Norfolk, Va. — Averett University men's volleyball opened their 2026 season with a non-conference match against Regent University, where the Cougars fell 3-2 to the Royals.

Averett (1-0, 0-0 ODAC) dropped the opening set 25-22 before responding with a 25-21 win in the second. Regent (1-2, 0-0 C2C) followed by taking the third set 25-22, but the Cougars refused to back down, forcing a fifth set with a 25-22 victory in the fourth. The Royals were able to secure the fifth set 15-9.

As a team, Averett recorded 42 kills total, 17 of those coming from sophomore Yerai Collazo. Fellow sophomore Liam Audrain was not far behind with nine kills. 

Freshman setter Luke Brown contributed 35 assists for the offense, while Collazo and freshman libero Julian Hernandez had two a piece. 

Defensively, freshman Aiden Williams and junior Dominick Jenkins each recorded a solo block. Out of the 87 total digs, Collazo had 19, Audrain had 18, Hernandez had 16 and senior Nicholas Breen had 14. 

The Cougars travel to Swannanoa, North Carolina on January 23 for a non-conference match against Newberry College at 4 p.m.