Owls Close Non-Conference Play with Owls Paradise Classic

Friday, September 18

Boca Raton, Fla.

11 a.m.

Florida Atlantic

Alabama State

9/17/2026 4:31:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic volleyball team will close out non-conference play this weekend as the Owls host their Owls Paradise Classic on Friday, Sept. 18 and Saturday, Sept. 19.

The Owls open the weekend on Friday at 11 a.m. against Alabama State and close out the day at 6 p.m. against Stetson. FAU will close out the weekend on Saturday at 2 p.m. Both of Friday's matches will be broadcast on ESPN+, and Saturday's weekend finale will be broadcast on FAUSports.com.

Match 9: Florida Atlantic (4-4) vs. Alabama State (2-8)
Friday, Sept. 18 – 11 a.m. ET
Abessinio Court at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena | Boca Raton, FL
Television: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast

Match 10: Florida Atlantic (4-4) vs. Stetson (3-6)
Friday, Sept. 18 – 6 p.m. ET
Abessinio Court at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena | Boca Raton, FL
Television: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast

Match 11: Florida Atlantic (4-4) vs. Alabama State (2-8)
Saturday, Sept. 19 – 2 p.m. ET
Abessinio Court at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena | Boca Raton, FL
Television: FAUSports.com/Watch
Live Stats: StatBroadcast

A LOOK AT THE OWLS

Florida Atlantic enters the final weekend of non-conference play at 4-4 on the season. The Owls are coming off a 1-2 weekend in which they earned a four-set win over Troy, 3-1, but dropped a pair of contests against No. 10 Florida, 3-1, and Dayton, 3-2.
Maya Van Heyst had a career weekend, earning American Conference Setter of the Week honors. The graduate setter powered the Owls offense, dishing out a team-best 145 assists, averaging an incredible 11.15 assists per set, while also adding 25 digs, averaging 1.92 digs per set, as well as 10 kills and six service aces over the Owls' three matches.
The Owls are led offensively by Sequoia Layne, Olivia Hart, Anna Hartman, and Luye Marquez-Moreno. Layne boasts a team-leading 70 kills, averaging 2.33 kills per set, Hart ranks second with 65 kills and averaging 2.10 kills per set. Hartman leads the team in kills per set, averaging 2.35 kills per set with 61 kills, and Marquez-Moreno rounds out the Owls' leading scorers with 53 kills and averaging 1.89 kills per set.
Van Heyst is the Owls' assists leader this season, pacing the team with 277 assists and dishing out 8.94 assists per set through eight matches.
The Owls' back row is led by Olivia Hart and Zoe Winford. Hart leads the team with 77 digs, averaging 2.48 digs per set, while Winford ranks second with 72 digs, averaging 2.40 digs per set. Isabelle Northam returned to the court for the Owls this past weekend and leads the team in digs per set, averaging 3.15 digs per set.
At the net, the Owls are led by Layne, Hart, Maggie Allred, and Libby Ashline, tallying 16, 13, 12, and 11 blocks this season. Allred leads the Owls in blocks per set, averaging 0.80 blocks per set this season.

SCOUTING ALABAMA STATE

Alabama State enters this weekend's Owls Paradise Classic at 2-8 on the season. The Hornets are coming off a 2-1 weekend at the ISTAP Collegiate Cup where they earned a pair of four-set wins over South Carolina State and Nicholls State, but dropped a three-setter against Miami Ohio.
The Hornets are led offensively by Kaylen Hines, boasting a team-best 117 kills and averaging 3.34 kills per set.
Kamrynn Clay is Alabama State's starting setter, leading the Hornets in assists with 292 and averaging 8.34 assists per set.
Defensively, Mirra Riddle and Clay lead the Hornets' back row. Riddle leads the team averaging 3.74 digs per set, while Clay ranks second, tallying 2.49 digs per set. At the net, the Hornets are led by Lyric Edwards and Hines, tallying 0.63 and 0.54 blocks per set, respectively.

SCOUTING STETSON

Stetson enters the Owls Paradise Classic at 3-6 this season. The Hatters will look to snap a four-match losing streak, falling in three straight-set sweeps against UCF, Ball State, and Furman, and dropping a four-set match against Campbell.
The Hatters are led offensively by Andrea Diaz Dominguez, averaging 2.52 kills per set this season.
Stetson's assists leaders are Vanessa Shevchenko and Maia Pou, averaging 4.57 and 3.55 assists per set, respectively.
The Hatters' back row leaders are Jannelize Perez, Diaz Dominguez, and Shevchenko, recording 3.74, 2.84, and 2.18 digs per set, respectively.
At the net, the Hatters are led by Sofia Torcello and Kayla Balfour, tying for a team-leading 1.0 blocks per set this season.

SERIES HISTORY

This weekend's matches against Alabama State will mark the fourth and fifth all-time matches between the Owls and the Hornets. FAU leads the all-time series 3-0, however this weekend's matches will be the first and second in Boca Raton.
Friday's nightcap against Stetson marks the 49^th all-time meeting between the Owls and the Hatters. The Owls lead the series 43-5, including an unbeaten 27-0 home record in Boca Raton.

UP NEXT

Following this weekend's Owls Paradise Classic, FAU opens American Conference play on the road, visiting North Texas on Friday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. and UTSA on Sunday, Sept. 27 at 2 p.m.

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