The Averett University volleyball team hosts the USA South Conference Tournament semifinals Friday at the Grant Center. Play opens with East Division No. 2 seed Meredith College taking on West No. 4 seed LaGrange College at 4 p.m., followed by East No. 1 seed Averett against West No. 2 seed Maryville College at 6:30 p.m.
Live statistics will be available and a live broadcast will be available on the Averett Sports Network.
Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for faculty, staff, students, senior citizens and children. The first 100 Averett students and first 50 faculty/staff members will get free admission with an Averett ID.
Here's a look at each of the semifinal teams:
Averett University
(25-9, 15-0 USA South)
SEASON AT A GLANCE: The East's top-seeded Cougars come into today's USA South Conference Tournament semifinal against the West's No. 2 seed Maryville College riding a huge wave of momentum. Head coach
Danny Miller, in his 22nd year at the helms, led the Cougars to a perfect 15-0 mark in the regular season and its second consecutive regular season championship. Averett clinched Miller's 12th USA South regular season championship on Oct. 29 when the Cougars knocked off Meredith College 3-1 on Senior Day. Miller also earned his eighth career USA South Coach of the Year honor on Thursday.
HOW THEY GOT THERE: Averett knocked off the Eastern Division's No. 5 seed Ferrum College 3-1 in Tuesday's USA South Conference Tournament quarterfinals.
ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS: Junior
Hannah Shields earned her second consecutive USA South Conference Player of the Year award. Shields was also voted to the USA South East Division First Team. Fellow junior
Sarah Smoot was also named to the East Division First Team along with sophomore
Keenan Marks. In her first year as a Cougar, freshman
Brianna Williams earned a spot on the East Division Second Team, and sophomore
Emily Stanley was named to the USA South All-Sportsmanship Team.
LaGrange College
(22-13, 7-8 USA South)
SEASON AT A GLANCE: Playing in their first USA South Conference Tournament ever, LaGrange made program history by knocking off the West's No.1 Covenant College 3-1 on Tuesday night in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, following a 3-0 first round win over West No. 5 seed Huntingdon College. The Panthers' victory, helped snap an 11-match losing streak to the Scots. LaGrange enters today's semifinals riding the momentum of a three-match winning streak. The Panthers 22 wins are the most for LaGrange since the 2004 squad won 26.
HOW THEY GOT THERE: The fourth-seeded Panthers knocked off the West's No. 5 seed 3-0 on Tuesday night before shocking the defending conference tournament champion Scots in the quarterfinals.
ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS: Junior right side/middle hitter Emily Arnold was named to the USA South All-Sportsmanship Team.
Maryville College
(18-14, 10-5 USA South)
SEASON AT A GLANCE: Maryville is no stranger to the USA South Conference Tournament. Under the tutelage of head coach Kandis Schram, the Scots have won two USA South Conference Tournament championships and will look for a third this weekend. Maryville comes into the tournament on the back of a four-game conference win streak. Maryville earned the West's No. 2 seed, picking up 10 USA South victories this season.
HOW THEY GOT THERE: Maryville swept USA South newcomer and the West's No. 6 seed Salem College 3-0 on Tuesday night.
ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS: Senior right side Julia Vineyard earned USA South First Team All-Conference honors along with being named to the West Division First Team. Junior libero/defensive specialist Kaitlyn Flickinger and freshman right side/setter Saidee McDaniel were named to West Division Second Team. Danielle Gehr rounded out the Scots' All-Conference selections with a All-Sportsmanship Team nod.
Meredith College
(23-3, 14-1 USA South)
SEASON AT A GLANCE: Meredith earned the East No. 2 seed by winning 14 out of its 15 conference games this season. The Avenging Angels only loss this season came last Tuesday against Averett as the Cougars downed Meredith 3-1. Meredith has only lost four conference sets this season, losing sets to only Averett and Salem.
HOW THEY GOT THERE: Meredith knocked off the East No. 3 seed William Peace University 3-1 on Tuesday in the quarterfinals.
ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS: Junior setter Hannah Blaylock and freshman outside hitter Caroline Corey each earned USA South First Team All-Conference selections. Blaylock and Corey were also named to the East Division First-Team. Junior middle blocker and outside hitter Alex Hafliger and senior outside hitter Karlie Long each picked up Second Team East Division nods as well. Senior defensive specialist and libero Keegan Lynch was named to the USA South All Sportsmanship Team.