Location: Hattiesburg, Miss.
Match 17: Southern Miss @ 7 p.m.
Match 18: Southern Miss @ 3 p.m.
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ATLANTA – Georgia State volleyball hits the road this week, traveling to Hattiesburg, Miss., for a two-match Sun Belt Conference series against Southern Miss. Due to inclement weather in Hattiesburg, the Panthers and Golden Eagles will meet Thursday Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. and Friday, Oct. 9, at 3 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
Southern Miss holds a 5-1 advantage in the all-time series against Georgia State. The two programs first met on March 27, 2010, with the Panthers earning a 2-0 win in Tuscaloosa, Ala., their only victory in the series. Southern Miss has since won five straight meetings and has swept the Panthers in four of those five matches. Georgia State owns a 1-2 record at home and an 0-2 mark on the road in the series, and is 0-4 in conference matchups against the Golden Eagles. The Panthers most recently met Southern Miss on Nov. 20, 2025, falling 3-0 during the first stage of the Sun Belt Conference Championship in Foley, Ala.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Southern Miss enters the series 11-4 overall and 2-2 in Sun Belt play after dropping back-to-back matches to Troy to open its conference home slate. The Golden Eagles finished the non-conference portion of their schedule 9-2 with a 4-0 mark at neutral sites. Setter Allie Hazelwood has been recognized twice by the Sun Belt this season, earning Setter of the Week honors in both week one and week five. Southern Miss is led by fifth-year head coach Jenny Hazelwood, who owns a 70-64 career record at the school and a 32-35 mark in conference play.
KILLA 'KIRA
Akira Burt has hit double-digit kills in every match except two this season. She leads the team in kills by more than 40, and ranks first in the Sun Belt with 237 total kills and 634 total attacks, and second with 276.0 points. She also ranks fourth in the Sun Belt with 3.70 kills per set, 4.31 points per set and 9.91 attacks per set. Nationally, she ranks in the top 30 in multiple categories, including a 15th place finish in points, 16th in total kills and 24th 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 236 assists and 139 digs to total for 2,104 assists and 1,031 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 four statistical categories, including three in the top 25. Akira Burt has been putting up numbers with the best of them, sitting 15th in the nation in points (276.0), 16th in total kills (237) and 24th in total attacks (634). The Panthers' defense has also been a driving force, with the team ranking 37th nationally in total blocks (145.0).
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 has been the driving force behind Georgia State's double-double production this season, recording four through 12 matches. The Sun Belt's Week 3 Offensive Player of the Week has also made her mark across the conference, ranking fifth in service aces (19) and sixth in both points (174.5) and total attacks (413). She sits sixth in total kills (143), 11th in kills per set (3.11) and 15th in total digs (123).
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.
