HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Southern Miss beach volleyball will compete in the Sun Devil Classic in Tempe, Arizona, beginning Friday, March 6. The Golden Eagles (2-6) will play four duals over the weekend against teams from across the country.
The team’s first match is scheduled for 10 a.m. CT (9 a.m. MT) Friday against Stephen F. Austin. Later that day, they will face Nebraska at noon, followed by a matchup with No. 19 Arizona at 6 p.m. The tournament concludes Saturday with a contest against No. 8 Arizona State at 1 p.m.
Arizona State will host the event at the Sun Devil Beach Volleyball Facility. Fans can follow live statistics for each dual, but no live stream or video will be available, according to event organizers.
Southern Miss enters the tournament after a challenging start to the season, with a 2-6 record. The team last faced Stephen F. Austin on April 11, 2025, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and secured their most recent win over the ‘Jacks on March 15, 2024, in Youngsville, Louisiana.
Stephen F. Austin, under first-year head coach Gretchen Hand, opened its season last weekend with wins over Nicholls and McKendree and a loss to New Orleans. The program is returning to beach volleyball after a court order reinstated it following a previous suspension. Last season, SFA finished 22-14 overall and made it to the Southland Conference quarterfinals.
Nebraska (4-0), led by fourth-year coach Jaylen Reyes, is making its first trip outside Nebraska this season. The Huskers have a busy schedule, including nine duals in Arizona, and finished last year with a record of 22-3, including a 22-game winning streak.
Southern Miss will also face No. 19 Arizona, which is 6-2 on the season after recent tournaments. The Wildcats lost only to rival No. 9 Arizona State last weekend and are coached by Steve Walker, in his 11th season. The last time Southern Miss played Arizona was in 2023, and Arizona leads the all-time series 2-0, both wins coming in Tucson.
The Golden Eagles conclude the weekend against No. 8 Arizona State, which is 6-0 this season. Coached by Kristen Glattfelder, ASU posted a 22-14 record last year and defeated No. 19 Georgia State and No. 20 Arizona at the recent Cactus Classic. This will be the first matchup between Southern Miss and Arizona State.
