HOOVER, Ala. — The UAB volleyball team plays two American Conference home matches this weekend at Hoover High School, meeting Charlotte at 6:30 p.m. Central on Friday and UTSA on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Blazers are using the Hoover High School Competition Gym for their first six home dates while their regular court, Bartow Arena, is under renovation. UAB is 2-2 at home so far.
UAB comes in at 9-13 overall and 3-7 in league play, one of three teams tied at that conference mark. After a seven-match slide in the middle of the season, the Blazers have won three of their last six, beating Memphis, Temple and UTSA. They lead the American with 151 service aces and rank second in blocks. Addyson Smock is fourth in the league in total blocks with 89, Mia Reese has 253 kills and Kennedy Vaughn has 246, and Delaney Bowser anchors the back row with 280 digs.
Charlotte arrives at 4-17 and 1-9 in the conference on a six-match losing streak, most recently a 3-1 loss to Wichita State. Clara Briley leads the 49ers with 163 kills and Harper Hall has 574 assists. UAB has won the last three meetings, the past two in sweeps.
The rivalry goes back to 1979, when Charlotte won the first meeting in straight sets. Since both schools joined the American Conference in 2023, UAB has won three of four. The 49ers also lean on Sofia Locadia at the net, where she has 70 total blocks, while UAB ranks sixth in the league with a .224 hitting percentage.
Sunday’s opponent, UTSA, leads the all-time series 15-6, but UAB swept the Roadrunners 3-0 in San Antonio last weekend and can finish a season sweep in Hoover.
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