SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Gardner-Webb volleyball team is in action this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, September 18th through the 20th, traveling to Spartanburg for the Wofford Invitational, where the Runnin' Bulldogs will take a five-match winning streak

WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Thursday, September 18th - at Wofford - 6 pm
Friday, September 19th - vs Northern Arizona - 3 pm
Saturday, September 20th - vs The Citadel 11 am
Saturday, September 20th - vs Marshall - 3 pm

GARDNER-WEBB NOTES

• Gardner-Webb is spearheaded by sophomore outside hitters Samia Sayd and Isabel Sandstrum on the attack. Sayd leads the Runnin' Bulldogs with 79 kills this season, with Sandstrum right behind recording 76 so far. Sandstrum also leads the Big South in service aces, recording 18 to this point in the season
• Graduate libero Nalani McBride has been a standout performer for the Runnin' Bulldogs in her debut season with the team, with the Temple transfer leading the Big South by way of 201 digs and an average of 5.15 per set. McBride is also ninth nationally in digs per set and fifth nationally in total digs and has been named Big South Libero of the week twice
• Also on the defensive end, GWU has gotten strong contributions from junior middle Milla Lugo who has 33 block assists, freshman middle Brookelynn Nance who has recorded 27 and Sayd who has found her way to 17. Lugo currently ranks third in the Big South Conference with 40 total blocks.
• The duo of redshirt junior setter Sloane Rooney and sophomore setter Olivia Lefebvre have been excellent for Gardner-Webb this season and have combined for 82% of the team's total assists, with Rooney leading the team with 201 assists, while Lefebvre has burst on to the scene as a sophomore with 176. Lefebvre meanwhile ranks second in the Big South to teammate Sandstrum with 15 service aces
• Freshman outside hitter Haedyn Crumbley is the active Big South Freshman of The Week after a career best weekend at the Navy Invitational, recording 14 kills, 11 digs against Le Moyne with a .353 hitting percentage, then 14 more kills and 6 more digs against Navy. For the entire weekend against Le Moyne, Navy and Hampton, Crumbley had 30 kills, two service aces, 17 digs, four blocks, and 38 total points
• The Runnin' Bulldogs arrive in Spartanburg carrying a five-match winning streak after strong performances at the Campbell and Navy Invitationals, one shy of the program's NCAA Division I era record of six, set both in 2005 and 2007
• Despite all of the season to this point spent away from Paul Porter Arena, Gardner-Webb has managed a 5-1 record in neutral site venues

OPPONENT NOTES

• Wofford are the two time defending Southern Conference champions and off to a 2-6 start in 2025, but have played competitive matches with notable opponents including nationally ranked Georgia Tech, undefeated Clemson, South Carolina and Tennessee. The Terriers have scored wins against Elon, and against Big South preseason favorites, Winthrop, both by way of a 3-0 sweep
• Northern Arizona is fresh off its best season since 2019, going 14-14 last fall. The Lumberjacks are off to one of the best starts in recent program history in 2025, currently 7-2 and most notably scoring a 3-0 win over Texas Tech on September 12th
• Marshall is also coming off its best season since before 2020, with the Thundering Herd finishing 15-14 in 2024, including a 7-1 mark in neutral site games. Marshall is 6-4 to open 2025, with standout wins against both Radford and Robert Morris, and a narrow loss to Virginia Tech
• The Citadel had previously been on an incredible run, going 27-4 and winning the SoCon regular season title in 2023, then following up with 15 wins in 2024. The Bulldogs enter the Wofford Invitational however with an 0-8 record playing similar opponents such as Charleston Southern, UNC Asheville and Campbell