COMMERCE - The East Texas A&M University volleyball team plays its final two opponents of the regular season as the Lions host A&M-Corpus Christi and UTRGV on the Hunt Regional Healthcare Court in the Field House this week.
LIONS' SCHEDULE THIS WEEKEND
SENIOR DAY
Prior to Saturday's match against the Vaqueros, the Lions will honor their six graduating seniors:
Brooke Box (Klein Collins),
Kylie Bray (Concordia Lutheran),
Courtney Green (West Jordan, Utah),
Savannah Jennings (Rosehill Christian),
MJ Klaumann (Emerald Isle, N.C.),
Peyton Roper (Converse - Judson).
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.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
The Lions come into the final weekend of the season having already clinched a spot in next week's Southland Tournament, which is hosted in Commerce. East Texas A&M can finish anywhere from sixth through eighth in the tournament following the results of the weekend.
ROAD WARRIORS
The Lions have won five road matches in conference play this season, including a win at HCU on October 30 and at Northwestern State last week. The five true road wins are the most for the Lions in the Division I era.
D1 ERA RECORD WATCH
Going into this weekend's matches, the Lions have won seven conference matches, which is tied with last season for most in the Division I era. The Lions are also two overall wins away from tying the record for the most in the Division I era, which came in 2022-23.
ET REVERSE-SWEEPS COWGIRLS, FIRST SINCE 2019
McNeese led the match on October 15, 2-0, in Lake Charles, 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 October 20 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. 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
Five matches have gone the distance for the Lions this season, being 3-2 in those matches. Since 2023, East Texas A&M is 10-5 in matches that go the distance.
WASHINGTON LEADING THE WAY
Freshman libero Washington enters Wednesday as the leader in the Southland and second in the country with an average of 5.69 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 25 matches this season, Campbell has an average of 12.18 attacks per set, which puts her first in the Southland Conference and also 10th 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
The Islanders roll into Commerce with a record of 10-18 overall and 6-8 in SLC action, having won two of their last three road matches. Last week, A&M-Corpus Christi won at HCU in four and then fell in five at UIW. The last two losses for the Islanders have gone the distance. Jaeda Rawls-Fletcher has a team-best average of 2.60 kills per set and Virginia Van Der Werff is leading the team with 10.21 assists per set, while Brooklyn Jaeger leads the way with an average of 5.08 digs per set. The Islanders have dropped just one set in their previous three matches in Commerce.
UTRGV controls its own destiny towards for winning a Southland title this weekend. Wins over the Lady Demons and the Lions guarantee at least a share of the Southland title and a top two seed in next week's SLC Tournament. The Vaqueros are on a 12-match winning streak, holding an overall record of 18-7 and being 13-1 against SLC teams. Martina Franco has an average of 3.46 kills per set to lead the team, Isabella Costantini is among the SLC leaders with an average of 10.52 assists per set and Celianiz Cabranes has an average of 4.92 digs per set to lead the team. UTRGV won in three sets over the Lions earlier this season and is 3-0 over the last two years, having lost just one set.
-ETAMU-
