FLORENCE, Ala. (October 30, 2026) – The University of North Alabama volleyball team will host the United Athletic Conference's undefeated leader, Eastern Kentucky, in a home match in Florence, Ala. inside CB&S Bank Arena Saturday at 1 p.m.
This will be the second time these two teams have seen each other this season as the first. and second place teams in the standings. The Lions and Colonels faced off on Oct. 10 in Richmond, Ky. inside Baptist Health Arena where EKU won 3-0.
Saturday will be UNA's "Boo at the Bank" for Halloween, as fans are encouraged to dress up in costumes for the game. There will be trick-or-treating, a costume contest and autographs in the lobby after the game.
The match will be broadcast on ESPN+, and live stats will be available through StatBroadcast. On the call will be Grant Wakefield, alongside analyst Ande Jones and court side reporter Gyvan Hammons.
MATCH INFO
Eastern Kentucky vs. North Alabama
Saturday, Oct. 31
1 p.m.
"Boo at the Bank" match
Watch | Live Stats | Tickets
NOTES
STANDOUT SEASON: UNA is currently having its best season since joining NCAA Division I in 2018. The Lions are currently 18-6 overall and 8-3 in the UAC. With their win against Tarleton State on Oct. 29, the 2026 team reached the most wins a UNA team has earned in the Division I era. The last time UNA won 18 matches was in 2017 when they went 27-8. This current team also had the most dominant start in program history, opening the season with eight straight sweeps. UNA was the second-to-last team in the country to drop a set only behind undefeated Nebraska. The record was previously held by the 2002 team that opened the season with six straight sweeps.
LAST TIME OUT: The last time the Lions played was Thursday against Tarleton State, where the Lions came out victorious, 3-1. UNA came out strong, winning the first two sets, 25-23, 25-17. The Texans avoided the sweep by winning the third set, 25,23, but the Lions dominated in the fourth set and won 25-18. Junior Reese Ricketts and senior Olivia Fenoff led in kills, combing for 33 kills. Fenoff also reached a career high of 15 kills. Sophomore Landri Ross also tied her career high of 28 assists. Senior Ava Martindale led the defense with 24 digs.
SCOUTING THE LIONS: The Lions enter the match with an 18-6 record and an 8-3 UAC record and sit tied for second in the conference standings. Ricketts continues to lead the conference in kills (343) and kills per set (4.04). As a team they rank second in hitting percentage (.227) and hold opponents to just .184 to rank third in the UAC.
PERFECT AT THE BANK: North Alabama has proven to be dominant when playing at home inside CB&S Bank Arena. They are currently 9-0 at home with their biggest test so far coming to town on Saturday. There are only 21 NCAA Division I teams left that are undefeated at home. Only six of those teams are 9-0 or better at home, including Power Five company from Nebraska, Louisville, Oregon State and Florida. UAC opponent, EKU, is also undefeated at home with 11 wins inside Baptist Health Arena.
ASSIST QUEENS: Junior Kinslee McGowan and sophomore Landri Ross were the setter pair in the match against Tarleton State on Oct. 29. This was Ross's third appearance this season, tying her career high of 28 assists. McGowan recorded 22 assists and 14 digs to record her 13th double-double of the season. McGowan also ranks second in the UAC with 833 assists.
RICKETTS THIS SEASON: Ricketts has proven to be one of the Lions' strongest forces, leading the team with 343 kills. She also leads the conference with 343 kills and 4.04 kills per set, and she has won two UAC Player of the Week awards. She set a new career high against UT Arlington on Oct. 15 with 32 kills, just four shy of the program's record. She also sparked the comeback win against Austin Peay on Oct. 16. The Lions were down in the fifth set to the Governors 7-13 before Ricketts scored the final nine points of the set to secure the fifth-set comeback. She had seven kills and two block assists, both blocks assisted by sophomore Jenna Kolosta.
A VETERAN PRESENCE: Fenoff is competing in her fourth year at North Alabama, the longest on the team. She has stepped up to the plate in the last two matches, recording double-digit kills in both after seeing limited playing time this season. In the match against Tarleton State on Oct. 29, she set a new career high after recording 15 kills. She also had a sharp .355 hitting percentage. She also had three total blocks.
DYLANN DOES IT ALL: Junior Dylann Garner is having her best season of her career, reaching 239 kills to rank seventh in the UAC after recording 231 in the 2025 season. She also ranks eighth with 2.85 kills per set. She has been an outside hitter for the Lions in the first 22 matches of the season. In the last two matches, she has moved to Middle Blocker and has not slowed up. In the last two matches in the new position, she has recorded 20 kills and three blocks.
FRESHMAN POWER: Freshmen Anna Hoffmayer and Kaylee Maikranz have made an impact in their first year at UNA. Hoffmayer, a middle blocker, has 153 kills, a .323 hitting percentage and 64 blocks. Maikranz is a defensive specialist/libero that has 153 digs and leads the team with 27 service aces.
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST EKU: The Lions and Colonels were previously in the ASUN conference together before both joined the newly-formed UAC this summer. The Colonels lead the series history 7-3 and won both matches in the 2025 season. The last time UNA won against EKU was in 2024 in their first meeting of the season when the Lions won 3-1. EKU defeated UNA earlier in the season on Oct. 10 in Richmond, Ky. inside Baptist Health Arena, 3-0.
SCOUTING THE COLONELS: EKU has proven to be the UAC's dominant leader, currently 11-0 in the UAC, sweeping nine out of 11 UAC opponents. They are coming off their first five-set match in UAC play, defeating UT Arlington on Thursday, Oct. 29 in Richmond, Ky. Inside Baptist Health Arena. The Colonels lead the UAC in points, opponent hitting percentage, hitting percentage, assists, kills, blocks, opponent service aces and opponent digs.
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