Friday, September 4
Fort Myers, Fla.
1 p.m.
West Virginia University
vs
FAU
Mountaineers Travel to Sunshine State Classic for First Road Test of the Season
September 03, 2026 12:05 PM | Volleyball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University volleyball team (1-1, 0-0 Big 12) travels to Alico Arena in Fort Myers, Florida, for its second nonconference tournament of the season. The Mountaineers will face Florida Atlantic at 1 p.m. on Sept. 4 before taking on Florida Gulf Coast at 2 p.m. on Sept. 5.
WVU enters the match with a 1-1 record after opening the 2026 season with a 3-1 victory over Texas Rio Grande Valley on Aug. 28 and falling in five sets to UMBC on Aug. 30.
The Mountaineers hit .238 through the opening weekend, including a .324 clip against UTRGV. Senior outside hitter Nina Horning led the WVU attack with 32 kills on 70 attempts. Freshman middle blocker Mirjam Kask led the team in efficiency, recording eight kills on 13 attempts for a .462 hitting percentage, while sophomore outside hitter Anna Barr added 23 kills on 49 attempts.
Defensively, Kask and senior middle blocker Maddy McGath each recorded 11 blocks through the opening weekend. Kask was one of six true freshmen in the Big 12 to record 11 blocks through the first weekend of this season and one of just two to accomplish the feat who played just two matches.
West Virginia recorded eight service aces against UMBC, tied for the third-most by a Big 12 team in a match this season. Senior setter Alexis Finnvold, who led the Mountaineers in aces in 2025, paced WVU with four aces on the weekend. She also leads the team with 64 assists and 20 digs, while ranking third with five blocks.
Eight Mountaineers made their collegiate debuts during the opening weekend, including freshmen Nula Anderson, Saar Bertels, Cassie Bruns, Lauren Duncan, Mirjam Kask, Macie Smith and Reagan Turk, as well as graduate defensive specialist/libero Lucie Smardova.
FAU comes into the matchup after a 3-0 weekend a straight set sweeps over Merrimack, Stetson and Florida International.
The Owls' attack is led by junior right side Sequoia Layne and junior outside hitter Olivia Hart. Layne leads FAU with 30 kills, while Hart has added 23. Graduate setter Maya Van Heyst directs the offense and leads the team with 66 assists.
Defensively, junior outside hitter Luye Marquez-Moreno leads the Owls with 25 digs, while Van Heyst has recorded 24.
Friday's match marks the first meeting between West Virginia and Florida Atlantic. The Owls are coached by Fernanda Nelson, who is in her 15th season with the program and owns a 212-176 record at FAU.
The FAU match will not be streamed, but live stats will be available at WVUsports.com.
FGCU enters the weekend with a 1-2 record after competing in the FGCU Invitational, where the Eagles fell to No. 24 BYU, 3-1, and Florida State, 3-1, before earning a 3-1 victory over VCU.
Freshman opposite Maju Hildebrand leads the Eagles' attack after recording 45 kills across the three matches, setting an FGCU program record for a freshman over the first three matches of a season. Senior outside hitter Julija Grubisic Cabo, a Preseason All-ASUN selection, recorded double-digit kills in all three matches with 16 against BYU, 12 against Florida State and 13 against VCU. She also leads the team with 28 digs.
Senior setter Dinara Sabitova orchestrates the FGCU offense and totaled 93 assists through the opening weekend, including a team-high 46 against Florida State.
Freshman middle blocker Amany Kuwa leads the Eagles with 13 blocks while also contributing offensively with 14 kills on a .370 hitting percentage.
West Virginia's matchup with FGCU marks the second all-time meeting between the two programs. The Mountaineers lead the series, 1-0, following a five-set victory on Sept. 8, 2018, at Alico Arena.
The Eagles are led by Thais Baziquetto-Allen, who is in her second season with the program. She owns a 20-11 record at FGCU and a 251-64 career record through 11 seasons as a head coach.
Kelly Burke and Liz Tortorello-Nelson have the call for Saturday's match on ESPN+, and live stats are available at WVUsports.com.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUVolleyball on Facebook, Instagram and X.
WVU enters the match with a 1-1 record after opening the 2026 season with a 3-1 victory over Texas Rio Grande Valley on Aug. 28 and falling in five sets to UMBC on Aug. 30.
The Mountaineers hit .238 through the opening weekend, including a .324 clip against UTRGV. Senior outside hitter Nina Horning led the WVU attack with 32 kills on 70 attempts. Freshman middle blocker Mirjam Kask led the team in efficiency, recording eight kills on 13 attempts for a .462 hitting percentage, while sophomore outside hitter Anna Barr added 23 kills on 49 attempts.
Defensively, Kask and senior middle blocker Maddy McGath each recorded 11 blocks through the opening weekend. Kask was one of six true freshmen in the Big 12 to record 11 blocks through the first weekend of this season and one of just two to accomplish the feat who played just two matches.
West Virginia recorded eight service aces against UMBC, tied for the third-most by a Big 12 team in a match this season. Senior setter Alexis Finnvold, who led the Mountaineers in aces in 2025, paced WVU with four aces on the weekend. She also leads the team with 64 assists and 20 digs, while ranking third with five blocks.
Eight Mountaineers made their collegiate debuts during the opening weekend, including freshmen Nula Anderson, Saar Bertels, Cassie Bruns, Lauren Duncan, Mirjam Kask, Macie Smith and Reagan Turk, as well as graduate defensive specialist/libero Lucie Smardova.
FAU comes into the matchup after a 3-0 weekend a straight set sweeps over Merrimack, Stetson and Florida International.
The Owls' attack is led by junior right side Sequoia Layne and junior outside hitter Olivia Hart. Layne leads FAU with 30 kills, while Hart has added 23. Graduate setter Maya Van Heyst directs the offense and leads the team with 66 assists.
Defensively, junior outside hitter Luye Marquez-Moreno leads the Owls with 25 digs, while Van Heyst has recorded 24.
Friday's match marks the first meeting between West Virginia and Florida Atlantic. The Owls are coached by Fernanda Nelson, who is in her 15th season with the program and owns a 212-176 record at FAU.
The FAU match will not be streamed, but live stats will be available at WVUsports.com.
FGCU enters the weekend with a 1-2 record after competing in the FGCU Invitational, where the Eagles fell to No. 24 BYU, 3-1, and Florida State, 3-1, before earning a 3-1 victory over VCU.
Freshman opposite Maju Hildebrand leads the Eagles' attack after recording 45 kills across the three matches, setting an FGCU program record for a freshman over the first three matches of a season. Senior outside hitter Julija Grubisic Cabo, a Preseason All-ASUN selection, recorded double-digit kills in all three matches with 16 against BYU, 12 against Florida State and 13 against VCU. She also leads the team with 28 digs.
Senior setter Dinara Sabitova orchestrates the FGCU offense and totaled 93 assists through the opening weekend, including a team-high 46 against Florida State.
Freshman middle blocker Amany Kuwa leads the Eagles with 13 blocks while also contributing offensively with 14 kills on a .370 hitting percentage.
West Virginia's matchup with FGCU marks the second all-time meeting between the two programs. The Mountaineers lead the series, 1-0, following a five-set victory on Sept. 8, 2018, at Alico Arena.
The Eagles are led by Thais Baziquetto-Allen, who is in her second season with the program. She owns a 20-11 record at FGCU and a 251-64 career record through 11 seasons as a head coach.
Kelly Burke and Liz Tortorello-Nelson have the call for Saturday's match on ESPN+, and live stats are available at WVUsports.com.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUVolleyball on Facebook, Instagram and X.
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/ VolleyballThursday, August 27
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