert (3.3 k/s) and Sarah Schnell (2.8 k/s) are the frontrunners leading the offense. Schnell has hit double-digit kills 15 times and Lambert 13 times.
- Rhyan Miciotto and Ryleigh Garis steer the Cajuns service line efforts, having combined for 55 aces.
- Setters Rhyan Miciotto and Ryleigh Garis have led UL's 6-2 attack to a .219 hitting clip in SBC play
- At 363 season digs, Kennedy Gustafson has posted a second straight 300-plus digs season and is on pace to shatter her personal-best 392 (set in 2025).
- In contrast to 2025 when UL had 11 newcomers, this season's roster has 14 returning players.
- Marlee Ervin, Grace Sweeney and Jazmine Gaston are each coming off a 150-plus kills seasons.
- Lindsey Henry, who posted 88 blocks in her debut last season, is the leading returner on the frontline.
- Libero Kennedy Gustafson ranked Top 5 in the SBC last season with a career-best 392 digs (4.17/set).
NUMBERS TO KNEAUX
2.2: UL's averaging 2.2 blocks per set using strength in numbers – with four players having accumulated 30-plus block assists.
17: Louisiana has either out-blocked or matched the opposition's block total in 17 of the 23 matches played.
6.1: Louisiana's offense is paced by the one-two punch of Lolo Lambert (3.3 k/set) and Sarah Schnell (2.8 k/set), who combined average 6.1 kills per set.
250: Sarah Schnell has made an instant impact on offense, her 250 kills surpassing the 162 posted the previous two seasons at JMU. It's her first 200-plus kills season.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
The Ragin' Cajuns take a road trip to north Louisiana, traveling to Monroe for a two-match Sun Belt Conference series with ULM at b1Bank Fant Coliseum from Friday-Saturday, November 6-7.
UL is scheduled to meet the Warhawks at 6:00 p.m. on Friday and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Live video coverage of both matches is available on ESPN+.
The matchup against ULM marks the final division contests in SBC play for Louisiana this season and will finalize the team's seed for the upcoming conference tournament November 19-22 in Foley, Alabama.
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.
Fans can support the volleyball student-athletes, and invest in the program's future, through The Cajuns Edge Fund (click here) to contribute directly to the Louisiana Athletics and Ragin' Cajuns Athletic Foundation's revenue-sharing initiative or by joining the Back Reaux Club (click here).
- www.RaginCajuns.com -
Players Mentioned
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