COMMERCE - For the first time in the Division I era, the East Texas A&M University volleyball team plays a postseason match at home as the Lions host SFA in the first round of the Southland Conference Tournament at home on Friday night.  

WHO: SFA at East Texas A&M
WHERE: Commerce | The Field House
WHEN: Friday, November 21 | 7 p.m.
RECORDS: East Texas A&M went 9-18 overall in the regular season with a Southland Conference record of 7-9, while SFA went 20-7 overall and 15-1 against SLC opponents.  

LIVE VIDEO: ESPN+ | https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/eventCalendarId/401832501
SLC International Feed: https://www.southland.org/watch/
LIVE STATS: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=625065
TICKETS: https://vivenu.com/seller/southland-conference-inc-kzdz/section/volleyball-championship-v659
CHAMPIONSHIPS CENTRAL: https://www.southland.org/tournaments/?id=216&path=wvball

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. 

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 in their final regular season road match. The five true road wins are the most for the Lions in the Division I era.

CAMPBELL, WASHINGTON MAKE HISTORY
On Wednesday, Gracie Campbell (Klein Oak) and Jade Washington (Waco - Midway) were named to first team all-Southland Conference, being the first two first team all-conference honorees in the Division I era. The Lions also had two all-conference honorees in the same season for the first time since 2021, having just one in the previous three years. 

GOING STREAKING
This season, the Lions have made 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, playing a postseason match at home for the first time since 2019. 

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
Washington 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 the postseason as the leader in the Southland and second in the country with an average of 5.62 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 26 matches this season, Campbell has an average of 12.19 attacks per set, which puts her first in the Southland Conference and also 11th 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. 

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 LADYJACKS
A perennial power in the Southland, SFA went 15-1 this season in conference play to win a share of the Southland title and holds the top seed in the conference tournament. The Lumberjacks roll into the Field House on Friday having won eight in a row and won 3-0 in Commerce over the Lions earlier this season. 

The Ladyjacks had a pair of players named to all-conference teams as both Camryn Hill and Katherine Holtman were named to the first team. The two teams are playing each other for the 31st time, with the Lions last winning in 1987, which was also in Commerce.