Volleyball Heads to the Tarheel State for Two Matches

Setting the Scene, Part I
Who: Bucknell (0-3) vs. North Carolina (2-0)
When: Friday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m.
Where: Carmichael Arena – Chapel Hill, N.C.
Live Video: ACCNX
Live Stats: goheels.com

Setting the Scene, Part II
Who: Bucknell (0-3) vs. Oral Roberts (0-3)
When: Saturday, Sept. 6 at 11 a.m.
Where: Carmichael Arena – Chapel Hill, N.C.
Live Stats: goheels.com

About Bucknell

The Bison started their 47th season at the Bobcat Invitational. Bucknell was swept by Big 12 Iowa State, dropped a four-set match to host team Ohio, and fell 3-2 to Eastern Illinois after holding the 2-1 set advantage.
Bucknell will regroup and head below the Mason-Dixon Line for the UNC Invitational where they will face host team North Carolina and Oral Roberts. The UNC contest will be streamed on ACCNX and the link is provided in this preview and on the Bucknell volleyball schedule page.
The Bison were selected to finish third in the Patriot League preseason poll behind reigning champion Colgate and Army. Bucknell lost 3-2 in the Patriot League semifinals last year to the Black Knights of the Hudson.
Caleigh O'Connell returns for her senior season after winning 2024 Patriot League Setter of the Year. O'Connell picked up the 2025 preseason edition of the honor and along with Sidney Shaffer landed on the All-Patriot League Preseason team.
Along with O'Connell and Shaffer, Bucknell returns two other 2024 All-Patriot League members in Bri Frazlius (First Team) and Tijana Kostic (Second Team).
The program lost two-time Patriot League Libero of the Year Jordan Hardy to graduation. She was the first Bison to win the award and earn AVCA Honorable Mention honors. Hardy graduated as the program's all-time leader in digs with 1986.
Five freshmen join the Bison for 2025: Avery Bryan, Stephanie Eroh, Brynna Guy, Peyton McGee, and Klea Tarja. Eroh started the past weekend and made an immediate impact.
Bucknell has a new head coach at the helm. Tyler Hagstrom, who rebuilt the program, left in July for the head position at Penn. Assistant coach Jeremy Young was elevated to interim head coach. Young enters his fifth year in Lewisburg.
This tournament provides a chance for Frazlius, Cameron Young, and Riley Tucker to play in front of their hometown fans. All three players hail from the Tarheel State.

Scouting North Carolina/Series History

The Tar Heels finished 23-8 last season and 14-6 in ACC play. The ACC does not hold a conference tournament.
UNC received a bid to the NCAA Volleyball Tournament where they defeated Yale in the first round before falling to eventual champion Penn State.
North Carolina did not miss a note in its opening weekend beating Maryland and Coastal Carolina in four sets.
The Tar Heels were picked to finish fifth in the competitive ACC.
Safi Hampton was the sole Tar Heel named to the 2025 Preseason All-ACC Volleyball Team. She finished the 2024 season with 291 kills, 31 aces, 39 blocks, 193 digs, and 11 assists.
Hampton has upped her game in 2025, collecting 29 kills in two games. Hailey Pearce has 24 kills on a brutally efficient .525 hitting percentage.
Mike Schall enters his third season as head coach and has maneuvered UNC into the upper half of the ACC.
Bucknell and North Carolina have never met on the volleyball court.

Scouting Oral Roberts/Series History

Oral Roberts went 4-25 last year and were swept in 14 of the matches. The team did not qualify for the WAC Tournament.
Their 2024 season ended with a nine-game losing streak and the 2025 campaign commenced with three defeats at the Vandal Volleyball Invitational to host Idaho, Portland, and Cal State Fullerton.
ORU was picked to finish last in the nine-team Summit League. Natassia Baptiste and Julia Carr were selected as Summit League Preseason Players to Watch.
Carr has lived up to the billing, leading the team with 26 digs.
Nolan Albrecht enters his first season at ORU and looks for his first victory at the school. He was previously an assistant coach at Liberty and was the men's head coach at Belmont Abbey.
This match marks the first-ever meeting between the Bison and the Golden Eagles.

Up Next

Bucknell heads to University Park next Tuesday to face defending national champion Penn State in the Route 45 Rivalry.

Volleyball Heads to the Tarheel State for Two Matches

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Avery Bryan

Stephanie Eroh

Brynna Guy

Jordan Hardy

Tijana Kostic

Peyton McGee

Caleigh O'Connell

Sidney Shaffer

Klea Tarja

Riley Tucker

Volleyball Heads to the Tarheel State for Two Matches

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Avery Bryan

Stephanie Eroh

Brynna Guy

Jordan Hardy

Tijana Kostic

Peyton McGee

Caleigh O'Connell

Sidney Shaffer

Klea Tarja

Riley Tucker

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