The Teams: Tarleton Texans (3-4, 0-0 WAC) vs. Texas A&M-Commerce (2-6,0,0 SLC); UAB (2-4, 0-0 AAC), Alabama (6-0, 0-0 SEC)
Where: Birmingham, Alabama
Arena: Bartow Arena
Times: Friday: 11 a.m., 7 p.m.; Saturday: 11 a.m. 
Streaming Platform: ESPN+ for Tarleton vs. UAB only, live stats only for other Tarleton matches
 
Tarleton State Volleyball will head to Birmingham, Alabama for their third tournament of the season, the Blazer Classic hosted by the Blazers of UAB. 
 
The Texans will begin day one of tournament play with a match against the Lions of A&M Commerce at 11 a.m. To wrap up the first day, Tarleton State will take on the tournament host, UAB, at 7 p.m. On the following day, the Purple and White will take on the Crimson Tide of Alabama at 11 a.m. 
 
Quick Hits 
• The Blazer Classic will be the third tournament of the season for the Texans. The Purple and White went 2-1 during the Roadrunner Classic which included the Delaware Blue Hens, the Cardinals of Lamar and the tournament host, the UTSA Roadrunners. The Texans split day one of the tournament falling short to the Blue Hens in a fifth set 15-11. Immediately following the first match, Tarleton State went on to sweep the Cardinals 3-0 to finish the day with a win. On the second day of tournament play, the Texans were hungry for another victory as they went head-to-head with the Roadrunners. Tarleton State fought to claim the first set 27-25. After a two-set slump, the Texans battled their way back to take sets four and five. In the fifth set, the Purple and White refused to leave San Antonio without a second win and claimed a win over the tournament host 17-15 over the set and 3-2 to end the match. 
• Rajini Fitzmaurice and Emma Burke were named 2023 Roadrunner Classic All-Tournament Team. Fitzmaurice had an incredible weekend adding new season-highs in multiple categories. The Florida, native, saw a season-high in kills with 15 against UTSA and 30 kills throughout the duration of the weekend. Fitzmaurice also saw a new season-high with 19.5 points against UTSA and a total of 38.5 for the weekend. The outside hitter also saw a season-high of 17 digs against the Roadrunners and a total of 42 for the weekend. Burke left the tournament with 28 kills on the weekend as well as a new season-high in block assists with seven against Delaware, 18 for the weekend and two solo blocks against UTSA. Both athletes played a large role in the success the Texans saw throughout the tournament coming in clutch when the team needed it most.  
• Tarleton State and the Lions of A&M Commerce have a long history. The two teams will meet for the 46th time in program history with a record of 23-22 Tarleton. The first meeting took place in October of 1984 and the most recent meeting was in the 2022 season. 
• The Texans will be facing the Crimson Tide and the Blazers for the first time in program history. 
• This season, the Texans welcome 11 newcomers. The newest members of the team include six freshmen, three juniors and two seniors.
Notables
            
Watch List
In the 2023 season, Tarleton State Volleyball will welcome 11 new players to the roster. Accompanying the new members are seven familiar faces you can find on Tarleton's roster. Here are a few that are making some waves in Texan Nation. 
 
Allison Bryant joins the Purple and White as a transfer from Palm Beach State. The junior outside hitter has quickly made her mark as a member of the team as she leads the Texans in kills with a total of 97. Bryant's season-high comes from a five-set battle against the UIW Cardinals where she racked up 24 kills throughout the duration of the match. The Kelseyville, California, native, has compiled 10-plus kills in six out of seven matches played for the Texans. She also leads the team with 106.5 points on the season. 
 
In her second season with the Texans, Megan Hodges has quickly put up some impressive numbers. Leading the team with 180 assists, Hodges has made it clear she is here to compete. The setter also sits in second place for digs with 64 on the season.
 
Sophomore Emma Burke is a vital part of the Texan's defense. Leading the team with 30.0 blocks and sitting in third place on the team with 60 kills, the returner is a consistent, key player for Tarleton. 
 
Defensive specialist Matti Theurer has seen time in each set for the Texans so far this season. Leading the defensive with 86 digs, the junior averages 2.87 digs per set. 
 
Another notable returner is junior Grayson Schirpik. The outside hitter from Leander, Texas, currently sits in second on the team with 79 kills on the season, averaging 3.23 kills per set. Schirpik also ranks second on the team in points with 90.5. She leads the team in service aces with eight on the season. In the 2022 season, Schirpik was a vital power for the Purple and White.
 
Rajini Fitzmaurice has pulled some serious weight for the Texans in recent matches. Fitzmaurice sits in fourth for most kills on the team with 54. The outside hitter sits in third for service aces with six on the season, three of those coming from the Texans most recent match against the UTSA Roadrunners. Fitzmaurice is also in third for digs with 51 on the season, with a career high of 17 against UTSA. The senior also sits in fourth for block assists with 10.
 
Tournament Time
Tarleton will see three opponents at the Blazer Classic: Texas A&M Commerce, the host team, UAB, and Alabama. The Texans have never faced UAB or Alabama in program history. Tarleton is 23-22 against A&M Commerce (14-6 at home, 7-9 on the road, 2-7 neutral). The first meeting between the Lions and the Texans took place in 1984 and the most recent meeting was in the 2022 season when the Lions took the match 3-2.  
            
Future upgrades coming soon
Tarleton State is in the era of upgrades. With the groundbreaking of the new event center, Tarleton State Volleyball will part ways with the Wisdom Volleyball Gym that has been the home for the Texans since 1977. Tarleton Volleyball will move to Wisdom Gym, which has been home to Tarleton Men's and Women's Basketball since 1970, after the completion of the events center. Tarleton Volleyball will soon allow more room to accommodate fans in a familiar setting as well as give members of Texan Nation the opportunity to utilize reserved seating for future Texan Volleyball matches.
            
WAC preseason poll
Tarleton was picked to finish 9th out of 11 in the Athletic Conference. With 28 points, the Texans were picked to follow up Southern Utah (34). Tarleton State will go to battle against Grand Canyon, who is projected to win the league, on Sept. 30 in Phoenix, Arizona. 
            
WAC awards in 2022
Freshman right side Breanna McDonough was named the WAC Freshman of the Week on Oct. 10 after she posted a career-high 14 kills in a win over Southern Utah the week prior. McDonough finished the 2022 season with a compiled 244 kills averaged 2.28 kills per set. 
            
Ranked in the WAC in 2022
Grayson Schirpik was a force to be reckoned with in the 2022 season. Schirpik ranked fifth in the WAC in service aces and ninth in the WAC in points, totaling 321.5 points on the season, averaging 3.42 points per set, the highest on the team for the Texans. She also led the team with 275 kills after seeing a season-high of 17 kills against the Bearkats of Sam Houston. Schirpik also racked up 16+ matches with 10+ kills and ended the season with 185 digs. 
            
Two-way player
Megan Hodges (S) racked up 180 assists for the Texans. Hodges collected a season high of 37 assists against UIW. She plays a critical part for the Texans as she leads the team in assists and holds second place on the time in digs with 64.