HAMPTON, Va. (Sept. 12, 2025) ... The 2025 Hampton University volleyball team travels to Navy to play two matches in the Navy Invitational. The Pirates will take on Gardner-Webb in game one Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. followed by a match with Navy in the tournament finale at 7 p.m. in Wesley A. Brown Field House.
All matches will have live stats and the Navy vs. Hampton match will be streamed on ESPN+.
ABOUT HAMPTON
The Pirates picked up their first win of the season, and first win in the Ronaldo Pacheco era Saturday, Sept. 6, when they took down Le Moyne 3-2. Racquel Frazier imposed her will in the match recording a school record for a five set match with 34 kills. Morgan Warren posted 53 assists, which was best for fourth all-time in assists for a match that went five sets.
Frazier currently ranks third in the conference with 78 kills. She is also fifth in the conference in points with 82 on the season. Warren leads the Pirates in assists with 149, best for third in the CAA. Nationally, Frazier ranks in the top 150 individually in attacks per set (9.71) and total attacks (233).
ABOUT GARDNER-WEBB
The Runnin' Bulldogs are led by Nalani McBride who has won back-to-back Big South Libero of the Week honors. She has recorded 159 digs, which is most in the tournament field . On offense, Isabel Sandstrum (66) and Samia Sayd (60) lead Gardner-Webb in kills, while Sloane rooney (133) and Olivia Lefebvre (130) are the leaders in assists.
Gardner-Webb brings a 3-4 record into the tournament with wins over Sacred Heart, UNC Greensboro and Norfolk State. The Runnin-Bulldogs were picked eighth in the preseason Big South rankings.
The Runnin' Bulldogs hold a 6-1 advantage over the Pirates all time as the two were foes in the Big South from 2018-2022. Gardner-Webb has won three in a row dating back to 2019. Hampton's lone win in the series was in Holland Hall on Oct. 10, 2018 when the Pirates won 3-2.
ABOUT NAVY
Navy currently holds a 2-4 record with wins coming over Utah Valley and Montana in the Utah Valley Invitational. The Midshipmen were picked to finish seventh in the Patriot league preseason, three spots below American who the Pirates played Wednesday night.
The Midshipmen have four players with 40 kills or more on the season with Caroline Buffum (49) leading the way. Setter, Arleigh Hanson, is fourth in the Patriot League with 169 assists on the season, while Ally Alessio is ninth in digs (60).
FRESH START
Nia Thomas, Jaya Rimm, Lillian Campbell and Racquel Frazier have been staplepoints for the Pirates early in the season. All four freshman are the only players on the team to have played in all 24 sets.
WON NOT DONE
Second year head coach Ronaldo Pacheco earned his first career victory in the teams five-set match over Le Moyne Saturday morning. He led his team to a come from behind 14-25, 25-7, 23-25, 25-22, 17-15 win after falling down two sets to one in the match with the Dolphins. Pacheco's Pirates have just one upper class player on this years roster.
NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Racquel Frazier broke the school record for a five-set match Saturday against Le Moyne with 34 kills, but also ranked #1 in the nation for points in a game with 36.5. Following her stellar performance Frazier was named to the Blue Hen All-Tournament Team.
UP NEXT
Hampton begins conference play Friday, Sept. 19 when they travel to Elon for a 6 p.m. match. The teams will play a second game on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 2 p.m.
