Athletics | Community | Events | Featured | NewsMarch 07, 2024

UAFS Volleyball to Host the Razorbacks in Spring Scrimmage

Written By: Ian Silvester

The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and University of Arkansas volleyball programs will go head-to-head for the first time next week. The Razorbacks will travel to Fort Smith to take on the UAFS Lions in a free spring scrimmage at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 28, at the Stubblefield Center.

“I’m really excited to see how we’re going to be able to level with (Arkansas) and show people exactly what we’re capable of,” said Susannah Kelley, UAFS Volleyball Assistant Coach.

Kelley was the driving force behind the spring scrimmage dating back to the start of 2023. The teams could not meet during that spring session but re-engaged in talks after the season to plan the upcoming match.

According to Kelley, the original plan was for UAFS to travel to Fayetteville, but Arkansas head coach Jason Watson agreed to move the scrimmage to Fort Smith. Both teams are interested in making the match-up a yearly event, alternating locations.

“I was so excited when he said he would come down here,” Kelley said. “And grateful for his willingness to come down to us and play, especially for the first year.”

The scrimmage will give volleyball fans across the region to see a Razorback team that ended the 2023 season ranked No. 8 in the nation (Division I) and a highly competitive UAFS team set to welcome new competition with the move to the MIAA.

“No matter who we’re playing, what level we’re playing at, DI, DII, DIII, our team is always going to come out with a lot of fire and energy,” said sophomore middle blocker Kaelyn McDonald.

Taking it a step beyond the game, redshirt sophomore defensive specialist Macie Grams is excited about what the scrimmage means to the community.

“There’s a lot of young volleyball players in the community that are coming to watch us, and I think it’ll be awesome to be able to compete at a much higher level than what they’re normally able to see,” she said.

The level of talent described by Macie will be on display during the March 28 scrimmage, allowing both teams to evaluate their current roster before the fall roster is finalized. UAFS head coach Jane Sargent said that despite keeping score, the teams plan to play five sets so that coaches can see as much as possible out of players.

“He (Watson) lost a lot of kids; we’ve lost some key starters. So both of us are just trying to make the best of what we have right now for the spring season,” Sargent explained. “I hope that it’s a competitive game and that everyone stays healthy.”

While Sargent focuses on preparing her team by keeping things business as usual, that hasn’t kept the players or Kelley from sharing their excitement and confidence in hosting the Razorbacks.

“The team that we currently have has been built up with (Kelley) and Sarge (Sargent), and so it’s kind of like seeing the program form into something bigger than it maybe has been in the past,” Macie said. “It’s going to be really awesome for us to finally get to showcase that on such a high level.”

“I think it’s going to be close,” Kelley said optimistically. “I think it’s going to come down to who can outlast longer, and with our training this spring, I feel pretty confident in our physical and mental ability to hang on until they make mistakes.”

Before the Arkansas scrimmage, UAFS will scrimmage against Arkansas Tech University. On April 11, UAFS will travel to Little Rock for a scrimmage against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The match is set to begin at 6 p.m.

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• Volleyball