The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Friday, September 12
Evansville, IN
12:30 p.m.
UAB
at
Evansville
Blazers Ready for Trip to Evansville
9/11/2025 1:51:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB Volleyball heads to Evansville, Ind., for the first time since 2017 for a three-match set against Evansville, Morehead State, and Western Illinois. The Blazers come off of a home tournament sweep and look to keep momentum going ahead of the Alabama Showdown next weekend.
FOLLOW LIVE
Friday, September 12, 12:30 p.m. | UAB at Evansville | Watch | Live Stats
Friday, September 12, 4:30 p.m. | UAB vs. Morehead State | Live Stats
Saturday, September 13, 11 a.m. | UAB vs. Western Illinois | Live Stats
COMING OFF A HISTORIC WEEKEND
UAB hit .325 at the Blazer Invitational, the best hitting percentage across a three-match span dating back to 2017. The Blazers' .402 hitting percentage against Tennessee Tech was just the second time UAB had hit over .400 since 2017.
REESE ON THE EDGE OF THE RECORD BOOK
Mia Reese is set to break into the UAB Volleyball record book for the first time in two different categories. Reese is just 11 kills behind Jordan McDonald (2008-10) for the 10th most kills in the 25-point rally scoring era (since 2008). Reese is just 57 total attacks behind Emma Mitchell (2017-19) for the 10th most attacks during the same era. Reese is averaging 2.86 kills per set through two weeks and has reached the 11-kill mark in three matches this season.
LAST TIME OUT
After a 1-2 weekend to start the season in Tuscaloosa, UAB responded with a home tournament sweep with wins over USC Upstate, Tennessee Tech, and North Alabama. After a pair of 3-0 wins over Upstate and Tennessee Tech, UAB led 2-0 against North Alabama; however, the Lions rallied back to force a fifth set before UAB secured the weekend sweep.
The weekend was highlighted by the most efficient weekend by the Blazers since 2017 and the return of sophomore setter Annastiina Tarkkanen.
A dominant win over USC Upstate started the weekend with a 25-12, 25-18, 25-14 victory. Jorda Crook led the Blazers with 11 kills, but the true star for the Blazer offense was Mia Reese, who hit .600 with nine kills on 15 attacks. Tarkkanen recorded 19 assists in her season debut, and Summer Snead and Addyson Smock led the Blazers with five blocks each.
Abby Jones led UAB to a 25-19, 25-20, 25-20 win against Tennessee Tech. Jones had 13 kills against the Golden Eagles. Freshman Lia Beverly led UAB with three blocks.
Once again, Crook led UAB with 23 kills, her second-most this season. Tarkkanen set a career-high with 38 kills, and Smock led the team with five blocks. After coming back in each of the first two sets, North Alabama was finally able to retain its lead in a set to force a fifth set in which UAB pulled ahead 7-1, before closing out the 15-12 set win for the weekend sweep.
SCOUTING THE FIELD
Hosts Evansville enter their tournament 3-4, coming off a loss at Georgia State. The Purple Aces, however, won their other two matches in Atlanta, defeating Florida A&M and Queens. Junior Libero Ainoah Cruz is the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week with her 4.59 digs per set. Cruz tallied 20+ digs in all three of the Purple Aces' weekend matches.
Morehead State is the only opponent of the weekend not below .500. After a tough 1-2 weekend at Louisville to open the season, Morehead State responded with a 2-1 weekend at home. The Eagles lost to Toledo, 3-0, to open the weekend, but responded with wins over UIC and Radford.
Western Illinois picked up its first win of the season last weekend with a 3-0 victory over Austin Peay. Western Illinois lost its two other matches in Saint Louis, falling to Murray State, 3-2, and to the host Billikens, 3-1. The Leathernecks' Grace Kremer was named Ohio Valley Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week. Kremer logged 15 blocks in Saint Louis.
SERIES HISTORY
The Blazers are looking for their first win in program history against the Purple Aces. The last time the two schools met, Evansville won a five-set thriller, 3-2 in 2017.
UAB and Morehead State meet for the third time ever, and for the first time since 2006. The Eagles won the last match, 3-1 in Athens, Ga.; however, UAB owns the series lead all time, 2-1, with the Blazers' two victories coming in the 1980s.
With the all-time series tied 1-1, UAB and Western Illinois both look to gain the series. UAB won the last matchup between the Blazers and Leathernecks, defeating Western Illinois, 3-0, in Birmingham back in 2017. Western Illinois's victory was a sweep of its own in 1994.
FOLLOW LIVE
Friday, September 12, 12:30 p.m. | UAB at Evansville | Watch | Live Stats
Friday, September 12, 4:30 p.m. | UAB vs. Morehead State | Live Stats
Saturday, September 13, 11 a.m. | UAB vs. Western Illinois | Live Stats
COMING OFF A HISTORIC WEEKEND
UAB hit .325 at the Blazer Invitational, the best hitting percentage across a three-match span dating back to 2017. The Blazers' .402 hitting percentage against Tennessee Tech was just the second time UAB had hit over .400 since 2017.
REESE ON THE EDGE OF THE RECORD BOOK
Mia Reese is set to break into the UAB Volleyball record book for the first time in two different categories. Reese is just 11 kills behind Jordan McDonald (2008-10) for the 10th most kills in the 25-point rally scoring era (since 2008). Reese is just 57 total attacks behind Emma Mitchell (2017-19) for the 10th most attacks during the same era. Reese is averaging 2.86 kills per set through two weeks and has reached the 11-kill mark in three matches this season.
LAST TIME OUT
After a 1-2 weekend to start the season in Tuscaloosa, UAB responded with a home tournament sweep with wins over USC Upstate, Tennessee Tech, and North Alabama. After a pair of 3-0 wins over Upstate and Tennessee Tech, UAB led 2-0 against North Alabama; however, the Lions rallied back to force a fifth set before UAB secured the weekend sweep.
The weekend was highlighted by the most efficient weekend by the Blazers since 2017 and the return of sophomore setter Annastiina Tarkkanen.
A dominant win over USC Upstate started the weekend with a 25-12, 25-18, 25-14 victory. Jorda Crook led the Blazers with 11 kills, but the true star for the Blazer offense was Mia Reese, who hit .600 with nine kills on 15 attacks. Tarkkanen recorded 19 assists in her season debut, and Summer Snead and Addyson Smock led the Blazers with five blocks each.
Abby Jones led UAB to a 25-19, 25-20, 25-20 win against Tennessee Tech. Jones had 13 kills against the Golden Eagles. Freshman Lia Beverly led UAB with three blocks.
Once again, Crook led UAB with 23 kills, her second-most this season. Tarkkanen set a career-high with 38 kills, and Smock led the team with five blocks. After coming back in each of the first two sets, North Alabama was finally able to retain its lead in a set to force a fifth set in which UAB pulled ahead 7-1, before closing out the 15-12 set win for the weekend sweep.
SCOUTING THE FIELD
Hosts Evansville enter their tournament 3-4, coming off a loss at Georgia State. The Purple Aces, however, won their other two matches in Atlanta, defeating Florida A&M and Queens. Junior Libero Ainoah Cruz is the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week with her 4.59 digs per set. Cruz tallied 20+ digs in all three of the Purple Aces' weekend matches.
Morehead State is the only opponent of the weekend not below .500. After a tough 1-2 weekend at Louisville to open the season, Morehead State responded with a 2-1 weekend at home. The Eagles lost to Toledo, 3-0, to open the weekend, but responded with wins over UIC and Radford.
Western Illinois picked up its first win of the season last weekend with a 3-0 victory over Austin Peay. Western Illinois lost its two other matches in Saint Louis, falling to Murray State, 3-2, and to the host Billikens, 3-1. The Leathernecks' Grace Kremer was named Ohio Valley Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week. Kremer logged 15 blocks in Saint Louis.
SERIES HISTORY
The Blazers are looking for their first win in program history against the Purple Aces. The last time the two schools met, Evansville won a five-set thriller, 3-2 in 2017.
UAB and Morehead State meet for the third time ever, and for the first time since 2006. The Eagles won the last match, 3-1 in Athens, Ga.; however, UAB owns the series lead all time, 2-1, with the Blazers' two victories coming in the 1980s.
With the all-time series tied 1-1, UAB and Western Illinois both look to gain the series. UAB won the last matchup between the Blazers and Leathernecks, defeating Western Illinois, 3-0, in Birmingham back in 2017. Western Illinois's victory was a sweep of its own in 1994.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballCoffee with Coach | 2025 Week 4
Tuesday, September 16
UAB Athletics Live Stream
Monday, September 15
UAB Football Postgame Press Conference | Akron
Sunday, September 14
Coffee with Coach | 2025 Week 3
Tuesday, September 09
