University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
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Southern Miss Opens 2026 Season at the Gamecock Classic
8/27/2026 10:10:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss volleyball begins its 2026 season this weekend at the Gamecock Classic in Jacksonville, Ala. The Golden Eagles will face Southern at 3 p.m. CT on Friday before taking on Jacksonville at 11 a.m. CT and Jax State at 5:30 p.m. CT on Saturday.
Last Time Out:
Southern Miss enters the season following a pair of exhibition matches during the preseason. The Golden Eagles opened exhibition play with a trip to Starkville on Aug. 15, where Mississippi State prevailed in straight sets. Southern Miss bounced back a week later, sweeping Nicholls at home on Aug. 22. Familiar faces Sadie McAda and Sunni Sheppard shined in the matchup, while newcomer Allie Hazelwood made an impact as well, dishing out 28 assists in the three-set match.
During non-conference play in 2025, Southern Miss posted an 8-3 record before going 8-8 against Sun Belt opponents during the regular season. The Golden Eagles' 8-8 conference record earned them a fifth-place finish in the Sun Belt's West Division. Their season came to an end in the conference tournament quarterfinals with a loss to Arkansas State.
Opponent Scout:
Southern will be the first opponent of the 2026 season for the Golden Eagles. Southern Miss and the Jaguars last met on Aug. 31, 2024, with the Golden Eagles earning a 3-0 sweep at home. Southern enters the 2026 season after posting a 15-16 overall record and going 9-7 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play in 2025. The Jaguars finished sixth in the SWAC standings and advanced to the conference tournament.
Jacksonville will be the second opponent of the weekend for Southern Miss, with the two programs last meeting on Aug. 30, 2024, when the Golden Eagles swept the Dolphins, 3-0, in Hattiesburg. Jacksonville is coming off one of the strongest seasons in program history, posting a 22-8 overall record and a 12-4 mark in Atlantic Sun Conference play in 2025. The Dolphins finished second in the ASUN regular-season standings and advanced to the conference tournament semifinals.
Southern Miss will close out the weekend against host Jax State on Saturday evening. The Golden Eagles and Gamecocks last met on Sept. 16, 2022, with Jax State earning a 3-1 victory in Jacksonville, Alabama. Jax State finished the 2025 season with a 14-15 overall record and an 8-8 mark in Conference USA play. The Gamecocks tied for fifth in the CUSA standings and advanced to the conference tournament for the first time as a member of the league before falling to Kennesaw State in the opening round.
All games will be broadcasted live on ESPN+: https://smttt.info/espnVB
Live stats for each game:
https://smttt.info/jacksonvilleVB
To keep up with the Golden Eagles, follow our Instagram (@southernmissvball), X (@southernmissvb), and Facebook (Southern Miss Volleyball).
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