CORPUS CHRISTI, TX. – Fresh off a perfect start to the year at the Gamecock Classic, Jacksonville State volleyball will head to Corpus Christi, Texas for the Islanders Classic hosted by Texas A&M – Corpus Christi.
The Gamecocks (3-0) will take on Texas Southern and the hosting Islanders on Friday before closing play against former ASUN Conference foe North Florida on Saturday. Jax State won three straight last weekend at home including two sweeps last Friday against Arkansas – Pine Bluff and New Orleans. The Red-and-White closed out the tournament in four-sets over West Georgia on last Saturday.
Several players got the season started on a high note.
Ellie Garrett brought home Conference USA Setter of the Week thanks to collecting 130 assists (13 /set). Garrett also had 22 digs, including 11 digs against West Georgia, eight kills, three blocks, and two service aces.
Kayla Williams led the Gamecocks with 45 kills (4.5/set), a .306 hitting percentage, 15 digs, and seven aces.
Luci Wilkinson had a total of 33 digs (3.3/set), while
Brooklyn Schiffli followed closely with 32 digs (3.2/set).
Wilkinson led the Gamecocks with eight service aces for the weekend. Other standouts from the Gamecock Classic include
Caty Havekost who had 31 kills,
Hana Aiana who had 23 kills, and
Sanni Rantanen who had 21 kills and a team-best .429 hitting percentage.
Jax State opens the tournament with a showdown against Texas Southern (0-2) at 10 a.m. on Friday. The Tigers were projected to finish sixth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference preseason polls. This season marks the third year of the Alexis Austin era at Texas Southern. The Tigers took part in the Rice Invitational last weekend where they lost to Texas State 1-3 on Friday and Houston Christian 0-3 on Saturday. The match up between Jax State and Texas Southern Friday morning will mark the first time the two programs have ever played.
The Gamecocks will play Texas A&M – Corpus Christi (0-3) at 5 p.m. on Friday, also. The Islanders have not gotten into the win column, but the 2023 Southland Conference Runner-Ups have faced major competition in their first three matches with Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M on the schedule. Eighth year head coach Steve Greene has developed the Islanders into a perennial power in the Southland Conference. Last season, the Islanders went 22-10 overall and 16-2 in conference play. Jax State currently has a 1-0 record against A&M – Corpus Christi with that win coming 24 years ago in 2000.
The Islanders have two preseason First Team All-Conference players for the Southland in outside hitter Kyndal Payne and middle blocker Leah Stolfus. They also have libero Kayla White who was voted to the Southland's preseason Second Team All-Conference squad.
Jax State closes the tournament with a showdown against the Ospreys of North Florida at 11 a.m. on Saturday. The Gamecocks currently have an 0-3 record against North Florida. The last time the two teams played was the final year Jax State was in the ASUN before jumping to the CUSA. The Ospreys, coached by Kristen Wright, were selected to finish fifth in the league. North Florida is coming off a 17-15 record in 2023, including a 9-7 ASUN record. The Ospreys finished tied for fifth in the ASUN last year.
North Florida returns a preseason All-ASUN Team member in senior outside hitter Kailey McKnight. McKnight was Third Team All-ASUN in 2023, on the ASUN All-Tournament Team for 2023, the UNF Invitational MVP and Thunderdome Classic (UCSB) All-Tournament Team in 2023. She led the Ospreys in kills last season with 400 on 3.28 kills per set.
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