GREENSBORO, N.C. –  The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) volleyball team will take its first road trip of the 2025 season this weekend by heading to Buies Creek, North Carolina, for the Campbell Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The Spartans will face Norfolk State, Gardner-Webb and Campbell in the tournament at Gore Arena.
 

 
ABOUT THE SPARTANS

• UNCG comes into the second weekend of play after going 3-0 on week one in the 2025 Spartan Classic last Friday and Saturday.
• The Spartans knocked off Queens, 3-1, Sacred Heart, 3-0 and Gardner-Webb, 3-1, to open the 2025 season in Fleming Gymnasium.
• The last time UNCG started off a season 3-0 was in 2012, when the team notched three consecutive wins at the North Carolina Central Invitational in Durham, North Carolina.
• Allie Sweet and Chloe Nussbaum collected Southern Conference (SoCon) Player of the Week mentions on Monday.
• Sweet was named SoCon Offensive Player of the Week, while Nussbaum earned SoCon Defensive Player of the Week in the first round of weekly awards in the 2025 season.
• Sweet picked up her third SoCon Offensive Player of the Week award of her career and first of the season after recording 51 kills and averaging 4.46 kills per set in the first week of play.
• Nussbuam's SoCon Defensive Player of the Week award is her first conference accolade of her career. The libero stood out defensively this week with a .979 reception percentage and a 6.64 digs per set average over 11 sets.
• Izora Gragg stood out as the setter last weekend after recording 118 assists over 11 sets.
• Freshman middle blocker Connore' Siler-Nixon led the squad at the net with 13.0 total blocks on the three-match weekend.
• The 2025 squad features 10 returners and six newcomers. Out of the six newcomers four are transfer students and two are freshmen.
• UNCG was picked to finish the SoCon regular season in a tie for fifth place with Chattanooga.
• Sweet was selected to the SoCon Preseason All-Conference Team.
• Sweet's preseason nod comes after being named SoCon Freshman of the Year, while also being voted to the All-SoCon First Team and All-Freshman Team last season.
• Sweet concluded the 2024 season leading the conference with a 4.16 kills per set average. She is the returning leader in kills for the Spartans with 458 last season.
• Gragg returns as the leading setter for the Spartans after notching 1,022 assists last season.
• Nussbaum returns for her sophomore year as the best libero and server on the team last season with 443 digs and 26 aces in her freshman campaign.
• UNCG recorded an 8-22 overall record and 2-14 mark in the SoCon last season.
• The team defeated No. 8 Western Carolina in the first round of the SoCon Tournament, 3-0, for its first match win in postseason play since 2017. However, the season was concluded with a 3-0 loss to No. 1 Mercer in the SoCon Quarterfinal round.

SCOUTING NORFOLK STATE

• The Spartans come into the weekend 0-4 overall after dropping their three matches at the UCF Tournament on Friday and Saturday and a matchup with No. 16 Florida on Sunday, 0-3.
• Gabrielle Gilbert led the team with 51 kills in the first week of play.
• Mary Nahinu is pacing the squad with 43 digs and seven service aces.
• Ava Berry stands out at the net with 8.0 total blocks.
• Sydney McCree leads Norfolk State as the setter with 80 assists.
• Norfolk State concluded the 2024 season 13-15 overall and 7-7 in the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference).
• The Spartans were picked to finish fourth with one first-place vote in the 2025 MEAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Gilbert was selected to the 2025 Preseason All-MEAC Team.

SERIES HISTORY VS NORFOLK STATE
UNCG has claimed all five matchups with Norfolk State with the most recent  win coming in Blacksburg, Virginia, last season, 3-0.

SCOUTING GARDNER-WEBB   

• The Runnin' Bulldogs sit 1-3 overall after the first week of play.
• Gardner-Webb went 1-2 at the 2025 Spartan Classic after defeating Sacred Heart, 3-2, but falling to Queens and UNCG, 1-3.
• The Bulldogs dropped their most recent match at North Carolina Central, 0-3, in Durham, North Carolina.
• Isabel Sandstrum stood out with 38 kills last week.
• Olivia Lefebvre and Sloane Rooney lead the team as setters in week one with 79 and 67 assists, respectively.
• Nalani McBride was the leading libero for the Bulldogs with 92 digs over the four matches.
• Milla Lugo paces the team at the net with 22.0 total blocks.
• Gardner-Webb recorded a 5-23 overall record last year and went 3-11 in the Big South.
• The Bulldogs were selected to finish in last place in the 2025 Big South Preseason Poll. 

SERIES HISTORY VS GARDNER-WEBB
UNCG holds an 11-2 overall advantage against Gardner-Webb. The Spartans defeated the Bulldogs, 3-1 on Saturday in the final match of the 2025 Spartan Classic in Fleming Gymnasium.
 
SCOUTING CAMPBELL  

• The Fighting Camels went 1-2 in their opening weekend at the South Carolina Tournament in Columbia, South Carolina.
• Campbell fell in straight sets to Clemson and South Carolina but came away with the sweep against SoCon foe ETSU.
• Maja Daca is leading the team with 26 digs and five service aces.
• Hannah Pattie and Lauren Wheeler combine for 81 assists as the leading setters.
• Barbara Illig and Aley Clent are pacing the team defensively with 28 digs and 6.0 total blocks.
• Gwen Wolkow was tabbed to the 2025 Preseason All-CAA Preseason Team, while Maddie Lambers was selected to the CAA Preseason Honorable Mention.
• Campbell was selected to finish in ninth place in the 2025 CAA Volleyball Preseason Poll.
• Campbell concluded the 2024 season 6-22 overall and 4-14 in the CAA. 

SERIES HISTORY VS CAMPBELL
UNCG holds a 20-9 advantage in the overall series against Campbell. The Camels took the last meeting with the Spartans, 3-1, in a neutral site matchup in Wilmington, North Carolina, in 2021.
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans will stay on the road next week for the UNC Wilmington (UNCW) Invitational in Wilmington, North Carolina, from Sept. 12-13. UNCG will face Charlotte, UNCW and West Georgia over the two-day event in Hanover Hall.