Eagles Close Out Road Slate With Key MEAC Matches

DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central takes its final road trip of the volleyball regular season this weekend.

The Eagles, riding a three-match win streak, will visit Howard in Washington, D.C. on Friday (Nov. 7) at 6 p.m. before traveling to Norfolk State in Norfolk, Va., on Sunday (Nov. 9) at 1 p.m. NCCU is coming off home wins over Morgan State and Coppin State last weekend which put the Eagles in position to chase for a higher tournament seed in the MEAC Championship, which will be held Nov. 20-22 in Baltimore, Md.

NCCU is in a three-way tie for fourth in the MEAC at 6-5 while Howard is tied for second at 7-4. Norfolk State is in a two-way tie at the bottom of the standings at 1-10. After Sunday, one conference match remains for the Eagles before they head to the MEAC Championship.

RECORDS
NCCU – 6-5 in the MEAC and 9-15 overall
Howard – 7-4 in the MEAC and 13-9 overall
Norfolk State – 1-10 in the MEAC and 3-22 overall

NCCU vs. HOWARD

ESPN+ will livestream the match.
The Eagles are looking to avenge a five-set home loss to Howard on Oct. 10.
The Eagles are seeking their first win against Howard since 2008, a string of 16 matches.
Howard leads the MEAC in points per set, hitting percentage, assists per set, blocks per set and service aces per set.
Rya McKinnon, the three-time MEAC Player of the Year, is the conference leader in kills per set (4.01).
Leah Reeves, last season's MEAC Setter of the Year, leads the conference in assists per set (9.75) and is tied for second in service aces per set (0.42) with teammate Aziah Buckner.
Kaitlynn Robinson (1.04) and Zenai Jethroe (0.99) are first and second, respectively, in blocks per set in the MEAC.

NCCU vs. NORFOLK STATE

The Eagles swept Norfolk State 3-0 at home on Oct. 12.
The season series is 16-5 in the Eagles' favor since 2006 including victories in the last three matches.
Norfolk State is near the bottom statistically in the MEAC in points per set, hitting percentage, assists per set and kills per set.
Gabrielle Gilbert has been a bright spot for Norfolk State, ranking second in the MEAC in kills per set (3.87).

ABOUT NCCU

NCCU is having its best season since 2021, posting nine wins which is the second highest in four years. Included in the victories are three non-conference wins which is the most since becoming a full MEAC member in 2011.
Kamren Harper made school history when she surpassed 1,000 kills and 500 digs in her career this year. She is the only NCCU player in the Division I era to reach both milestones. Her 30 digs in the Coppin State victory on Nov. 2 tied a school single-match digs record and set an NCCU four-set match record in the Division I era.
The Eagles handed Coppin State its first MEAC loss this season after 10 straight wins.
Loren Johnson became the program's career digs leader (1,057) in the Division I era his season.
The Eagles are near the top of the MEAC rankings in assists per set, kills per set and digs per set.
Harper is third in the MEAC in kills per set (3.80) and third in points per set (4.16).
Manuela Cripa Nasser ranks second in the MEAC in assists per set (9.14).
Three Eagles are ranked among the MEAC's top 10 in hitting percentage. Tayah Little is fifth (.301), Allyson Rouse is sixth (.274) and Leanna Beaty ranks eighth (.254).
Johnson ranks third in the MEAC in digs per set (3.84) and fifth in service aces per set (0.40).
Rouse ranks eighth in the MEAC in blocks per set (0.70).