CONWAY, S.C. — Prior to the arrival of James Madison this season and the emergence of South Alabama in the last two years, the Sun Belt Conference went through two volleyball programs over the last six seasons: Texas State and Coastal Carolina. This weekend, those two pillars of the league collide once again to close out the regular season.   

Action will begin at 5 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 10 before concluding at 12 p.m. CT / 1 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 11 with both matches being available to stream on ESPN+. 

THERE'S A PLACE OF OCEAN AVENUE

• Texas State will travel to Conway, S.C., with a 7-3 all-time record against Coastal Carolina since the Chanticleers joined the Sun Belt Conference prior to the 2016 season. 
• Coastal Carolina won three of the first four meetings between the two programs, including the first-ever match on Sept. 30, 2016. 
  • All of the Bobcats' loss to the Chanticleers in series history have occurred in four sets. 
• Since dropping a four-set match to Coastal Carolina in the 2017 Sun Belt Conference Championship, Texas State has won the last six consecutive matches in the series history. 
  • Of the last 23 sets played, Texas State has won 18, including the last eight straight dating back to the fourth set of a five-set win on Nov. 22, 2020. 
• Under third-year head coach Sean Huiet, Texas State is 3-0 against Coastal Carolina. 
  • This weekend, however, will mark the first-ever road match in Conway for the Bobcats with Huiet at the helm. 
• Texas State is 2-0 against Coastal Carolina in matches played in Conway, S.C., since the program's first-ever match against the Chanticleers in 2016.
  • Texas State won in three sets on Oct. 1, 2017, and then a four-set match on Oct. 25, 2019. 

WHERE I USED TO SIT AND TALK WITH YOU

• By finishing last weekend's two-match series against Troy with 91 assists, fifth-year senior Emily DeWalt has eclipsed the 1,000-assist mark on the season. DeWalt will travel to Conway, S.C., having been credited with 1,067 assists so far this season.
  • DeWalt's 1,067 assists this season marks the fourth time in her five seasons as a Bobcat the Helotes, Texas native has surpassed the 1,000-assist mark in a single season. 
    • 2018 – 1,270
    • 2019 – 1,196
    • 2020 – 1,501
    • 2021 – 843
    • 2022 – 1,067
• DeWalt is also boosting a career-high 11.11 assist per set average so far this season.
  • If she finishes with the season with the clip over 11.00, it'll mark the second time in her career she's accomplished the feat after having an 11.09 average a year ago. 
• This weekend will provide DeWalt with another opportunity to continue her pursuit of becoming the first student-athlete in program and league history to be credited with 6,000 assists in a career. 
  • DeWalt will enter this weekend with 5,877 career assists, needing only 123 more to reach the milestone. 

WE WERE BOTH 16 AND IT FELT SO RIGHT

• When Janell Fitzgerald appears in a set this week, the fifth-year senior will pass Tyeranee Scott (2017-21) for the top spot in career matches played in Texas State volleyball history. 
  • Scott and Fitzgerald (2018-P) have both appeared in 158 career matches during their time as Texas State Bobcats. 
    • Emily DeWalt (2018-P) will tie Scott's mark, too, when she appears in a set this weekend as the fifth-year senior setter will enter this weekend's set of matches having appeared in 157 career matches. 
      • Fitzgerald (158) and DeWalt (157) sit one-two in the NCAA's active leaders in career matches played. 
  • Fitzgerald will move into fourth all time in Sun Belt history when she takes the floor for the first time this weekend. 

SLEEPIN' ALL DAY, STAYIN' UP ALL NIGHT

• The Texas State volleyball program are ranked as the number one team in the Sun Belt Conference in seven different statistical categories: 
  • Assists Per Set (13.38)
  • Hitting Percentage (0.294)
  • Kills Per Set (14.26)
  • Team Assists (1,284)
  • Team Kills (1,369)
  • Assists Per Set, Individual – Emily DeWalt (11.11)
  • Total Assists, Individual – Emily DeWalt (1,067)

STAYIN' UP ALL NIGHT

• On the heels of clinching the number one seed out of the West Division for next week's Sun Belt Conference Championship, the Texas State volleyball program, which sits one match back of James Madison, still has an opportunity for a bigger prize: a regular season conference championship. 
  • Co-Champion:
    • Texas State needs to win both matches at Coastal Carolina and South Alabama to knock off James Madison one time. 
  • Outright Champion:
    • Texas State needs to win both matches at Coastal Carolina and South Alabama to knock off James Madison twice. 

OCEAN AVENUE, YELLOWCARD

• For the latest information on the team, follow @TexasStateVball on Twitter, @TxStateVolleyball on Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can also be at @TxStateBobcats on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.