HATTIESBURG, Miss. — The University of Southern Mississippi beach volleyball team is competing in its final regular season duals at the NOLA Classic in Elmwood, Louisiana. The Golden Eagles face four opponents over two days, starting Friday, April 17.
Southern Miss entered the weekend with a 12-17 record overall and a 3-1 mark in Sun Belt Conference play. The team’s first match is against Florida International University at 8:30 a.m. The Panthers hold a 9-14 record and lead the all-time series 2-0, including a 4-1 victory last year on Feb. 28, 2025.
The Golden Eagles’ second dual is against New Orleans at 11 a.m. on Friday. The Privateers are 13-13 overall and 3-3 in the Southland Conference. Southern Miss has won the last three meetings to even the all-time series at 7-7.
On Saturday, Southern Miss plays ULM at 11 a.m. The Warhawks are 6-21 overall and 1-4 in Sun Belt play. The teams have split their two matches this season, with Southern Miss winning both at the Spring Break Slam.
The final match of the regular season is against (RV) Tulane at 1:30 p.m. Tulane enters with a 19-11 record and a 1-4 mark in Conference USA. The Green Wave leads the all-time series 18-0, but Southern Miss has pushed them to close matches in recent years, including a 3-2 result earlier this season. Tulane recently finished 3-1 at the Blazer Beach Bash in Birmingham.
Southern Miss is aiming to improve its seeding for the upcoming Sun Belt Championship, which it is assured of qualifying for as the third seed. Head coach Baylee Young, in her second year leading the team, hopes to finish strong in the final matches.
