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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Volleyball season is in full bloom in Northeast Florida. The Jacksonville Dolphins will host the Dolphin Volleyball Classic Presented By Hampton Inn East Regency this weekend.
JU will welcome the UConn Huskies, Coastal Carolina Chanticleers and Florida A&M Rattlers for a series of matches inside Historic Swisher Gymnasium. Tournament play starts Friday, with the Dolphins opening against Coastal at 7 PM.
All matches are free to attend to the public. The matches will not be streamed.
Jacksonville has been elite at home under head coach Alicia Manguiat. The Dolphins are 16-6 at Swisher since 2024, including a 9-2 mark last season. In home tournaments since 2024, JU is 4-2. Jacksonville is looking to build on a 22-8 mark in 2025, the program’s best record since 2013.
The season opened a week ago in Jacksonville, Alabama, where the Dolphins battled in the Gamecock Classic. JU swept Southern and the hosts Jacksonville State on the season’s opening day before dropping a five-set thriller to Southern Mississippi.
Preseason ASUN Player and Defensive Player of the Year Haley Yount was strong in her first weekend of action, leading the team in blocks en route to winning ASUN Defensive Player of the Week.
Coastal Carolina | Friday, Sept. 4 at 7 PM
Record: 1-1
Head Coach: Steve Loeswick (4th Season)
Players to Watch: MB Anna Rita, OH Anzley Rinard
The Chanticleers are a consistently strong program in the Sun Belt, making the NCAA Tournament in 2023 and posting an 18-11 last season. Middle blocker Anna Rita brings All-Conference bonafides to a front line filled with talented hitters.
Coastal split its first two matches of the season, falling to Duke before beating future JU opponent Queens in five sets. This is JU’s first match against the Chanticleers since 2014 when the Dolphins fell 3-0.
UConn | Saturday, Sept. 5 at 2:30 PM
Record: 0-3
Head Coach: Ellen Herman-Kimball (7th Season)
Players to Watch: OPP Helena Einarsdottir, S Isabella Sohl
Despite a slow start to this campaign, the Huskies are one of the toughest opponents in the Dolphin Volleyball Classic coming off a 19-9 season in the Big East last year. UConn brings a balanced attack, with three different players averaging at least two kills per set in the first weekend of matches.
This is a particularly notable matchup for Jacksonville assistant coach Robbie Belden. Belden is a UConn alum who started his coaching career with the Huskies as a volunteer assistant.
Florida A&M | Sunday, Sept. 6 at 2:30 PM
Record: 1-2
Head Coach: Gokhan Yilmaz (9th Season)
Player to Watch: S Bengisu Kazazlar, OH Sydney Whitfield
The Rattlers are returning to Jacksonville for the second-straight season and third time in the last four years. JU and Florida A&M have faced off three seasons in a row, with the Dolphins playing in Tallahassee two years ago.
Florida A&M has been a consistent power in the SWAC, winning the league each of the last two seasons. Setter Bengisu Kazazlar was a star in the Dolphin Volleyball Classic last year, earning All-Tournament team honors.