The New Orleans Privateers women’s beach volleyball team will end their regular season at the NOLA Classic, beginning Friday, April 16. The event takes place at White Sands and features five matches over two days.
This tournament is significant as it serves as the final test before the conference tournament. The Privateers will face Southern Miss, Florida International University (FIU), and Tulane on Friday, followed by nationally ranked Arizona and the University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) on Saturday.
Last week, New Orleans posted a 2-2 record at the Battle on the Bayou in Baton Rouge. They earned a narrow 3-2 win against Texas A&M-Kingsville and finished with a 4-1 victory over Spring Hill. Cassie and Ellie Sieling extended their winning streak to eleven consecutive matches—the longest for any Privateer duo since 2022—with an overall record of 18-5 together this year.
Brooke Dow and Ashley Salazar have also contributed steadily at flight two for New Orleans, going 3-1 last weekend in Baton Rouge. The pair holds a season record of 14-8 when playing together.
The upcoming NOLA Classic marks the first time this season that New Orleans will play Southern Miss, FIU, and ULM. In addition to facing #20 Arizona—a second nationally ranked opponent—the team will also compete against Tulane, which is receiving votes in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association poll.
Looking ahead to postseason play, New Orleans enters next week’s conference tournament as the fifth seed and will face fourth-seeded Houston Christian University (HCU) in their opening match. Earlier this season, HCU defeated New Orleans by a score of 3-2 during Southland Mid-Conference play.
