MONROE, La. – The ULM volleyball team returns to Monroe for its home opener in the newly named b1Bank Fant Coliseum against Northwestern State on Tuesday, Sept. 1. First serve is set for 1 p.m. The match will be available to stream live on ESPN+. 

SCOUTING THE DEMONS –
Northwestern State comes to Monroe off of a 1-2 weekend at the West Georgia Tournament. The Demons opened the season with back-to-back sweeps against West Georgia and Presbyterian College on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Northwestern State closed the tournament with a 3-1 win over in-state foe Grambling on Saturday.

First year Middle Blocker Olivia Nzioki led the Demons during opening weekend, totaling 32 kills, including reaching double digits in two of the matches. She hit .267 in NSU's winning match over Grambling, and added a dig as well as four solo blocks. Nzioki averaged 3.20 kills per set across the weekend, and started in all three matches, appearing in all 10 sets.

Tuesday's meeting between the Warhawks and Demons will be the 65th in program history. ULM won the most recent matchup in 2025, sweeping the Demons in three sets in Natchitoches. The Warhawks lead the all-time series 37-27, and have a 3-2 advantage in the last five meetings. The match will be played in Monroe for the first time since 2017, when the Demons took home a 3-2 win.

LAST TIME OUT –
The Warhawks enter the matchup coming off of a 1-2 weekend at the Lion Invitational. ULM dropped it's first match of the season against Southern Illinois, 1-3, but bounced back with a 3-0 sweep over Texas Southern. The Warhawks ended the tournament with a hard fought match against host East Texas A&M, eventually dropping the fifth set 13-15 to fall 2-3. 

CONFIDENT CUNNINGHAM –
Fourth-year right side/outside hitter Abby Cunningham established herself at the net in her ULM debut at the Lion Invitational. She set a career-high 22 kills in ULM's match against East Texas A&M, a number that led all players on the court. She set career-highs in points, with 23 for Warhawks, and in attacks with 49. She hit .306 against the Lions. Cunningham added four digs and two total blocks on the defensive side of the ball during the match.

In ULM's season-opener against Southern Illinois, Cunningham contributed seven kills and an assist for 8.5 points of the Warhawk offense. She added three digs and three total blocks against the Salukis. Cunningham started in each match be appeared in, and played in all the sets of each match. She averaged 3.22 kills per set with 29 total kills on the weekend. For her performance during the tournament, she was selected to the all-tournament team. 

HARDWORKING HALL –
Second-year outside hitter Aniya Hall picked up the 2026 season right where she left off in her freshman campaign. She hit double-digit kills in all three matches of the Lion Invitational, with a season-high 16 in the first match against Southern Illinois. In the win over Texas Southern, she led the Warhawk offense with 11 kills, hitting .313. She added three total blocks and nine digs, as well as two service aces.

In the Warhawks' weekend finale, Hall made 14 kills and nine digs, to bring her season totals to 41 kills, five service aces, 26 digs and six blocks. A pillar in ULM's lineup, she started in each match, playing all 12 sets of the invitational. Hall ranks fifth in the Sun Belt in kills per set with 4.00.

RELIABLE RANEY –
Fifth-year libero Briana Raney held down the defensive effort all weekend, totaling 49 digs, 11 assists and four service aces across the three games. She averaged 4.08 digs per set, and earned a .969 reception percentage on 65 receptions. Raney started each match at the libero spot, playing in all 12 sets. She places seventh in the Sun Belt for digs per set with 4.25.

UP NEXT –
The Warhawks will hit the road for Phoenix, Arizona for the GCU Invitional to play Grand Canyon on Friday (Sept. 4), Temple on Saturday (Sept. 5) and San Francisco on Sunday (Sept. 6).