JACKSONVILLE, Fla.– FIU volleyball (2-1) travels north for a three-game span in Jacksonville, taking part in the UNF Invitational from Thursday through Saturday. The Panthers battle North Florida (Thursday), Tulane (Friday) and Duke (Saturday), with Thursday's game being televised on ESPN+.

Opening Serve
FIU has three games in three days following winning two of three at the Florida Atlantic Invitational. The Panthers knocked off Stetson and Merrimack on Friday, but fell to the hosts Florida Atlantic on Saturday via a sweep. The Panthers hit .225 as a team throughout the weekend and recorded 22 aces, which currently leads the conference.

Matchup History
- UNF and FIU have met five times in program history, but not since 2022. The Ospreys have won three of the five meetings, including the last two, both 3-1 wins with one in Miami (10/30/22) and one in Jacksonville (9/17/21).
- The Panthers have played Tulane four times, but not since 2013. The teams have split the four meetings, with the last being a 3-0 sweep by the Green Wave on Oct. 20, 2013 in New Orleans.
- FIU is very familiar with Duke, having played the Blue Devils each of the last two seasons. One of their signature wins from 2025 was a 3-1 win over them at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Aug. 31, 2025.

Notable Storylines
- Jillian Huckabey had a strong weekend in Boca Raton, leading the way with 31 kills and a .300 hitting percentage for FIU. She recorded her 36th career double-double with 16 kills and 12 digs against Stetson in the opener and was named Preseason All-Conference USA.
- Lana Sesar had the high-kill match of the weekend for FIU, notching 17 in her first double-double with 11 digs in the opener against Stetson.
- Marta Lazzarin had 24 digs in the first match and will look to improve on that this weekend. She won Sun Belt Libero of the Year in 2025.
- Ivona Lazovic and Mariana Silva split setting duties for the weekend, with Lazovic recording 63 assists, four aces and 20 digs in the three games. Silva added 39 assists and 15 digs.
- The Panthers will have 10 players who hail from outside the United States this season, their most on the team since they had 11 in 2021. The Panthers brought in several international club standouts, including Chiara Fabbrini, Sesar and Silva.
- The Panthers recorded 22 service aces during the first weekend of the season, including back-to-back games with 11. That leads the conference and is 59th in the NCAA.
- FIU was placed fifth in the preseason poll.

Social Media
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Instagram (@FIUVolleyball), Twitter (@FIUVolleyball), and Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUVolleyball) for all the latest Women's Volleyball news. General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.