Southern Miss volleyball started the 2026 season with a commanding 3-0 win over Southern on Friday afternoon at the Gamecock Classic in Jacksonville, Alabama. The Golden Eagles dominated the match from start to finish, hitting .427 as a team and recording 45 kills, according to team statistics.
Sadie McAda and Diana Wells led the offensive effort with 11 kills each. Aubrey Judd contributed nine kills without an error, hitting .562, and Allie Hazelwood made her debut with 37 assists. Defensively, McAda led with 16 digs, while Elly Stewart added five blocks, helping secure the victory.
Southern Miss jumped out quickly in the first set, dropping the opening point but then scoring 11 straight points to take an 11-1 lead. The Golden Eagles maintained control throughout the set, winning 25-15. In the second set, Southern took an early 5-1 lead with back-to-back service aces, but Southern Miss battled back and took control after a media timeout, eventually winning 25-17.
The third set saw Southern Miss build an 11-3 lead early. Southern responded with a run to cut the deficit, but a kill and an ace from Stewart helped reestablish control. The Eagles closed out the match with a 10-4 run, winning the set 25-15 and completing the sweep.
Southern Miss returns to action Saturday with matches against Jacksonville at 11 a.m. and Jacksonville State at 5:30 p.m. Fans can follow updates on the team’s social media accounts, including Instagram, X, and Facebook.
