CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- Chattanooga volleyball returns home this week to kick off what will be a six-match homestand for the Mocs, starting first on Tuesday, October 8 when UTC hosts Alabama A&M in a non-conference clash.

The Mocs will be aiming to return to their winning ways against the Bulldogs, with Tuesday's match marking the second time this season that these two teams have met on the volleyball court. The previous match, which took place September 1 in Huntsville, resulted in a 3-0 win for Chattanooga.

Tuesday's match is set to begin at 6 p.m. ET, and both live stats as well as an ESPN+ stream will be available for fans. Admission to the match, as well as all Chattanooga volleyball matches, is free. Tuesday night will also serve as "Get'cha Head in the Game Night" inspired by High School Musical.

MATCH CENTRAL
Tuesday, October 8 | vs. Alabama A&M | 6 p.m. ET | Stats | Stream

SERIES HISTORY
Alabama A&M: 8-1 (Last time: September 1, 2024 – 3-0 W)

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 2,378 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 111 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 44-38 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 512-442.

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 6, Redman actively ranks sixth in all of Division I when it comes to total assists this season, with the Chattanooga native having notched 651 on the young season. Redman is currently averaging 40.69 per match and 10.07 per set on the year. She also ranks 44th 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 tied with one an- other for the program record for most SoCon Player of the Week awards in a career. Each has won seven total POTW honors, with Redman having already collected two this season to match Gallentine's career total. 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 ALABAMA A&M
It's been a slow start to the 2024 season for Alabama A&M, with the Bulldogs entering their match against the Mocs with a 3-12 record on the year. Tuesday's match actually marks the second time this season that these two teams will have met, with Chattanooga having come away with a 3-0 sweep of the Bulldogs earlier this year in Huntsville. Since that September 1 match against UTC, the Bulldogs have won only one of their 12 matches, a 3-0 sweep of SWAC foe Arkansas-Pine Bluff on September 30. Alabama A&M will need the duo of Fatima Ramirez and Saldy Amparo-Smith to show out big if the Bulldogs are to hang with the Mocs on Tuesday night, as Ramirez currently leads the team in kills with 159 this season while Amparo-Smith trails closely behind her with 136 kills of her own.

CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
- Elaine Redman has officially moved up into seventh all-time in career assists for Chattanooga, having logged 2,525 assists during her time with the Mocs. Redman is now 70 assists off of tying Emily McGinnis (2001-03) for sixth on the program's all-time leaderboard.
- Redman's career assist total currently sits at 3,582 when including her time at Toledo. She ranks 31st on the NCAA Division I active career assists leaderboard.
- Paige Gallentine needs 111 digs to officially enter the NCAA's Top 25 all-time in career digs. She currently has 2,378, ranking second all-time in program history.
- Gallentine also now officially ranks seventh in program his- tory in career aces with 116. She needs just two more to tie Kylie Hunter (1990-93) for sixth all-time. The next highest Moc would be Heather Gibson (1989-92), who had 120.
- Marcelle Baez-Carlo needs 38 total blocks to officially enter UTC's Top 10 in career blocks (she currently has 232).
- Baez-Carlo is also 12 block assists from entering that UTC Top 10 list as well.
- Julie Torbett Thomas needs six more wins to reach 50 head coaching victories while at Chattanooga. She currently sits at 512 head coaching wins all-time.
- Redman is three aces away from her 100th of her career. She is also three blocks away from having 150 in her career and one dig away from having 900 in her career.
- Sydney Jackwin needs one ace to hit 50 in her playing career. Two aces and Jackwin will have matched her previous single-season high for aces of 17, which she did twice at LA Tech.
- Kynli Kirkendoll is only four blocks away from already having 50 in her young UTC career.

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. Tuesday night's marketing promotion against the Bulldogs will be a "Get'cha Head in the Game Night" inspired by High School Musical. This Friday's Southern Conference match against The Citadel will serve as the Mocs' annual "Dig Pink" match. A full list and schedule of this season's marketing promotions for UTC volleyball can be found HERE.

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