Matches 15 (MEAC Contest)
*MEAC Game of the Week*
Morgan State (2-12, 1-1 MEAC) at North Carolina Central (3-10, 1-1 MEAC)
Date: Friday, Oct. 2, 2026
Site: Durham, N.C. (McDougald-McLendon Arena)
Serve: 4 p.m.
Series Record: North Carolina Central leads, 8-5
TV: MEAC Network
Live Stats: Here
Websites: MorganStateBears.com | nccueaglepride.com
Notes: Morgan State
 
Matches 16 (MEAC Contest)
Morgan State (2-12, 1-1 MEAC) at South Carolina State (4-13, 0-2 MEAC)
Date: Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026
Site: Orangeburg, S.C. (Dukes Gymnasium)
Serve: 1 p.m.
Series Record: Morgan State leads, 32-1
TV: MEAC Network
Live Stats: N/A
Websites: MorganStateBears.com | scsuathletics.com
Notes: Morgan State
 
BALTIMORE, Md. (Sept. 29, 2026)--The Bears will make their annual trip down South to the Carolinas this weekend for two MEAC contests. First up, Morgan State will travel to Durham, N.C. to face North Carolina Central on Friday, Oct. 2 at 4 p.m. inside McDougald-McLendon Arena. The contest will be featured as the MEAC Game of the Week on the MEAC Network. The Bears will then head to Orangeburg, S.C. to face South Carolina State on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. at Dukes Gymnasium. Both contests will air live on the MEAC Network. 
 
Morgan State enters Friday's contest at North Carolina Central coming off a 1-1 week to begin MEAC play. The Bears opened the MEAC slate with a 3-1 victory at Norfolk State last Friday, which ended a seven-match losing skid to Norfolk State on the Spartans' home floor.
 
"It's always good to create milestones and, again continue to build upon our legacy here at Morgan. Whether that's step-by-step, brick-by-brick, or day-by-day," said Morgan State head coach Xiomara Ortiz. "We definitely liked the fact that we got to kick off MEAC on a strong note. Again, I think we see Jada [Williams] and Tyra [Weems] kind of creating their own path and footprints as they marked their last time playing there (Norfolk State). I think that was really cool to see them step up."
 
"We want to continue to find more opportunities to beat more teams in the MEAC. That's why we scheduled hard in the preseason. I think it did prepare us and our game at Norfolk was a good start. It's not our best game. We have more in the tank that we know that we can execute from."
 
Morgan then came home and started out strong, continuing the momentum they built from the Norfolk State win and claimed the first set against rival Howard. But the Bears would eventually drop a 3-1 decision to the Bison on Sunday.
 
"Coming home against Howard, a little disappointing," said Ortiz. "I think we really started off strong with our game plan and then they really tried to make some adjustments that we just struggled to execute from. At the end of the day, I think we know that we lost that match. They're not better than us."
 
Added Otiz, "I think those are some of the things that we know that we're going to have to see them again. It'll be harder at their place, but I know that we're the better team. We just have to continue to work at that and be a little bit sharper and disciplined in certain areas to help execute a little bit better overall in the match."
 
The Bears will now direct their attention Friday's matchup in Durham against North Carolina Central, which will be the MEAC's Game of the Week on the MEAC Network. Six of the last nine meetings between the two teams have gone all five sets, including the last three contests.
 
"Pretty exciting to be featured on the MEAC Network," said Ortiz. "This team has always kind of been a good matchup against us, where we've gone to five sets almost all the time."
 
"We have been working to kind of sharpen our skills and I think they're more determined than ever to go into an away setting and an away environment and take charge and know that no matter what environment we step into, no matter what the circumstances are, we are there to try and dominate every point. That's something that we've tried to harp on this week, is just go all out for every single point and don't let anything to chance."
 
SERIES AGAINST NCCU: North Carolina Central leads the all-time series against Morgan State, 8-5. NCCU has won eight of the last 10 meetings. Last season the two teams split the season series, each winning on their home floor.
 
SERIES AGAINST SCSU: Morgan State has won three straight and holds a 32-1 all-time series lead over South Carolina State. The Bears had won the first 29 meetings before S.C. State spoiled Morgan State's Homecoming during the 2024 season with a 3-1 victory (10/6/26).
 
NEXT UP: The Bears will prepare to host their annual Pink and Homecoming match when they welcome Delaware State to Hill Field House on Friday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. The match will air live on the MEAC Network.
 
LAST SERVE: Morgan State dropped its MEAC home opener to Beltway rival Howard on Sunday afternoon, 3-1 at Hill Field House. Michaela Panekova picked up her second double-double of the season, finishing with a team-high 13 digs and 10 kills. Panekova also had a team-high two service aces to go with an assist and a block. Isabelle Brown secured her second consecutive double-double and fourth of the season, after totaling a match-high 26 assists and 12 digs. Brown, who also posted four kills and a block, is now 32 assists shy of reaching the 1,000-assists mark. Jada Williams hit .310 and nearly recorded her second straight double-double, leading the Bears with 12 kills, while collecting nine digs. Williams also added an assists and a service ace.
 
FOLLOW THE BEARS ON TWTTER: Morgan volleyball fans can follow the Bears on Twitter. Check out regular updates on the team which will feature live tweets from games and on road trips. To follow the Morgan State Athletics Twitter page visit Twitter.com/MorganStBears.
 
BROWN 32 ASSISTS AWAY FROM 1,000: Sophomore setter Isabelle Brown recorded 26 assists in the MEAC home opener against Howard on Sunday, giving her 968 for her career. Brown is now 32 assists shy of reaching the 1,000-assists plateau and becoming the 11^th Bear player to reach the mark.
 
I'M COMING HOME: Morgan's trip to Durham, North Carolina to take on North Carolina Central this Friday, will mark the return home to the Tarheel State for four Bear players. Sophomore Jenae Mason will make her second appearance in her native city of Durham, while sophomore transfers Tre'Niya Miller (Greensboro) and Kira DeVrieze (Chapel Hill) and freshman Alaina Walker (Charlotte) will return to their home State of North Carolina for the first time in a Morgan uniform.
 
THE STREAK IS OVER: Morgan State began the MEAC season with a 3-1 victory on the road at Norfolk State (9/25). The win ended a season-long eight-match losing skid and also put to rest a seven-match losing streak to Norfolk State on the Spartans home floor. Prior to victory, the Bears' last win on Norfolk State's home floor came on Sept. 30, 2018, when Morgan State won 3-1, to give then head coach Ramona Riley-Bozier her 450^th career coaching victory.
 
VIRGINIA HOMECOMING FOR WILLIAMS, WEEMS: Fellow four-year members, seniors Jada Williams and Tyrah Weems returned home to the Commonwealth of Virginia for Morgan State's MEAC season opener on the road in Norfolk, Va., to take on the Norfolk State Spartans (9/25). Williams, a native of Fredericksburg, Va., led the Bears with her third double-double of the season, finishing with a match-high 15 kills, while adding 10 digs to go with three blocks, including two solo, an assist and a service ace. A native of Hampton Roads, Va., Weems totaled 10 kills, six digs and an assist in her first match back, while nursing an injury.
 
BROWN EARNS SECOND MEAC SETTER OF THE WEEK: Isabelle Brown was named MEAC Setter of the Week (9/21). It was her second weekly honor this season and the fourth overall for Brown. A native of Avon, Ind., Brown averaged 7.2 assists and 2.4 digs per set for the week. She started all 11 sets recording 79 assists, 26 digs, nine kills, four service aces and two blocks, including one solo block.
 
BROWN NAMED TO BOBCAT INVITATIONAL TEAM: Sophomore setter Isabelle Brown was named to the Bobcat Invitational All-Tournament Team (9/19). Brown began the week collecting 25 assists, three service aces, eight digs and a solo block in four sets against host Ohio in the tournament opener. She then recorded a double-double with 26 assists, 10 digs and hit .600 with three kills against Mercyhurst.
 
ARSLANOGLU MAKES MORGAN DEBUT: Junior transfer Azra Arslanoglu made her anticipated Morgan State debut in the second match of the Bobcat Invitational, when she started the second set of the match against Mercyhurst (9/18) and finished with five kills, five blocks, two assists and a solo block. A native of Mugla, Turkey, Arslanoglu joined the team the week prior, but did not play during the Battle of the Beltway (9/11-13).
 
WILLIAMS MOVES INTO FOURTH IN BLOCKS AT MORGAN: Senior middle blocker/outside hitter Jada Williams tallied three blocks, including two solo against George Mason (9/12) to give her 314 career blocks, moving her past Tiffany Pickens (312 from 1995-98) for fourth place on the Morgan State career chart. Williams, who currently has 324 blocks, is now 60 blocks shy of passing former Lady Bear, Destiny Sisk (383 blocks from 1999-01) for third place.
 
BROWN NAMED MEAC SETTER OF THE WEEK: Isabelle Brown was named MEAC Setter of the Week (9/7). It was the first weekly honor this season and the third overall for Brown, who also received the honor twice last season as a freshman. A native of Avon, Ind., Brown averaged 6.8 assists and 1.9 digs for the week, while totaling 82 assists, 23 digs, 10 kills and a solo block in three matches. Brown began the week with a match-high 31 assists, five kills, two service aces and a block against Saint Peter's (9/4) to help Morgan earn its first win of the season. A day later Brown followed up with a double-double, collecting 30 assists and 12 digs against Loyola Maryland (9/5), before concluding the week with a match-high 21 assists, six digs, two aces and a kill against Towson (9/6).
 
WILLIAMS REACHES 500 KILLS: Jada Williams recorded 10 kills against rival Towson (9/6) to put her past 500 kills for her career with 502. Williams' eighth kill of the match, brought Morgan within a point at 12-11 in the third set, giving her 500 for her career. The 6-foot-2 middle blocker turn outside hitter, currently has 570 career kills.
 
BEARS EARN BACK-TO-BACK HOME OPENING WINS: Morgan State improved to 7-11 in home openers since the 2010 season, following its 3-1 victory over Saint Peter's (9/4) at Hill Field House. It was the Bears' second consecutive home opening win and the first this season. Last season, Morgan State also won its home opener, 3-1, defeating Quinnipiac (9/5). 
 
PANEKOVA NAMED TO STEEL CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Morgan State senior Michaela Panekova was named to the Steel Classic All-Tournament Team (8/29). A native of Zilina, Slovakia, Panekova played in all three matches, posting a team-high 22 kills, nine digs, five blocks and an assist in nine set over the weekend. Panekova had her best outing against the host Mountain Hawks (8/29), recording nine kills and four digs, both season highs, along with a block.
 
OPENING SERVE: Morgan State dropped to 10-24 in season openers since the 1993 season, following this year's season opening 3-0 loss to Cleveland State (8/28) in the opener of the Steel Classic hosted by Lehigh.
 
WILLIAMS REACHES 300 BLOCKS: Jada Williams, who entered the season ranked fifth all-time at Morgan State with 291 career blocks, recorded a total of nine kills during the season opening weekend in the Steel Classic (8/28-29). Williams recorded three blocks in the finale against host Lehigh, giving her 300 blocks for her career.
 
COACH ORTIZ RETURNS TO LEHIGH: Morgan State head coach Xiomara Ortiz spent four seasons at Lehigh University as the primary assistant coach for coaches Alexa Keckler (2018-20) and Bob Bertucci (2017), as a defensive and libero coach with the Mountain Hawks. Ortiz, who also served as Lehigh's recruiting coordinator – serving as the school's first contact with prospects and club directors. Her national recruiting efforts resulted in 11 new commits to the Mountain Hawks over a two-year span. While at Lehigh, Ortiz was also an advisor to Lehigh's Student-Athletes of Color (SAOC) leadership group.
 
MORGAN PICKED FOURTH IN MEAC PRESEASON POLL: Morgan State was picked to finish fourth this season in the eight-team Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) preseason poll, as voted by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. Last season the Bears were picked to finish sixth and ended the season in third place, their highest league finish since the 2019 campaign.
 
LOOKING TO STAY UNBEATEN: Morgan will look to add to its perfect 3-0 record and remain unbeaten against Gardner-Webb. The two teams will meet on Day 2 of this week's Lehigh Steel Classic on Saturday, Aug. 29 in Bethlehem, Pa. The Bulldogs are the lone team on the schedule this season that Morgan State has previously played and never lost to.
 
WILLIAMS, WARDLAW NAMED AS LEADERS: Senior Jada Williams and sophomore Tameary Wardlaw have been named as this season's leadership council. Williams, who enters her fourth season at Morgan State, was named to the 2025 All-MEAC first team after leading the MEAC in attack percentage (.348) and finishing fifth in blocks with 79. A native of Fredericksburg, Va., she currently ranks fifth all-time on the Morgan charts with 286 career blocks. A native of Miami, Fla., Wardlaw averaged a team-leading 2.08 digs per set, finishing with 193 digs, 46 assists, 10 service aces and three kills last season.
 
TOURNAMENT EXPOSURE: The Bears will take part in three regular season tournaments this year. Following this weekend's Lehigh Steel Classic, the Bears will host the Battle of Beltway (Sept. 11-13). Morgan State will conclude its non-conference slate with a trip to Athens, Ohio to compete in the Bobcat Invitational (Sept. 18-19) hosted by Ohio University.
 
SOMEONE NEW: Morgan State will square off against two first-time opponents this season, when the Bears face host Ohio (9/18) and Mercyhurst (9/18) in the Bobcat Invitational (Sept. 18-19) in Athens, Ohio.
 
WEEMS NAMED SEMIFINALIST ARTHUR ASHE FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Senior Tyrah Weems was a semifinalist for the 2026 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Female Athlete of the Year. Students named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars must maintain at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average, be at least a sophomore academically and participate in community service. Over 900 scholar-athletes were nominated.

MSU WINS 2026 DITSALA CUP: Seven members of the Bears' volleyball team (Tameary Wardlaw, Hanna Nemeth, Jada Williams, Isabelle Brown, Daniela Ferreira, Aubrey Wilson and Tyrah Weems), along with head coach Xiomara Ortiz, represented Morgan State and the MEAC this summer participating in the third annual Ditsala International Cup in Botswana (June 1-13). The premier women's volleyball tournament brought together collegiate student-athletes from the United States with national teams from across Southern Africa. They spent time in Botswana taking part in clinics, training sessions, community engagement and got to experience safaris and explore Southern Africa. On the court, Team Morgan would go undefeated with wins over the Botswana and Zambia National Teams, before capping it off with a thrilling five-set gold medal match victory against Team HBCU, whose roster was comprised of fellow Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) athletes and two from predominately white institutions.
  
WELCOME TO THE CAVE: Morgan State welcomes the addition of seven newcomers to the 2026 squad, three transfers: Azra Arslanoglu (Mugla, Turkey), Kira DeVrieve (Chapel Hill, N.C.), Tre'Niya Miller (Greensboro, N.C.), Nathalia Morais (Brasilia, Brazil), Michaela Panekova (Zilina, Slovakia) along with two freshmen in Bailey Swinton (Odenton, Md.) and Alaina Walker (Charlotte, N.C.).
  
2026 MEAC CHAMPIONSHIP: This year's MEAC Volleyball Championship will take place November 20-23 in Baltimore at the Physical Education Complex on the campus of Coppin State University.
 
WILLIAMS NAMED TO 2025 ALL-MEAC FIRST TEAM: Jada Williams led the Bears this season with an attack percentage of .350, service aces (32) and blocks (79), including 31 solo blocks. She totaled 187 kills, 48 digs and 22 assists. A native of Fredericksburg, Va., Williams would also finish the regular season leading the MEAC in attack percentage and was fifth in blocks and ninth in service aces. Williams, who currently ranks fifth all-time at Morgan State with 286 career blocks, set a career-high 10 blocks this season at Maryland Eastern Shore (11/9).
 
FERREIRA NAMED TO 2025 All-MEAC SECOND TEAM: A native of Lisbon, Portugal, Ferreira ranked sixth in the MEAC in both kills (3.02) and points (3.26) per set. She led the Bears in kills (266) and was second in service aces with 28, while recording 142 digs, 14 assists and 29 blocks. Ferreira reached double figures in kills 14 times, including setting a career-high 23 kills at Howard (9/28). Ferreira's 17^th kill in the match against Howard, gave her 1,000 kills for her collegiate career.
 
BROWN NAMED TO 2025 MEAC ALL-ROOKIE TEAM: Brown assumed the setting duties and totaled 595 assists, which was third in the MEAC. A two-time MEAC Setter of the Week selection, Brown averaged 7.26 assists and 1.89 digs per set. The Avon, Ind. native, hit .250 with 44 kills, was third on the team in digs with 155 and totaled 23 service aces and 21 blocks. Brown produced three double-doubles and reached double figures in assists in 21 of the 24 matches she played, including a season-best 49 assists against Southern (8/30).
 
FERREIRA NAMED TO 2025 MEAC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Daniela Ferreira concluded her career at Moran State being named to the All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament Team. It was the second consecutive season she earned the honor. With her 2024 selection, Ferreira became the first all-tournament team selection under head coach Xiomara Ortiz and the first Bear player since Zoe McBride and Tylar Roberson were named in 2019. A native of Lisbon, Portugal, Ferreira finished with a match-high 13 kills, eight digs, two assists, a block and an ace in Morgan State's quarterfinal loss to Maryland Eastern Shore (11/20).
 
EIGHT NAMED TO MEAC ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM: Morgan State had eight players (Jada Williams, Mya Karrick, Hannah Chappelle, Daniela Ferreira, Tyrah Weems, Mikaela Esparza, Selah Brashear and Aubrey Wilson named to the MEAC Volleyball All-Academic Team during the 2025-26 school year.
 
BLOCK PARTY: Last season the Bears out blocked 20 of their 29 opponents. Morgan State would lead the MEAC and finished the 2024 campaign ranked 95th in the nation among NCAA Division I teams in blocks with 260.5. Jada Williams also led the MEAC in blocks with 118.
 
LET'S GO FIVE: Last season Morgan State went the distance in five matches, recording a 2-3 mark. The previous season, the Bears played in 10 five-set matches during the 2024 campaign, winning only two of them.
 
 
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 150 baccalaureate, master's degree, doctorate and certificate programs. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.