Tarleton State Volleyball goes for top spot in UAC standings, faces EKU Thursday

RICHMOND, Ky. – Tarleton State Volleyball will face Eastern Kentucky on Thursday at Baptist Health Arena at 5 p.m.

Tarleton State meets Eastern Kentucky for the first time in program history to continue United Athletic Conference play. Thursday is a battle between the only two teams in the UAC to be 2-0. The winner will be alone in first place in the conference standings.

Tarleton State is off to a 2-0 start in conference play for the first time since 2023. A win on Thursday would mark the first 3-0 start in conference play for the program in the Division I era. It would be the first 3-0 start in conference play since 2018.

Thursday's match will be available to watch on ESPN+ and live stats will be provided through Stat Broadcast.

FANTASTIC FADAL

Needing to replace setter Megan Hodges, who graduated in 2025, the Texans turned to the transfer portal to get a setter.
Junior setter Peyton Fadal, a transfer from Houston Christian, brings experience to the court and the position.
She finished 49th in all NCAA Division I in assists per set with 9.93 last season, averaging 11.26 assists per set in Southland Conference play. She finished second in the league in that category.
She was named to the All-Tournament team at the Louisiana Tech Bulldog Bash after averaging 9.5 assists per game over three matches.
Fadal earned Southland Conference Setter of the Week honors for the first time in her career after averaging 11.5 assists in leading Huskies to two road wins to open conference play. She captured second SLC Setter of the Week accolades after averaging 12 assists and 9.5 digs as HCU split matches with win over TAMUCC and loss to UTRGV.

MAGNIFICENT MASSEY

Senior setter Alexis Massey has been key in 2026 and has posted career-best numbers.
Massey, a transfer from UTEP, was enrolled at Tarleton State but was not on the volleyball team at the start of the 2026 spring season.
She signed with the Texans later in the semester.
Massey posted the third 20-20 double-double in Tarleton State's Division I era with 28 assists and 23 digs against Denver (9/11)
She is just the second player in the Division I era to post a 20-20 double-double in a match (Allison Bryant, 2024).
Massey is also the first Texan since 2020 to post double-doubles in each of the first two conference matches.
Massey posted a career-high 33 assists and her 12 digs in the UAC opener against UTA (9/22). She along with Madison Rice-Locket are the first duo to have a double-double in a conference opener since 2020.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS

Tarleton State Volleyball was picked third in the United Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll and had representation on the Preseason All-Conference Team, the conference announced.
Tarleton State's third-place ranking marks the highest preseason conference placement in the Division I era (non-division format).
It is the best preseason ranking since the Texans were predicted to win the Lone Star Conference in Division II in 2019.
The 2026 squad returns nine letterwinners from the previous season, including a pair of Texans receiving All-Conference recognition. Middle Blocker Alyssa Dinh returns to Stephenville for her second season after being tabbed the WAC Freshman of the Year to go with a spot on the All-Conference Freshman Team.
Outside hitter Madison Frank enters her fourth year at Tarleton State with two All-Conference honors, including a spot on the All-Conference Second Team last season.

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Players Mentioned

#6 Megan Hodges: S; 5' 8"; Senior

#23 Alyssa Dinh: MB; 6' 1"; Junior

#9 Madison Frank: MB; 6' 1"; Senior

#21 Madison Rice-Locket: OH / OPP; 5' 10"; Fifth Year

#5 Alexis Massey: S; 6' 0"; Senior

#18 Peyton Fadal: S; 5' 9"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#6 Megan Hodges
: 5' 8"; Senior
: S

#23 Alyssa Dinh
: 6' 1"; Junior
: MB

#9 Madison Frank
: 6' 1"; Senior
: MB

#21 Madison Rice-Locket
: 5' 10"; Fifth Year
: OH / OPP

#5 Alexis Massey
: 6' 0"; Senior
: S

#18 Peyton Fadal
: 5' 9"; Junior
: S