GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) volleyball team will conclude its 2026 home slate by hosting The Southern Conference (SoCon) foe Samford on Friday at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday at 3:00 p.m. inside Bodford Arena.
UNCG volleyball seniors Izora Gragg, Lauren Janosy, Mia Nicklas, Aylin Baran and Akila Hardie will be honored in a special Senior Day ceremony prior to the start of Saturday's match against the Bulldogs.
Saturday's match will also feature a teddy bear drive, where fans can donate new teddy bears with all donations going to WakeMed Children's Hospital.
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Samford leads the all-time series against UNCG at 25-11. The Bulldogs and Spartans split their two meetings last season with UNCG securing a 3-0 sweep in Greensboro but falling in five sets in Birmingham.
Match 26: UNC Greensboro vs. Samford
UNC Greensboro (17-8, 10-4 SoCon) vs. Samford (12-12, 9-5 SoCon)
Date: Friday, Nov. 6
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Greensboro, N.C. (Bodford Arena)
Tickets: Free admission.
Promotion: First 100 UNCG students receive free pizza; Military Appreciation.
Coverage: Live Stats: Click here | Watch: ESPN+
Social Media: Twitter/X: @UNCGVB | Instagram: @uncgvolleyball | Facebook: UNCG Spartan Women's Volleyball
Match 27: UNC Greensboro vs. Samford
UNC Greensboro (17-8, 10-4 SoCon) vs. Samford (12-12, 9-5 SoCon)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Location: Greensboro, N.C. (Bodford Arena)
Tickets: Free admission.
Promotion: Senior Day, postgame autographs, teddy bear drive.
Coverage: Live Stats: Click here | Watch: ESPN+
Social Media: Twitter/X: @UNCGVB | Instagram: @uncgvolleyball | Facebook: UNCG Spartan Women's Volleyball
About the Spartans
- The Spartans come into the weekend 17-8 overall and 10-4 in the SoCon, sitting in second place in the league standings.
- UNCG is currently two wins behind first-place Wofford at 12-2 in the conference.
- The Spartans most recently split their matches at Furman last week, earning a 3-2 win on Friday but falling in four sets on Saturday.
- Gragg was named SoCon Setter of the Week for the fourth time this season, announced by the league office this past Monday.
- She recorded 142 total assists and a 10.14 assists per set average in three matches last week. Her 56 assists in Friday night's win over Furman marked a new career best. She recorded two double-doubles on the week, marking 21 in her career and nine this season. Gragg added 26 digs and 10.0 total blocks on the week.
- The Spartans have now received eight SoCon Player of the Week accolades this season, including Allie Sweet earning SoCon Offensive Player of the Week three times (Sept. 21, Sept. 28 and Oct. 19), Gragg being named SoCon Setter of the Week four times (Aug. 31, Sept. 7, Oct. 26 and Nov. 2) and Hailey Clifton earning SoCon Offensive Player of the Week once (Oct. 26).
- Sweet is top three in the nation in six total categories, including first in kills per set (5.05), points (556.5), kills (490) and total attacks (1,266) and third in attacks per set (13.05) and points per set (5.74).
- Sweet has paced the nation in total points and total kills for six out of the last seven weeks.
- Gragg is pacing the SoCon in assists per set (10.19) and is second in total assists (988). Her 988 total assists are seventh in the country.
- Kendall Lanclos stands out from behind the service line at second in the SoCon with 39 service aces and a 0.40 aces per set average.
- Connore' Siler-Nixon is pacing the conference in total blocks (112) and is second in blocks per set (1.15).
- Chloe Nussbaum is the leading libero for the Spartans and is sixth in the SoCon with 345 total digs this year.
- As a team, the Spartans are second in the SoCon in assists per set (12.39), hitting percentage (.231), kills per set (13.37), team assists (1,202) and kills (1,297).
- In the team's win over Delaware State on Sept. 20, Sweet broke the single-match program record in kills with 36. The previous record was 34 kills held by Becky Moore against Chattanooga on Oct. 3, 1997.
- Sweet, Nussbaum and Gragg have all hit career milestones this season. Gragg achieved 2,000 career assists in UNCG's SoCon opener against Western Carolina on Sept. 25. In addition, in the team's matchup at Clemson on Sept. 4, Sweet paced the Spartans with 16 kills to secure 1,000 career kills, while after leading UNCG with 19 digs, Nussbaum reached 1,000 career digs.
- UNCG recorded a 17-12 overall record and a 9-7 mark in the SoCon last season.
- UNCG was selected to finish fourth in the 2026 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll with 50 total points.
- Sweet was named to the SoCon Preseason All-Conference Team after being selected to the All-SoCon First Team last season.
- The 2026 roster features 12 returners and five newcomers, including four freshmen and one transfer.
- Head coach Trent Dunahoo is in his first season at the helm of the UNCG volleyball team and fourth season overall with the program. The 3-1 win over Northeastern on Aug. 29 marked his first win as a head coach.
About the Bulldogs
- Samford heads to Greensboro with a 12-12 overall record and 9-5 SoCon mark, sitting in third place in the conference standings.
- The Bulldogs most recently secured back-to-back matches with Chattanooga in Birmingham, Alabama, with scores of 3-1 and 3-0.
- Samford was picked to finish sixth in the SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll with 46 points.
- Ally Cordes was tabbed to the SoCon Preseason All-Conference Team.
- Cordes is currently second in the conference in attacks per set (11.62), points per set (4.53) and total attacks (1,081). She leads the Bulldogs in kills (363) and digs (300).
- Hazel Slusher is pacing the SoCon at the net with a 1.36 blocks per set average and leads Samford with 98.0 total blocks this year.
- Alison Ohlinger is the leading setter for the Bulldogs with 865 assists this season.
- As a team, Samford is leading the SoCon in blocks per set (2.59) and is second in the league in aces per set (1.78), service aces (166) and total blocks (241.0).
- Head coach Keylor Chan is in his 11th season at the helm of the Samford volleyball program, leading the team to a 178-142 record during his time.
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Up next
UNCG will conclude the 2026 regular season in Macon, Georgia, facing Mercer on Friday at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 p.m. inside Hawkins Arena.
