Caitlan Buettner

Volleyball

PREVIEW: Bobcats host the Sun Belt Volleyball Championship as the No. 1 seed

SAN MARCOS, Texas – For the second consecutive year, Texas State (22-8) enters the Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Championship as the No. 1 seed and will receive a double-bye to the semifinal round at 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 23 at Strahan Arena. The opponent will be determined by the winner of match No. 3 in the tournament bracket which takes place at 5 p.m. Nov. 22.
 
All matches will be streamed on ESPN+ with Brant Freeman (PxP) and Mick Haley (Analyst) on the call.
 
Since joining the Sun Belt, the Bobcats have reached the semifinals each season and have appeared in the championship match four times, tallying two championship titles (2013, 2018). Texas State is 10-4 all-time in the Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Championships and 8-3 vs. this year's field. Below is the all-time record history vs. the 2019 field:
 
All-time Sun Belt Tournament records
vs. Arkansas State (2-0)
vs. Louisiana (2-0)
vs. South Alabama (2-0)
vs. UT Arlington (1-0)
vs. Appalachian State (1-1)
vs. Coastal Carolina (0-2)
 
TXST has reached the 20-win plateau six times since joining the Sun Belt in 2013 and has done so in four consecutive seasons. The Bobcats earned the top seed with a 14-2 Sun Belt record and boast a 95-23 (.805) league record all-time, including a 69-11 (.863) mark since 2015.
 
The Maroon and Gold landed four student-athletes on the 2019 All-Sun Belt teams with sophomore setter Emily DeWalt and senior outside hitter Cheyenne Huskey named to the 2019 All-Sun Belt First Team, and junior middle blocker Tyerannee Scott and sophomore outside hitter Janell Fitzgerald was 2019 All-Sun Belt Second Team selections.
 
Texas State also picked up two specialty awards including DeWalt who was named 2019 Sun Belt Conference Setter of the Year and head coach Karen Chisum who was honored as the 2019 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year. Both DeWalt and Chisum won their perspective awards for the second consecutive year, marking the first time the feat was accomplished in the Sun Belt since 2015-16 by Arkansas State's Mallory Warrington and former head coach David Rehr.
 
Against Sun Belt opponents this season, the Bobcats lead the league in opponent hitting percentage (.133) and kills (13.83/set) and rank No. 2 in hitting percentage (.289) and aces (1.67/set). They rank No. 3 with 12.57 assists per set, 2.21 blocks per set, and No. 8 with 15.34 digs per set.
    
Huskey leads the team with 3.64 kills per set (No. 4 in the Sun Belt) and 0.47 aces per set (T-No. 2 in the Sun Belt). Huskey also has 2.29 digs per set, and 59 total blocks this season. Fitzgerald follows with 2.86 kills per set, while Scott has 1.94 kills per set behind a team-best .332 hitting percentage (No. 5 in the Sun Belt) and leads the team with 1.03 blocks per set (No. 4 in the Sun Belt).
 
DeWalt's 10.25 assists per set in No. 3 in the league and she average 0.33 aces per set, tied for No. 7 in the conference. DeWalt contributes 2.38 digs per set, 68 kills and 39 blocks this season. Junior libero Brooke Johnson leads the back row with 2.63 digs per set and has recorded 79 assists and 16 aces this year.  
 
Stay updated on everything Texas State volleyball by following the team on Facebook,  Twitter, and Instagram.
 
-- TXSTATEBOBCATS.COM --
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Emily DeWalt

#17 Emily DeWalt

S
5' 10"
Sophomore
So-1L
Janell Fitzgerald

#16 Janell Fitzgerald

OH
6' 1"
Sophomore
So-1L
Cheyenne Huskey

#4 Cheyenne Huskey

S/OH
6' 2"
Senior
Sr-1L
Brooke Johnson

#12 Brooke Johnson

S
5' 5"
Junior
Jr-2L

Players Mentioned

Emily DeWalt

#17 Emily DeWalt

5' 10"
Sophomore
So-1L
S
Janell Fitzgerald

#16 Janell Fitzgerald

6' 1"
Sophomore
So-1L
OH
Cheyenne Huskey

#4 Cheyenne Huskey

6' 2"
Senior
Sr-1L
S/OH
Brooke Johnson

#12 Brooke Johnson

5' 5"
Junior
Jr-2L
S