The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
University at Buffalo
UAB Volleyball Gears Up For Home-Opening Tournament
8/24/2023 4:31:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BIRMINGHAM – UAB Volleyball kicks off the 2023 Season, hosting the UAB Invitational at Bartow Arena on August 25 through August 27. The Green and Gold welcome three old foes from the seasons' past to start the first home tournament of the year.
UAB (0-0) vs. Buffalo (0-0)
August 25 | 7 PM | Bartow Arena | Birmingham, Ala.
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SCOUTING THE BULLS
Last season, the Blazers and Bulls faced off in the Buffalo Invite. UAB and Buffalo faced off for the first official game of their respective seasons, where the Blazers fell 1-3. It will be the second consecutive season Buffalo and UAB meet head to head to begin their season. This time, the Green and Gold are holding the meeting at Bartow.
The Bulls went 19-14 and 10-8 in the MAC, with a chance to go postseason in the NIVC, where they faced off against Boston College in the first round. They would fall in straight sets, closing their season in early December. Entering 2023, they enter with two preseason All-MAC Team nods and selected to finish third in their conference.
Players to watch for include Courtney Okwara, who hit .420 last season, ranking seventh in the NCAA. Okwara, a fifth-year senior, finished second in blocks with 71 after playing 80 sets. She had a season-best 16 kills, seven blocks, and a .600 hitting percentage against Miami (Ohio) in 2022.
UAB (0-0) vs. Austin Peay (0-0)
August 26 | 3 PM | Bartow Arena | Birmingham, Ala.
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SCOUTING THE GOVERNORS
The Blazers and Governors meet for the first time since 2017, where the Blazers fell to APSU 1-3 in Bartow. The overall record between the two sits at a deadlock of 2-2, with Austin Peay on the upperhand with a two-match win streak.
Last season, the Governors finished 12-15 overall and 5-11 in the ASUN. They would play the likes of WKU, Florida Gulf Coast and Florida State, and back-to-back five-setters with Lipscomb. In the ASUN, the Governors were selected to finish seventh with one first place vote.
For the 2023 season, APSU welcomed three freshmen and returned notable athletes such as Mikayla Powell. Powell was the Governors' leader in kills for the 2022 season with 315 and a hitting percentage of .310. She would go for a season-high 23 kills against NDSU, where she also tallied 25.5 points.
UAB (0-0) vs. Florida A&M (0-0)
August 26 | 1 PM | Bartow Arena | Birmingham, Ala.
WATCH LIVE | LIVE STATS
SCOUTING THE RATTLERS
Coming off back-to-back SWAC Championships, the Rattlers face off against UAB for a second time. FAMU makes the trip to the Magic City to take on the Green and Gold in Bartow for the first time in over six years.
Over the course of the Rattlers and Blazers' meetings, the Green and Gold have won every match, dating back to 1996. The closest Florida A&M and UAB were in competition was 2022, where the teams went the distance in five sets before seeing the Blazers finish victorious with a 3-2 win.
FAMU returns key players such as Brooke Hudson and Emerald Jacobs. Hudson was a five-time SWAC DPOW, leading the league in digs and digs per set, finishing 44th in the nation. Jacobs finished with over 200 kills, with a season-high 23 against James Madison last September. Jacobs and Hudson finished with preseason honors, with Hudson selected as the preseason Libero of the Year.
MATCH PROMOTIONS
SATURDAY: NATIONAL POPSICLE DAY AND KIDS CLUB ACTIVATION
Stop by the Kids Club table to grab a poster and mingle with UAB Volleyball before the Blazers take on Austin Peay. Kids Club members will form a high-five tunnel to run out with the Blazers for pregame.
SUNDAY: "SAVE YOUR STUB"
Fans who save their ticket stub from the UAB/FAMU matchup at 1 PM will gain free entry to the UAB Women's Soccer match against Jacksonville State at PNC Field.
POST MATCH AUTOGRAPHS
Fans can meet with UAB Volleyball post-match for an autograph session with coach Freeburg and the Blazers.
FOLLOW UAB VOLLEYBALL
To keep up with UAB Volleyball, follow @UAB_VB on Instagram and Twitter.
2023-24 GOLD CARD
Purchase the 2023-24 Gold Card for $65 here. The 2023-24 Gold Card will get you access to all home events for Women's Soccer, Men's Soccer, Volleyball, Women's Basketball, Softball, and Baseball (Regions Field & Young Memorial). This card is not valid for Conference USA or NCAA Championship events.
