PENSACOLA, Fla. – UWF volleyball (11-4, 3-0 GSC) returns home for GSC action this Saturday vs. Auburn Montgomery (7-7, 1-3 GSC). The match is slated for a 1:00 pm start in the UWF Field House. The team stays in town for another conference matchup Tuesday with West Georgia (1-10, 0-3 GSC) at 6:00 pm. The Argos have won nine of ten sets so far in conference play. The matches will be the second and third in GSC play at home this season for UWF.
ARGOS ON FIRE
* The Argos went 3-0 to begin conference play last week, scoring a 3-0 win at home over Montevallo before winning 3-1 and 3-0 at UNA and Alabama Huntsville over the weekend. The team has won eight straight matches.
* For the second consecutive week and third time in the month of September, University of West Florida senior Rachel Neblett has been named the GSC Offensive Player of the Week. Neblett also captured the award September 5th and 19th. The GSC Offensive Player of the Week award is the fourth of her career. Neblett enjoyed another fantastic week as the Argos opened conference play with three straight victories over Montevallo, North Alabama, and Alabama Huntsville. The Austin, Texas native registered 35 kills and 3 service aces for the week while hitting .600, .484 and .235 respectively.
* Jordyn Poppen finished with a career-high 19 kills and added 4 digs while hitting .455 in Saturday's 3-0 win at Alabama Huntsville.
* The Argos received 31 votes in the latest AVCA poll and sit just outside the Top 25 in NCAA Division II.
CURRENT GSC/NCAA LEADERS
* Rachel Neblett ranks 1st in the GSC and is tied for 10th nationally with a hitting percentage of .419. Caleigh Morrison ranks 7th in the GSC with a .318 hitting percentage.
* In the GSC, Neblett ranks 5th with 3.63 kills per set and 6th with 0.43 service aces per set. Neblett is tied for 21st nationally with 196 total kills.
* Monique StCyr ranks 2nd in the GSC with 9.66 assists per set.
* In the GSC, Morrison ranks 4th with 0.91 blocks per set. Neblett ranks 7th with 0.79 blocks per set.
* Logan Kael ranks 8th in the GSC with 4.04 digs per set.
* UWF leads the GSC with a .239 hitting percentage, 14.41 kills per set, and 0.85 opponent service aces per set. The team is 3rd in blocks with 1.94 per set.
GSC DOMINANCE
* UWF opens continues its GSC schedule at home Saturday vs. Auburn Montgomery. The Argos have never hosted Auburn Montgomery at the UWF Field House. This will be the first meeting between the two programs.
* Since Melissa Wolter took over the UWF volleyball program prior to the 2003 season, West Florida has been nearly unstoppable in GSC play, owning a 171-24 record. Last year the Argonauts went 17-3 in GSC action and 10-0 at home. UWF currently has a 62-match winning streak during regular season home games against conference opponents. The last loss for UWF in a GSC regular season home game came against North Alabama on October 24, 2009.
* UWF won six consecutive GSC Championships from 2008-2013. UWF currently owns the longest active streak of 20-win seasons in the GSC, which currently stands at 13 (not including 2004 season shortened by Hurricane Ivan). Valdosta State and North Alabama are tied for the second longest active streak of 20-win seasons in the GSC at three. UWF has reached 11 consecutive NCAA South Regional Tournaments.
SCOUTING AUBURN MONTGOMERY
* This is the first year for the Auburn Montgomery volleyball program. The team is 7-7 overall and 1-3 in conference play. The Warhawks began the season with 11 straight matches on the road or at neutral sites before finally playing at home September 22nd. The team scored its first GSC win against West Georgia September 23, 3-2. The team features six juniors, three sophomores and three freshmen.
* Auburn Montgomery is coached by Melissa Robinson. Robinson is a former standout with the South Carolina State volleyball program. She coached Tuskegee University in 2015 and 2016, going 32-32.
* Auburn Montgomery was picked to finish 13th in GSC play in a preseason poll of conference coaches. The team had no preseason All-GSC selections. Kheala Roberts and Carly Smart were picked as the team's Top Newcomers by the GSC.
* Brianna Garvin ranks 3rd in the GSC with a .356 hitting percentage. Skylar Coppinger ranks 8th with 3.00 kills per set. Carly Smart ranks 5th with 8.39 assists per set.
SCOUTING WEST GEORGIA
* West Georgia enters the weekend at 1-10 on the season and 0-3 in conference play. The team is in the midst of a 7-game losing streak. The only win of the year for the program came September 2nd vs. Kentucky Wesleyan. The team is 0-4 away this season. The Argos have won 7 matches in a row and are 29-3 since 2001 vs. the Wolves. UWF has not dropped a set to West Georgia since 2013. The Argos are 16-0 at home since 2001 vs. West Georgia.
* West Georgia was picked to finish 12th in the GSC preseason poll of coaches. The team had no selections to the preseason All-GSC team.
* West Georgia ranks 6th in the GSC in blocks (1.79 per set) and 2nd in opponent blocks (1.28 per set).
* Anjelina Webb ranks 7th in the GSC with 3.13 kills per set. Madi Fleming ranks 9th in the GSC with 5.88 assists per set. Niah Bruce ranks 6th with 0.90 blocks per set.
#ARGOS#
