HOUSTON – HCU beach is set to host the Southland Showcase this weekend with all seven Southland Conference programs playing 17 duals in two days at Third Coast Volleyball Club.
The busy weekend begins at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 11, for the Huskies (2-6) when they take on Nicholls (2-6). HCU then faces SLC affiliate member San Jose State (4-0) at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, Mar. 12, is a busy day with three matches on the docket. The Huskies take on Boise State (6-2) at 9:00 a.m. followed by Southeastern (3-6) at 1:00 p.m. and New Orleans (5-3) at 3:00 p.m.
Nicholls split four home matches last weekend, defeating LaGrange and Loyola New Orleans while falling to ULM and New Orleans. The sister duo of Aspen and Kennedi Steele boasts a pair of wins at the ones while the No. 2 pairing of Luciana Chuong and Katie Jones also have a pair of wins. The Huskies are 3-0 all-time against the Colonels.
The Spartans have won four home duals this season with wins over Pacific, Santa Clara and Portland twice. Senior Cheyenne Rice and junior Jaida Ward are 2-0 playing at the No. 1 position. The Huskies and Spartans have met once before with HCU earning a 3-2 win during the 2019 season.
Boise State has had pairs win both SLC Pair of the Week honors so far this season and the Broncos took a 3-2 decision over the Huskies last weekend in Northridge, Calif. Ava Anderson and Rorianna Chartier lead the team in wins, with six, at the No. 3 position. The Broncos have won all three meetings with the Huskies dating back to the 2021 season.
The Lady Lions lost all four of their matches last weekend at the LSU Tiger Beach Challenge with two of those losses coming to ranked South Carolina and LSU. Southeastern's No. 1 pair of senior Jolie Hidalgo and freshman Mia McKinney have totaled five wins. The Huskies are 4-0 all-time against the Lady Lions, including three wins last season.
New Orleans is coming off a 3-1 showing in Thibodaux, La. last weekend, earning wins over Loyola New Orleans, LaGrange and Nicholls. Trinity Jackson and Alexa Spartz have been the Privateers' most successful pair through the first two weeks of the season, tallying six wins at the twos. HCU holds a 13-4 all-time record against UNO but the Privateers won two of three meetings last year.
The Huskies head to Youngsville, La. next weekend for the LionUp Beach Bash hosted by Southeastern. HCU will face North Alabama and ULM on Friday, Mar. 17 before taking on UTEP and Spring Hill on Saturday, Mar. 18.
