Location: Conway, S.C. 
Match 21: Coastal Carolina @ 6 p.m. 
Match 22: Coastal Carolina @ 3 p.m. 
Follow the Action: X | Instagram 

ATLANTA – Georgia State volleyball travels to Conway, S.C., for a two-match weekend series against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. The Panthers and Chanticleers open play on Friday, Oct. 23 at 6 p.m., followed by the series finale on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 3 p.m. 

SERIES HISTORY 
Coastal Carolina holds a 26-3 advantage in the all-time series against Georgia State. The two programs first met in 1986, with the Chanticleers taking a 2-0 win. Georgia State earned its first victory in the series on Oct. 1, 1994, with a 3-0 sweep at home. Georgia State dropped 22 consecutive meetings following its last win in 2002. Georgia State owns a 3-13 record at home and a 0-13 mark on the road in the series, and is 0-21 in conference matchups against Coastal Carolina. The Panthers most recently met Coastal Carolina on Oct. 10, 2025, dropping a 3-0 decision in Atlanta, Ga., following a 3-0 loss the previous night. 

SCOUTING THE CHANTICLEERS 
Coastal Carolina enters the series 7-11 overall and 3-5 in Sun Belt play after splitting a weekend series against Marshall, winning in five sets before dropping a three-set sweep. The Chanticleers are led by fourth-year head coach Steve Loeswick who holds a 58-45 mark at CCU. CCU is led by standout middle blocker and preseason all-conference selection Anna Rita. Rita anchors the Coastal frontline with 88 kills and a team-leading 53.0 total blocks across her appearances this season. 

KILLA 'KIRA  
Akira Burt earned Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week for week seven after powering Georgia State through a two-match weekend at Southern Miss, totaling 39 kills, 42.0 points, 19 digs, and six blocks while hitting .257 and averaging 4.88 kills per set. She has hit double-digit kills in every match except two this season and leads the team in kills by more than 70.In the conference standings, she ranks first in the Sun Belt with 821 total attacks, and second with 309 total kills and 358.5 points. She also ranks third in the conference with 3.86 kills per set and 4.48 points per set, and fourth with 10.26 attacks per set. Nationally, she ranks in the top 20 in multiple categories, including 17th in points, 13th in total kills, and 18th in total attacks. 

1K/2K Club - PARTY OF ONE 
Dariana Valencia continues the season as a member of the 1k/2k club, having racked up 1,868 assists and 892 digs across three seasons at Little Rock. This season at Georgia State, she's added 243 assists and 183 digs to total for 2,111 assists and 1,075 digs 

MAKING NOISE ON THE NATIONAL STAGE 
Georgia State is making noise on the national stage this season, landing in the top 50 of the NCAA in multiple statistical categories. Akira Burt has been putting up numbers with the best of them, sitting 17th in the nation in points (358.5), 13th in total kills (309) and 18th in total attacks (821). The Panthers' defense and team output have also been driving forces, with the team ranking 21st nationally in total blocks (191.0) and 43rd in team total attacks (2,769). 

MARTINEZ AT THE HELM 
Jorge Martinez joined Georgia State as head coach of the volleyball program in February 2026. Martinez comes to GSU after six seasons at Arkansas Little Rock, where he served four years as an assistant coach before being promoted to associate head coach in his final two seasons with the Trojans. 

NEW TO THE A 
Georgia State welcomes 14 newcomers to the roster for 2026, including eight freshmen and six transfers. Freshmen Milana Holland, Sydney Crowder, Madilyn Lenox, Sigrun Jonsdottir, Jayden Fitzgerald, Annelore Engels, Sophia Johnson and Julie Arias bring youth and potential, while transfers Reagan Elizondo (South Carolina), Dariana Valencia (Little Rock), Leilani-Kai Giusta (Quinnipiac), Charley Goberville (Cornell), Mina Olgar (UC San Diego) and Isabel Morales (Little Rock) add collegiate experience and depth to the Panthers' lineup. 

THAT'S OUR FRESHMAN  
Freshman outside hitter Sophia Johnson was named week three's Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week after a dominant three-match weekend. Johnson's honors came after a career-best stretch in which she totaled 47 kills, two aces, 28 digs and five total blocks across the weekend, hitting .328 for the stretch while racking up 51.5 total points. The performance set three new career highs for the freshman. Johnson strung together double-digit kills in all three matches on the weekend. On the season, Johnson ranks 14th in the Sun Belt with 238 total kills. She also ranks fifth in the conference with 706 total attacks and 14th with 214 total digs, alongside 275.5 total points which places her eighth in the Sun Belt . 

FRESHMEN FRENZY 
Georgia State features one of the largest freshman classes in the Sun Belt for the 2026 season, tying ULM with eight freshmen. Milana Holland, Sydney Crowder, Madilyn Lenox, Sigrun Jonsdottir, Jayden Fitzgerald, Annelore Engels, Sophia Johnson and Julie Arias make up the Panthers' freshman class. 

SO INTERNATIONAL 
Georgia State's volleyball roster is rich with international flair. Nearly a third of the 2026 squad hails from overseas, with five of the 17 players bringing valuable international experience to the court.