CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- Chattanooga volleyball continues to roll right through its multi-week homestand at Maclellan Gymnasium by hosting a pair of matches this week with ETSU and Western Carolina both traveling to the Scenic City for some weeknight matchups against the Mocs.
The Mocs will open their week on Thursday, October 17 with in-state rival East Tennessee State before turning around the following day to host longtime foe Western Carolina on Friday, October 18. Both matches are set to start at 6 p.m. ET.
Fans will be able to catch each match on ESPN+, and both matches, as well as all matches hosted at Maclellan Gymnasium this season, will be free to attend for the public. There are also multiple marketing promotions being hosted by the Mocs this week, with Thursday's ETSU match serving as an 80s Night and Greek/Club Night, while Friday's WCU match will be Family Weekend/Fall Fest.
MATCH CENTRAL
Thursday, October 17 | vs. ETSU | 6 p.m. ET | Stats | Stream
Friday, October 18 | vs. Western Carolina | 6 p.m. ET | Stats | Stream
SERIES HISTORY
ETSU: 38-46 (Last time: October 27, 2023 – 2-3 L)
Western Carolina: 42-49 (Last time: November 3, 2023 – 0-3 L)
GALLENTINE MAKES HISTORY
Libero Paige Gallentine officially moved into second all-time on Chattanooga's career digs leaderboard in UTC's match at Wofford earlier this season, with Gallentine now sitting at 2,446 career digs during her time at UTC. When taking into consideration that Lara Newberry, who not only sits atop the UTC career digs leaderboard but the entire NCAA's career digs leaderboard, played during both the 30-point set and rally scoring eras, this means that Gallentine is officially the all-time program leader for career digs for the modern era of scoring (25-point set, sideout scoring). Gallentine needs 43 more digs to officially enter the NCAA's Top 25 all-time in career digs herself, and currently leads all of NCAA Division I on the active career digs list.
TORBETT THOMAS CLOSES IN ON WIN NO. 50
UTC head coach and Director of Volleyball Julie Torbett Thomas is closing in on a Chattanooga coaching milestone as her third year in the Scenic City is now in full swing, with Torbett Thomas inching closer to the 50-win mark as UTC's head coach. Torbett Thomas actively holds a record of 46-39 with Chattanooga, a win total that currently ranks fourth all-time in program history. Currently coaching in her 31st season of collegiate volleyball, Torbett Thomas' all-time coaching record stands at 514-443.
ONE OF THE NCAA'S FINEST
Senior setter Elaine Redman has been on a war path to open the year for the Mocs. As of October 14, Redman actively ranks third in all of Division I when it comes to total assists this season, with the Chattanooga native having notched 785 on the season. Redman is currently averaging 41.32 per match and 10.19 per set on the year. She also ranks 32nd in the nation and second in the SoCon in terms of assists/set.
THE RACE FOR THE SOCON RECORD
This year's Chattanooga team has not one, but two of the pro- gram's most decorated players competing in their final seasons of eligibility. Setter Elaine Redman and libero Paige Gallentine have quickly become two of UTC's most decorated volleyball players of all time, and the pair currently sit at eight and seven career SoCon POTW awards won, respectively. Redman, who just recently surpassed Gallentine with a SoCon Setter of the Week honor on October 14, now needs just one more Player of the Week award to officially tie herself for the conference record. The Southern Conference's record holder for most POTW awards won in a single career is Georgia Southern's Martina Veiglova (2001-03), who wrapped up her time having won nine total Player of the Week honors.
ABOUT ETSU
The Buccaneers enter the weekend holding a record of 10-7 on the season, including starting off 2-3 in SoCon play to kick off the conference season. East Tennessee State can hang its hat on some impressive victories this season that including knocking off Power 4 foe West Virginia in 3-1 neutral site win during non-conference play as well as grinding out a hard-fought, five-set victory against reigning SoCon regular season champions The Citadel last weekend in Johnson City. Despite this, the Bucs have still shown some weaknesses having seen 3-0 losses to Samford and Wofford recently. ETSU's big strength this season has been on the defensive side of the ball, leading the Southern Conference in opponent hitting percentage by only allowing the teams they are playing to log a .151 attack split. This is also good enough to rank 13th in all of Division I volleyball. The Buccaneers also lean heavily on their front row, ranking second in the SoCon when it comes to blocks/set (2.44). This is thanks in large part to Abbey Thomas, whose 67 total blocks this year are the second-most amongst Southern Conference players in 2024.
ABOUT WESTERN CAROLINA
The Catamounts came out of the gates cold to start the 2024 season, opening the year 1-6. However, a strong end to the non-conference schedule helped WCU enter SoCon play with a record of 6-7, giving the Catamounts new life ahead of conference action. While Western Carolina was able to kick off their Southern Conference season perfectly with a 3-2 win over The Citadel on the road, they have since struggled as the Catamounts carry a three-match losing streak and 1-3 SoCon record into their match with the Mocs. Much like ETSU, WCU's main strength lies in their blocking with the Catamounts currently leading the Southern Conference in blocks/set (2.61) and total blocks (159.5) as a team this year. Janelle Blue has been the main reason for Western's success up front, with Blue currently leading the SoCon in total blocks this season individually, having already logged 82. She also leads the SoCon in blocks/set, averaging 1.37 for the Catamounts, which has her slotted in as the 22nd best blocker in the NCAA right now.
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
- Elaine Redman has officially moved up into fifth all-time in career assists for Chattanooga, having logged 2,659 assists during her time with the Mocs. Redman is now 64 assists off of tying Kristi Wrenn (1995-96) for fourth on the program's all-time leaderboard.
- Redman's career assist total currently sits at 3,716 when including her time at Toledo. She ranks 31st on the NCAA Division I active career assists leaderboard.
- Paige Gallentine needs 43 digs to officially enter the NCAA's Top 25 all-time in career digs. She currently has 2,446, ranking second all-time in program history.
- Gallentine also now officially ranks fifth in program history in career aces with 124. She needs two more to tie Gylian Finch (2018-23) for fourth all-time. The next highest Moc would be Allie Davenport (2013-16), who had 142.
- Marcelle Baez-Carlo needs 33 total blocks to officially enter UTC's Top 10 in career blocks (she currently has 237).
- Baez-Carlo is also seven block assists from entering that UTC Top 10 list as well.
- Baez-Carlo also needs just two more appearances to play in her 90th collegiate match for the Mocs.
- Caiti Barthel is also closing in on a playing milestone, sitting just two matches shy of her 50th career appearance.
- Julie Torbett Thomas needs four more wins to reach 50 head coaching victories while at Chattanooga. She currently sits at 514 head coaching wins all-time.
- Redman is two aces away from her 100th of her career.
- Sydney Jackwin is also one block away from having 50 in her career.
- Breanah Rives is three blocks from having her 50th as well.
2024 PROMOTIONS SCHEDULE
A variety of marketing and fan promotions are being offered this season for the Chattanooga volleyball team, with several home matches providing unique and fun styling and/or giveaways to fans in attendance. The next marketing promotions coming up at Maclellan Gymnasium include this week's slate of matches, with Thursday's match against ETSU serving as an 80s Themed Night as well as Greek & Club Night while Friday's match versus WCU will be Family Weekend/Fall Fest. Next week's home match, scheduled for October 24 against Wofford, will be the team's alumni reunion in honor of it being UTC's Homecoming Week. A full list and schedule of this season's marketing promotions for UTC volleyball can be found HERE.
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