Location: Huntington, W. Va.
Match 13: Marshall @ 6 p.m.
Match 14: Marshall @ 4 p.m.
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ATLANTA – Georgia State volleyball heads to Huntington, W.Va., for a two-match series with Marshall to open Sun Belt Conference play. The Panthers square off against the Thundering Herd on Thursday, Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. and Friday, Sept. 25 at 4 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
Georgia State holds a 5-4 advantage in the all-time series against Marshall. The two programs first met on Aug. 31, 2018, with the Panthers falling 3-0 in Chicago. Georgia State has won four of the last five meetings, including a three-match winning streak from Sept. 29, 2023, to Oct. 26, 2024, and owns a 3-1 record on the road and a 2-2 mark at home in the series. The Panthers most recently met the Thundering Herd on Oct. 25, 2025, earning a 3-0 sweep in Atlanta.
SCOUTING THE THUNDERING HERD
Marshall enters the weekend at 7-4 on the season, riding a two-match winning streak after sweeping Morehead State in a home-and-home series last weekend. The Herd had a rough stretch on the road, as Marshall dropped matches at Duke and to Belmont in Durham and fell at EKU before getting back on track against Morehead State. Marshall is 3-1 at home, 2-2 on the road and 2-1 at neutral sites. The Herd ranks among the league's most productive offenses, leading the conference in kills per set (14.29) and assists per set (13.37) while ranking second in hitting percentage (.269). Marshall currently sits second in the Sun Belt East Division standings. The Herd is led by head coach Heather Stout, who enters her third season at the helm in Huntington with a 22-19 record at Marshall and a 43-51 career mark.
KILLA 'KIRA
Akira Burt has hit double digit kills in every match except one this season. She leads the team in kills by more than 20, and ranks fifth in the Sun Belt with 3.72 kills per set. She also ranks second in the Sun Belt with 199.0 points and 171 total kills, and fifth with 4.33 points per set. Nationally, she places 25th in points and 29th in total kills.
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.
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).
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.
