ARLINGTON – The UT Arlington volleyball team (8-1, 8-1 Sun Belt) is set to host in-state foe No. 13 Texas State (14-1, 9-0 Sun Belt) at College Park Center this weekend. First serve on Friday is set for 6:00 p.m., while Saturday's match will start at 1:00 p.m.

MATCH 1 | UTA (8-1, 8-1 SBC) vs. #13 Texas State (14-1, 9-0 SBC)
When: Friday, Oct. 30 | 6:00 P.M.
Where: Arlington, Texas | College Park Center
Live Stats | ESPN+ (Play-By-Play: Josh Feldman)

MATCH 2 | UTA (8-1, 8-1 SBC) vs. #13 Texas State (14-1, 9-0 SBC)
When: Saturday, Oct. 31 | 1:00 P.M.
Where: Arlington, Texas | College Park Center
Live Stats | ESPN+ (Play-By-Play: Josh Sours)

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | #13 TEXAS STATE
- The Bobcats are currently on an 11-match winning streak after securing their third weekend series sweep this season as they defeated Little Rock in three matches last weekend.
- TXST enters the weekend as the league leader in hitting percentage (.259), kills per set (14.48), and assists per set (13.69). The team also ranks No. 7 with 1.28 aces per set.
- Defensively, the Bobcats rank No. 3 in the Sun Belt with 2.18 blocks per set and a .151 opponent hitting percentage. The team also sits No. 4 with 17.04 digs on average.
- Junior outside hitter Janell Fitzgerald paces the Bobcats with 3.64 kills per set which ranks No. 6 in the Sun Belt and is No. 4 in the league with a .343 hitting percentage.
- Senior middle blocker Tyeranee Scott leads the Bobcats with a .349 hitting percentage (No. 3 in the Sun Belt) and has 49 total blocks (0.94), including a team-high nine solo blocks.

UTA NOTES
- UTA has posted a 79-51 record in SBC play since joining the league in 2013.
- The Mavericks have won 10+ SBC matches in four of their seven seasons in the league.
- The Mavs come into Friday's match riding a 3-game winning streak
- UTA leads the SBC in digs per set (19.77), while ranking No. 2 in kills per set (14.23) and aces per set (1.74), No. 3 in assists per set (12.89), No. 4 in hitting percentage (.214) and No. 6 in blocks per set (2.07).
- Brooke Townsend leads the team with 3.37 kills per set to ranks No. 8 in the Sun Belt.
- The Lady Mavericks setting duo of Kylee Kapp and Mollie Blank average 5.90 and 5.22 assists per set, respectively. Kapp is No. 2 in the Sun Belt with 0.43 aces per set (13 total).
- Michaela Wright is having a breakout season and leads the team with 1.00 blocks per set (No. 5 in the Sun Belt)
- Alli Wells leads the entire team and league with 6.40 digs per set.

SBC ANNOUNCES NEW VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT
For Sun Belt Volleyball programs, there will be a new path to a title in 2020. The conference announced a new championship format Tuesday that includes all 12 teams competing with pool play leading into a four-team knockout round bracket in a new five-day format that will take place in Foley, Ala.

Teams will be divided into four pools of three teams each and each squad will play two matches over three days starting Wednesday, Nov. 18. Pool winners will then advance to a single elimination knockout round bracket starting on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. with the semifinals followed by the tournament championship match on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 1 p.m.

All matches will be streamed live on ESPN+ and will be held at the Foley Sports Complex.

The pools will be comprised of a mixture of East and West Division teams after the league played a divisional-only schedule in 2020.

Pool A consists of the No. 1 East Division team along with the No. 4 West Division team and the No. 6 East Division team. That pool's winner will face the Pool D winner in the semifinals of the knockout round, a pool that consists of the No. 2 West Division, No. 3 East Division and No. 5 West Division teams.

Pool B includes the No. 2 East Division, No. 3 West Division and No. 5 East Division teams while Pool C is comprised of the No. 1 West Division, No. 4 East Division and No. 6 West Division teams. The two pool winners will meet in the second semifinal match.

UTA ATHLETICS LAUNCHES UTA BEATS CANCER CAMPAIGN
With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, UT Arlington Athletics has announced that the department's UTA Beats Cancer initiative is back to raise funds and awareness for the cause. The campaign will kick off on Friday (October 30) for UTA volleyball's home match against Texas State.

The UTA Beats Cancer initiative is a year-round effort which begins in the fall with volleyball and concludes in the spring with the baseball and softball teams. All UTA athletic teams to join the UTA Beats Cancer campaign and each team will have their own fundraising efforts and their own cancer awareness initiative.

UTA Athletics will be fundraising throughout the season and during the designated home events, with proceeds benefiting local cancer patient and outreach platforms in Arlington through the Moncrief Cancer Institute. The fundraising goal for the 2020-21 academic year is $10,000, and fans can join the cause by easily donating online (https://www.moncrief.com/uta).

ESPN+
UTA recognizes the importance of a quality broadcast experience for fans and supporters of the program with no spectators allowed at the CPC this volleyball season. Because of that – for the first time in department history – all home matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+. That is the same platform all home men's and women's basketball games have appeared on the last couple of years; for additional information or to subscribe to ESPN+, visit espnplus.com.

COLLEGE PARK CENTER GAMEDAY INFO
In an attempt to create as much of a 'bubble-like' atmosphere to protect student-athletes, coaches and staff from UT Arlington and opposing teams – NO FANS, other than two (2) direct family members of opposing team student-athletes and current UTA volleyball student-athletes, will be permitted at home volleyball matches inside the College Park Center this year.

Masks are required at ALL TIMES while in the arena.

FOLLOW THE MAVS
For the latest news on UTA Volleyball, log on to UTAMavs.com or stay connected to the Mavs on social media. Follow the Mavericks on Twitter @UTAMavsVB, on Instagram @UTAMavsVB and on Facebook at Facebook.com/UTAMavsVB.