DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central will travel to Baltimore this weekend to take on two top MEAC teams.
The Eagles will visit Morgan State in the MEAC Game of the Week on Friday, Oct. 30, at 6 p.m., before facing Coppin State on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m. Both matches will be streamed on the MEAC Network.
NCCU enters the weekend tied for fifth in the MEAC standings at 4-5. Defending champion Coppin State leads the conference at 8-1 and Morgan State is in a three-way tie for second at 6-3.
The Eagles split their previous meetings against both teams, edging Morgan State 3-2 on Oct. 2 in the MEAC Game of the Week and falling to Coppin State 3-1 on Oct. 4.
As a Division I program, NCCU is 9-5 against Morgan State including two straight victories but are 3-4 against the Bears away from home. The Eagles' last road win over the Hawks was 3-1 in 2023. Seven of their 14 meetings, including the last four matches, have been decided in the fifth set.
NCCU has also enjoyed recent success against Coppin State despite a 6-14 series record including a 3-7 mark on the road. The Eagles handed the defending champion its only league loss last season and were the first MEAC team this season to win a set against Coppin State in a 3-1 home loss on Oct. 4.
Both contests will feature some of the top MEAC hitters including
Talia Emmen,
Shalyn Bell,
Aniah Bass and
Morgan Wingo of NCCU, Cherisse Atilano of Coppin State and Jada Williams of Morgan State. Coppin State and NCCU lead the conference in hitting percentage and assists while Morgan State is tied for fourth in hitting percentage. Led by
Breylan Fairley, Bell and Emmen, the Eagles rank second in service aces.
Defensively, NCCU (6-15 overall) and Coppin State (17-7) rank among the MEAC's top three teams in digs while Coppin State and Morgan State (7-14) rank first and third, respectively, in blocks. Bell of NCCU and Coco Figueroa of Coppin State lead their respective teams in digs.
Kayden Cupid of Coppin State leads the conference in hitting percentage and blocks. Cupid previously played for NCCU.
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com.
