Volleyball: Louisiana hosts annual Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic during Labor Day weekend
Ragin’ Cajuns Open 2024 Volleyball Campaign at Home in E.K. Long
Louisiana hosts annual Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic during Labor Day weekend
LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Volleyball team is set to start the 2024 season this weekend (August 30-September 1) by hosting the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic tournament at E.K. Long Gym.
The Ragin’ Cajuns open the weekend and the season on Friday at 6:00 p.m. facing Jackson State in E.K. Long Gym. UL continues tournament play on Saturday vs. Murray State at 2:00 p.m. before concluding the event on Sunday vs. UT Arlington at 11:00 a.m.
Admission to all UL Volleyball home matches throughout the season is free and open to the public.
General admission parking is in the gravel lotlocated behind E.K. Long Gym. Additional general admission parking is located on the first floor of Olivier Parking tower, along with the ParkMobile parking lots which can be found on the Volleyball Match Day Parking page.
SERIES HISTORY – Jackson State: Louisiana leads, 11-3 | Last match: W, 3-1 on 9/4/2015 at E.K. Long Gym Streak: UL +9 – Murray State: Louisiana leads, 1-0 | Last match: W, 3-0 on 9/7/2001 in Starkville, Miss. Streak: UL +1 – UT Arlington: UT Arlington leads, 18-9 | Last match: L, 2-3 on 11/12/2021 at E.K. Long Gym Streak: UTA +1
SET POINTS
The fourth season of the Kristi Gray era begins Friday-Sunday, August 30-September 1 when Louisiana opens regular season play by hosting the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic tournament at E.K. Long Gym.
Louisiana opens regular season play at home for the first time since the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
The Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic is dedicated each season in honor and memoriam of the former Ragin’ Cajun who passed away at her home in Argyle, Texas following the 2012 season.
UL hosts two tournaments in non-conference play and is scheduled to play 14 matches total at E.K. Long Gym this fall. The Cajuns’ schedule is evenly split between home and away matches (14 apiece).
Head coach Kristi Gray is poised to become the second-fastest in program history to reach 50 victories, trailing only Wilo Colon who reached the mark in 84 matches. She enters the season with a 49-37 record.
Entering her fifth and final campaign with Louisiana (COVID-extended career), graduate Cami Hicks stands 45 blocks away from becoming the program’s career leader in the rally scoring era.
In her debut with Louisiana last season, Mio Yamamoto led the Sun Belt in digs (296) in conference play in earning the highest honors for a libero in UL Volleyball history – first team All-SBC and Libero of the Year.
Shyia Richardson totaled a team-leading 380 kills (187 in SBC play) last year. She posted the first 300-plus season by a Cajun since Kelsey Bennett in 2021, with double figures in kills in 19 of the season’s 32 matches.
There are six newcomers on the Ragin’ Cajuns roster headlined by transfers Cailin Demps (Southern Miss) and Chelsea Gilmore (N.C. State) who are expected to make significant contributions.
Mio Yamamoto represented Louisiana on the 2024 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Volleyball team. Yamamoto was selected the Preseason SBC Libero of the Year; she claimed the award in 2023.
In the Sun Belt Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the Ragin’ Cajuns were picked fourth in the West division.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA The Ragin’ Cajuns travel to Houston for the Flo Hyman Classic with matches from Thursday-Friday, September 5-6 at the Fertitta Center on the University of Houston campus.
UL is slated to play Houston on Thursday (Sept. 5) at 7:00 p.m. and Northwestern State on Friday (Sept 6) at 4:00 p.m.
Louisiana returns to E.K. Long Gym for a weekday matchup with McNeese on Tuesday, September 10.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS Follow the Ragin’ Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsVB), Facebook (/RaginCajunsVB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsVB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Volleyball.
Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin’ Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
"In Memory of Paul D. Dugas; 3/2/1964 - 1/13/2003; L'Acadien Copy Manager, 1985; Vermilion editor, 1987 and Kenneth Lane Spears; 7/23/39 - 7/28/97; USL Alumnus and High School Coach."
