Location: Atlanta, Ga.
Match 23: App State @ 6 p.m.
Match 24: App State @ 6 p.m.
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ATLANTA – Georgia State volleyball hosts App State for a two-match series at the GSU Convocation Center to kick off Halloween weekend. The Panthers and Mountaineers open play on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. for Teacher/Staff Appreciation Night, followed by Halloween/Alumni Night on Friday, Oct. 30 at 6 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
App State holds a 18-12 advantage in the all-time series against Georgia State. The two programs first met in 1988, with the Panthers earning a 3-0 sweep at a neutral site. Georgia State won three of the first four meetings before dropping six consecutive matches from 2017-20. The Panthers are 3-13 at home and 0-13 on the road in the all-time series. Georgia State won both meetings in Boone last season, taking a 3-2 victory on Oct. 31 before earning a 3-1 win on Nov. 1. The Panthers enter the latest matchup riding a two-match winning streak against the Mountaineers.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
App State enters the series 15-9 overall and 8-2 in Sun Belt play. The Mountaineers continue their run at the top of the East Division of the conference, even after splitting a weekend series against Louisiana. The Mountaineers dropped the opener in four sets before bouncing back with a three-set sweep, and they carry a one-match winning streak into this week. App State is 6-3 at home, 6-3 on the road and 3-3 at neutral sites, and has dropped just two of its ten conference matches, both in four sets. The Mountaineers swept both Old Dominion and James Madison on the road and took both matches from Coastal Carolina at home. App State is led by second-year head coach Chad Sutton, who holds a 72-40 career record, including a 30-21 mark at Appalachian State.
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 four this season and leads the team in kills by more than 70. In the conference standings, she ranks second in the Sun Belt with 876 total attacks, 323 total kills and 375.0 points. She also ranks fourth in the conference with 3.76 kills per set, 4.36 points per set and 10.19 attacks per set. Nationally, she ranks in the top 30 in multiple categories, including 24th in points, 25th in total attacks and 28th in total kills
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 247 assists and 202 digs to total for 2,115 assists and 1,094 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 five statistical categories, including three in the top 30. Akira Burt has been putting up numbers with the best of them, sitting 24th in the nation in points (375.0), 28th in total kills (323) and 25th in total attacks (876). The Panthers' defense has also been a driving force, with the team ranking 35th nationally in total blocks (202.0) and Jayden Eaker placing 42nd individually in total blocks (96).
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 sixth in the conference with 736 total attacks and 15th with 235 total digs.
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.
