SAN ANTONIO – This weekend, UTSA Volleyball embarks on the second half of American Conference action. The Roadrunners welcome UAB on Friday at 6 p.m. from the Convocation Center. Two days later, the group heads east to Temple for a road bout from Philadelphia. With a two-win weekend, the Navy & Orange would climb back to .500 in league play with six matches remaining in the regular season.
WHAT TO KNOW
Who: UTSA (12-7, 3-5 AMER) vs. UAB (8-12, 2-6 AMER) | at Temple (11-9, 3-5 AMER)
When: Friday, Oct. 23 (6 p.m. CT) | Sunday, Oct. 25 (Noon ET / 11 a.m. CT)
Where: Convocation Center – San Antonio, Texas | McGonigle Hall – Philadelphia, Pa.
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Stream: ESPN+
THE WEEK THAT WAS
Last week, UTSA hosted North Texas on Wednesday, capping a day that saw them first unveil the program's brand new, state-of-the-art training facility. The ‘Runners swept the Mean Green, picking up the first win over their in-state rivals since 2023. UNT was held to a -.010 hitting percentage, marking the lowest clip by a UTSA opponent this fall. Two days later, Ledisi Kpea made history as the first Roadrunner to tally 14 blocks in a single match. The stellar defensive showing guided her side to a fifth set, where they fell just short, dropping a heartbreaker at Wichita State.
DEFENSE WINS… TROPHIES
On Monday, the American Conference named Ledisi Kpea as the league’s Defensive Player of the Week. Her 21 blocks last week included a record-breaking performance at Wichita State. Kpea became the first Roadrunner in the program's 44-year history with 14 blocks in one match, shattering her previous best of eight.
The redshirt junior spent her first three collegiate campaigns with Kansas City before joining the squad in the spring. In 19 chances, she has made 16 starts, appearing in 71 of 76 sets. This season, Kpea has racked up a team-high 89 blocks to go with 109 kills for a total of 2.27 points per frame.
CANTOBER FOOD DRIVE
UTSA's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) will be accepting donations at Friday's volleyball match as part of its annual Cantoberfest celebration. As part of the American SAAC Unity Week, students and fans are encouraged to give back to the community while cheering on the Roadrunners. Requested items include: peanut butter, spaghetti, tomato sauce, canned vegetables, pinto or black beans, canned tuna, gummy fruit snacks and granola bars.
MUST BE SOMETHING IN THE WATER
In four of UTSA’s past five home matches, opponents have tallied 10 or more service errors, including 21 from USF on Oct. 11. Over that span (since Sept. 12), the Roadrunners’ opposition has posted 11.4 missed serves per night, climbing to 11.75 in American contests (2.61 per set). In total, opponents have sent 97 serves either out of play or into the net across nine competitions at the Convocation Center this fall.
ABOUT THE BLAZERS
UAB is under the direction of seventh-year head coach Betsy Freeburg, who holds a record of 68-107 in her time with the program. The Blazers are out to an 8-12 start this year, holding a 2-6 mark in league play. The squad played two three-set affairs a week ago, falling to East Carolina on Friday before sweeping Temple on Sunday.
In 2025, UTSA and UAB met just once, with the ‘Runners prevailing in four sets from Bartow Arena in Birmingham. Gigi Mason led the way with 14 kills while Ally Tribe landed a 12-kill, 15-dig double-double as her side took the final three sets from the hosting Blazers, including a 26-24 final frame.
ABOUT THE OWLS
Temple is under the direction of fifth-year head coach Linda Hampton-Keith, who boasts a 68-75 record in her time with the program. The Owls are 11-9 overall with a 3-5 mark in league play to match UTSA. After opening American action with victories over UAB and Charlotte, the squad has dropped four of its past five contests.
When the Navy & Orange hosted the Owls on Nov. 7, Megan Hawkins settled in for the most productive outing of her career thus far. The setter finished with a personal-best 55 assists and 12 digs, commanding an offense that hit .270 and had four members in double-digit kill territory. Caroline Tredwell notched a career-high 21 kills while Ally Tribe came in with 20 of her own. Meanwhile, Giada Obregon's 20 digs highlighted a defense that tallied 93 in a crucial five-set win.
UP NEXT
Sunday’s matchup at Temple will mark the first of three straight away from home for the Navy & Orange. Next week, UTSA is slated to visit Memphis on Friday before taking on UAB for the second time in 10 days. All the action in both contests will be streamed live on ESPN+ and available to follow via utsa.statbroadcast.com.
For complete coverage of UTSA Volleyball during the 2026 season, visit goutsa.com. On social media, follow the Roadrunners on Twitter/X (@UTSAvolleyball), Instagram (utsa_vb) and Facebook (UTSA Volleyball).
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