ROCK HILL, SC – Two down, one to go. After defeating Tusculum Tuesday and wearing down Carson-Newman last night, the UVA Wise volleyball squad and Coach Alexis Ivey can conclude their run through the South Atlantic Conference Tournament this evening by defeating top-seeded and 25th ranked Anderson tonight. With a win not only would they claim the program's first SAC title and first conference tournament title, but also earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA. First serve is set for 7 p.m.

Tonight's championship match will feature the seven seed vs. the top seed. That has happened several times in the past, but when the last time happened is not currently available due to the recent change in website providers by the conference. The old provider also blocks the Wayback Machine from archiving their sites (mainly to stop AI stealing info to train itself) so searching for the last time has been a challenge.

If the Highland Cavaliers win tonight, Cavalier Nation will probably rename the SAC to the "Ivey League" after the job the coach has done in her first season at the helm.

Links to the live stream and live stats can be found at the links to the right or at www.uvawise.edu

GETTING WISE
- Last night's win over Carson-Newman was not just the first time the team has made the SAC championship, but the first time they have ever defeated the Eagles. There is now only one current SAC team that the Cavs have not beaten, especially since joining the conference in 2019 – Anderson.
- This is only the second time in program history the team has made a conference championship match. The last time was in the 2004 Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament. Looking at past results, it looks like they should have been in more, but the AAC had a double-elimination tournament during those years, with the Cavs making multiple losers' bracket finals but only reaching the title round one time. Tonight is the first time they will play for a title in a single elimination format.
- While this is a first for the Cavs, Coach Ivey has coached in a conference championship before, winning the Conference Carolinas in 2024.
- One of the strengths of this team is their balance on offense. Four players have 200 or more kills, led by Skye Williams' 276.  Maggy Sechrist has 261, Riley Brandon 257, and Mable James 214. Mia Poag also has 120, including last night's match-winner.
- The attacks are also balanced, with Sechrist having 884, Williams 819, and Brandon 705.
- Abigail Curtis leads the team in aces with 35, while Olivia Amos (26) and Williams (23) are not far behind.
- Curtis leads the team, the SAC, and is third nationally in digs with 669 and sixth in digs per set with 5.82.
- Nationally, the team ranks seventh in team assists (1,418), 11th in kills (1,514), and 12th in total attacks (4,429),

ABOUT ANDERSON
- The Trojans are ranked 25th nationally in the AVCA poll (and should have been ranked way sooner) and tops in the Southeast Region in the NCAA NPI rankings. They enter tonight with a 29-3 record.
- Like the Cavs, the Trojans are playing for their first-ever conference tournament championship.
- They had five players earn All-SAC First Team honors and another make the Second Team.
- The Trojans are led by SAC Player of the Year Emily Campbell, who has 384 kills off an impressive SAC-leading .426 hitting percentage (which also ranks fourth nationally). She also leads the SAC in blocks with 109.0, just ahead of UVA Wise's Mable James.
- Ellie Nieporte leads the SAC and the NCAA in assists per set with 11.71 and is second nationally in total assists with 1,288.
- Ava Reeves (344 kills, 59 aces), Maura Kindel (234 kills, 69.0 blocks, and Mikayla Hedlund (339 kills, 289 digs, 33 aces) are also on the All-SAC First Team. Jamie Juhnevicz earned Second Team honors with a team-high 454 digs.
- Overall, the Trojans are second nationally in team kills (1,646) and team assists (1,523). The team ahead of them in both categories? Carson-Newman. They are also sixth in kills per set (14.19), eighth in assists per set (13.13), and ninth in hitting percentage (.285). They lead the SAC in those categories. They are also holding opponents to a .148 hitting percentage.

UP NEXT
The winner of tonight's match wins the SAC Tournament Championship and the Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Anderson is in the enviable position of being ranked first in the most recent regional rankings (and 18th overall), so they are in the tournament win or lose. They would also certainly host with a win (and if they submitted a bid to host) and a loss might allow second place Flagler to sneak past them for hosting duties, but that also depends on the outcome of the Peach Belt Tournament.

For the Cavs, last night's win solidified a spot on the bubble, but with a loss tonight they would need a lot of help to make the field. But there is a simpler option – win and you're in.