CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- Chattanooga volleyball's lengthy homestand rolls on this week with the Mocs welcoming a pair of Southern Conference foes, The Citadel and UNCG, to Maclellan Gymnasium for matches on Friday, October 11 and Saturday, October 12.
UTC's weekend will begin Friday night with the Mocs taking on the defending SoCon regular season champions The Citadel in a 6 p.m. ET night cap that will also serve as the program's annual Dig Pink match where fans are encouraged to wear pink for breast cancer awareness. The Mocs will then turn around to play host to the Spartans at 4 p.m. ET the following day.
Both matches are free to attend and will be available to stream on ESPN+.
MATCH CENTRAL
Friday, October 11 | vs. The Citadel | 6 p.m. ET | Stats | Stream
Saturday, October 12 | vs. UNC Greensboro | 4 p.m. ET | Stats | Stream
SERIES HISTORY
The Citadel: 34-8 (Last time: October 21, 2023 – 2-3 L)
UNCG: 35-22 (Last time: October 26, 2023 – 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 2,395 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 94 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 45-38 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 513-442.
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 9, Redman actively ranks first in all of Division I when it comes to total assists this season, with the Chattanooga native having notched 682 on the season. Redman is currently averaging 40.12 per match and 10.03 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 another 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 THE CITADEL
Hovering around .500, the Bulldogs haven't quite gotten off to the same start to the 2024 season as they did a year prior with the team carrying an 8-7 into their weekend slate of matches. Despite a slow start to the SoCon season that included losses at home to Western Carolina and Mercer, the Bulldogs have since bounced back by earning a road victory over UNCG before taking home a thrilling five-set win against Wofford to now sit 2-2 in league play. The Citadel was able to bring back two huge pieces to the team's success from a year ago, as both Ali Ruffin and Belle Hogan reside in their senior seasons with the program. Ruffin, an AVCA All-American outside hitter a season ago and the reigning SoCon Player of the Year, currently leads the Bulldogs in both kills (198) and digs (238) while Hogan, who had captured the 2023 SoCon Setter of the Year honor, has put up team-highs in assists (468) and aces (18).
ABOUT UNCG
The Spartans will be eying the coming weekend as a potential turning point for their 2024 season, as UNCG currently holds a record of 5-11 on the year with the team still searching for its first Southern Conference win of the season. Currently riding a five-match losing streak including four straight SoCon losses, Greensboro will be hoping to return to its form from earlier this season, where the Spartans had won three of the team's first four matches of the regular season. Much of UNCG's success, at least on the offensive side of the ball, will rely on true freshman outside hitter Allie Sweet. Sweet, a native of Woodstock, Georgia, actively leads the Southern Conference in both kills/set (4.31) and attacks/set (13.41). In fact, Sweet's attacks/set figure is currently good enough for her to rank third in the category across the entire NCAA, while the freshman actively ranks 24th nationally in kills/set. Shutting down the young freshman will be crucial for the Mocs, as the Spartans have failed to win a match this season when Sweet has had a sub .200 attack percentage.
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
- Elaine Redman has officially moved up into seventh all-time in career assists for Chattanooga, having logged 2,556 assists during her time with the Mocs. Redman is now 39 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 3,613 when including her time at Toledo. She ranks 20th on the NCAA Division I active career assists leaderboard.
- Paige Gallentine needs 94 digs to officially enter the NCAA's Top 25 all-time in career digs. She currently has 2,395, ranking second all-time in program history.
- Gallentine also now officially ranks sixth in program history in career aces with 119. She needs just one more to tie Heather Gibson (1989-92) for fifth all-time. The next highest Moc would be Gylian Finch (2018-23), who had 126.
- Marcelle Baez-Carlo needs 35 total blocks to officially enter UTC's Top 10 in career blocks (she currently has 235).
- Baez-Carlo is also nine block assists from entering that UTC Top 10 list as well.
- Baez-Carlo also is one kill shy of recording the 300th of her career.
- Julie Torbett Thomas needs five more wins to reach 50 head coaching victories while at Chattanooga. She currently sits at 513 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.
- Sydney Jackwin needs one ace to match her previous single-season high for aces of 17, which she did twice at LA Tech.
- Jackwin is also two blocks away from having 50 in her career.
- Kynli Kirkendoll is only three blocks away from already having 50 in her young UTC career.
- Chandler Alter needs 17 more digs to log her 300th career dig at UTC. 151 of her 283 career digs have come this season.
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 Dig Pink night for UTC's Friday night matchup against The Citadel. Fans in attendance are encouraged to wear pink for breast cancer awareness. Next Thursday, October 17 the Mocs will also be hosting an 80's themed night, alongside the program's annual Greek & Club Night. A full list and schedule of this season's marketing promotions for UTC volleyball can be found HERE.
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