MIAMI (September 14, 2016) – The FIU volleyball team (4-5) will conclude tournament play Friday and Saturday, September 16-17 in Starkville, Mississippi. The Panthers will play four matches in the Maroon Classic, beginning with the hosts, Mississippi State.
 
FIU is coming off its best weekend of the young season, going 2-1 at the Best Western Osprey Invite. The Panthers defeated Nicholls State and North Florida, both by 3-1 scores.
 
"The team is getting better each week," said Head Coach Rita Buck-Crockett. "We are still working on just cleaning up the offense and really working with getting comfortable with the different offensive systems."
 
The Panthers will enter Friday's match winning three of their last four games, led by senior Katie Hogan. Hogan leads the team in kills (88), points (115.0), attacks (275), service aces (14), digs (73), double-doubles (three) and is second in blocks with 22 (four solo; 18 assists). Freshman Helene Thelle continues to impress, being named to the Best Western Osprey Invite All-Tournament Team. Thelle hit .300 for the weekend and accumulated seven service aces.
 
Scouting Mississippi State: The Bulldogs (5-5) will enter Friday's (September 16) matchup with a four-game losing streak. Mississippi State had a winless weekend in Manhattan, Kansas at the Wildcat Classic, hosted by Kansas State, falling to the Wildcats (3-1), Loyola-Chicago (3-2) and Miami (Fla.) (3-1). FIU has only played the Bulldogs twice previously, splitting the series, dating back more than 30 years. The match in Newell-Grissom Building will be the first on a home court for either team. It will also be FIU's first SEC matchup since Alabama on September 19, 2014. First serve is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. (ET) and will be streamed on SEC Network+.
 
Scouting Eastern Illinois: The Panthers of EIU (2-9) also enter the Maroon Classic with a winless weekend. Eastern Illinois fell to Drake (3-1) Bowling Green (3-2) and Louisiana Tech (3-2) in their EIU Panther Classic. Eastern Illinois is off to their worst start since 2011. The Panthers will face EIU on Friday, September 16 at 6:00 p.m. (ET). It will be the first Panther-Panther matchup in either program's history.
 
Scouting Portland: The Pilots (4-5) are coming off a better weekend than Mississippi State or Eastern Illinois, but still lost two of their three matches at their North Harbour Marriott Challenge in Portland, Oregon. FIU will begin Day Two (Saturday, September 17) of the Maroon Classic, facing the Pilots. This will mark only the second meeting between the two universities. The Panthers took the first matchup in a 2-0 sweep all the way back in October of 1984. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. (ET).
 
Scouting Troy: The Trojans (6-5) are coming off an undefeated weekend in Montgomery, Alabama at the ISTAP Collegiate Cup Invitational, hosted by Alabama State. Troy defeated Alabama State, Chicago State and Savannah State, all by scores of 3-1. FIU will conclude their stay in Starkville, Mississippi with a rematch against their former conference rival, Troy on Saturday, September 17 at 6:00 p.m. (ET). The Panthers have historically dominated Troy, losing only two matches in their 23 meetings, spanning 37 years. FIU has never faced Troy under Head Coach Rita Buck-Crockett.

#####
 
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUVolleyball) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUVolleyball) for all the latest FIU volleyball news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Google (FIU Athletics), Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).
 
#####
 
About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium.
 
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offers more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $9.8 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.