COMMERCE - The East Texas A&M University is at home for homecoming weekend, welcoming two teams that are in the top five in the Southland Conference standings entering the second half of conference play.
LIONS' SCHEDULE THIS WEEKEND
ALUMNI DAY
Saturday is Alumni Day for the Lions and the 1980 NAIA National Runner-up team will be honored following the completion of the second set.
FULL DIVISION I MEMBERS
East Texas A&M University received approval from the NCAA in June 2025 for its expedited transition process to become full NCAA Division I members and become immediately eligible for NCAA sponsored postseason events. The Lions look to make the NCAA Tournament at any level for the first time since 2019.
LIONS ARE ON FIRE
The Lions have three of their last four entering this week, including two wins last week in three sets at home over Nicholls and beating McNeese in five sets on Saturday in Lake Charles. The Lions are 4-4 in SLC action and ended non-conference play winning their last two non-conference matches.
ET REVERSE-SWEEPS COWGIRLS, FIRST SINCE 2019
McNeese led last Saturday's match 2-0, but then East Texas A&M stormed back to win it in five sets over the Cowgirls, who had a match point in the fifth set. The reverse sweep for the Lions is the first for East Texas A&M since beating No. 1 Tampa (Division II) in 2019.
WASHINGTON EARNS SLC HONORS FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK
Jade Washington (Waco - Midway) was named the Southland Conference defensive player of the week on Monday for the second week in a row. She had 57 digs in the eight sets last week for an average of 7.1 digs per set. Washington totaled 23 digs in the three-set win over Nicholls and then added 34 against McNeese on Saturday. She is the first volleyball player from ET to win an SLC weekly honor two weeks in a row.
DOWN GO THE DEFENDING SLC TOURNEY CHAMPS
Losing the first set on the road to A&M-Corpus Christi on October 2, the Lions won the next three to down the Islanders, who won the SLC Tournament a year ago, for the first time ever. The Lions had just three attacking errors in the final three sets and hit .448. In the six prior meetings against the Islanders, East Texas A&M had won just two sets total.
THE LIONS GO ON FIRE TO WIN TWO FIVE-SETTERS
After being down 2-1 to Lindenwood, East Texas A&M took the next two sets to win its first match of the season, having downed the defending Ohio Valley Conference champions.
Jade Washington (Waco - Midway) had 40 digs in the match, becoming the first player in NCAA Division I recording 40 or more digs in a match this season.
The Lions followed up the win over Lindenwood in Iowa by picking up its first win at home on September 22 against Abilene Christian. Facing a match point, the Lions took the fourth and fifth sets to move to 2-0 over the Wildcats over the last three seasons.
CARDIAC LIONS
Four matches have gone the distance for the Lions this season, being 3-1 in those matches. Since 2023, East Texas A&M is 10-4 in matches that go the distance.
WASHINGTON LEADING THE WAY
Freshman libero Washington enters Wednesday as the leader in NCAA Division I with an average of 5.96 digs per set. She was also the first player in NCAA Division I to record 40 or more digs in a match, picking up 40 in the win over Lindenwood.
PASS IT TO GRACIE
Through 17 matches this season, Campbell has an average of 11.85 attacks per set, which puts her first in the Southland Conference and also 12th in NCAA Division I.
STARTING IN THE FRIENDLY CONFINES
For the second straight year, East Texas A&M hosted the Lion Invitational to begin the season. It marked the second consecutive season that the Lions played at home. Prior to last season, the last time that the Lions opened the season at home outside of the COVID affected shortened Spring 2021 season, was 2009. East Texas A&M also hosts the Southland Conference tournament this season.
HELLO NEW LIONS
The Lions welcome plenty of new faces to the squad this season, bringing in new newcomers, of which five are transfers, while four are freshmen. Every new Lion has appeared in at least one set through the first six matches of the season.
GOING STREAKING
This season, the Lions are looking to make the postseason for the 14
th season in a row, which is the longest active streak of any program at East Texas A&M. The Lions are hosts of the Southland Tournament this year as they look to clinch a spot in the eight-team tournament and play a postseason match at home for the first time since 2019.
TIDE ROLLED
In 2023, the Lions downed Alabama in a five-set match on September 8 for East Texas A&M's first win over a Power Five conference opponent. The Lions fell behind 2-1 in the match, but took the final two sets. It is the first ever win over an SEC opponent in school history in any sport.
BLAZERS TAMED
The Lions followed the win over Alabama with a win over UAB the next day. The Blazers took the first set, but East Texas A&M took the next three sets, including a comeback from being down 23-17 in the second set.
SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM
This offseason, the Lions once again received the AVCA Team Academic Award, marking the eighth consecutive year that the Lions received the award, being one of the longest active streaks in NCAA Division I.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
SFA is the conference leader coming into Thursday's match, being tied with UTRGV atop the SLC standings. The Ladyjacks are 12-7 on the season with notable non-conference wins over UTSA, Texas State, Louisiana, Abilene Christian, and Tarleton. SFA had won seven in a row in conference play before falling to UIW last Saturday. Thursday is the 30th meeting between the Lions and the Ladyjacks and sixth in Commerce. It is the first time SFA is playing in the Field House since 1987, which was a 3-0 win for the Lions. Katherine Holtman has an average of 3.07 kills per set, while Caroline Kahle is averaging 3.67 digs per set, and Camryn Hill has an average of 3.18 digs per set. Last season, the Ladyjacks won 3-0 in Nacogdoches last season as well as in 2022 in the only two meetings between the two programs since both teams moved up to Division I.
The Lions take on Lamar on Saturday to close out the weekend. The Cardinals are 12-11 this season and 5-3 in SLC action with notable non-conference wins over Louisiana Tech and Cal State Fullerton. Last week, Lamar won in four sets each over HCU and UIW at home. In the past four seasons, the Lions are 3-2 against the Cardinals, including being 2-0 in Commerce. Last season, Lamar won 3-0 in Beaumont. Maja Malinowska leads the team with an average of 3.76 kills per set, while Kinley Elms has an average of 3.2 kills per set. On the defensive end, Gabby Baker has an average of 5.07 digs per set.
-ETAMU-
