No. 9 Angelo State Returns Home to Host Lone Star Conference Challenge

SAN ANGELO, TX — The No. 9-ranked Angelo State volleyball team returns to the Junell Center/Stephens Arena this week to host West Texas A&M and Lubbock Christian in the Lone Star Conference Challenge from Thursday-Saturday.

The Belles enter the three-team event with an 8-1 record after completing a five-match road trip in Colorado that included four victories and a run to the championship match of the Colorado Premier Challenge.

ASU will face West Texas A&M on Thursday before the Lady Buffs play Lubbock Christian on Friday. The Belles will close the weekend against Lubbock Christian on Saturday.

ASU began its recent road trip with a four-set victory over Adams State on Sept. 1 before going 3-1 at the Colorado Premier Challenge.

The Belles defeated Bentley and then-No. 7 MSU Denver on the opening day to advance to the gold bracket. ASU then defeated Lewis before falling to then-No. 5 Ferris State in the championship match. Ferris State moved to No. 1 in the latest AVCA Division II Coaches Poll.

ASU's performance helped the Belles climb to No. 9 in the AVCA rankings released Monday. The Belles are 2-1 against teams appearing in this week's national rankings.

Junior Sydney Thornton was also named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week following ASU's road trip.

Thornton, a finance major from Prosper, totaled 43 kills with a .373 hitting percentage and 16 blocks. She also recorded 16 digs, three service aces and one assist.

Julia Hopkins enters the week leading ASU with 75 kills and 89.5 points while ranking third on the team with nine service aces. Preseason LSC Offensive Player of the Year Madi Parrish is close behind with 74 kills and 89 points. Parrish has also recorded 12 service aces, seven blocks and 85 digs.

Senior right side Alli Kirkpatrick has added 68 kills while hitting .297 through the first two weeks of the season. Kirkpatrick entered the season with 69 career kills over her first three seasons at ASU and nearly matched that total through the Belles' first nine matches. Her best performance came against MSU-Moorhead at the Kathleen Brasfield Invitational, when she finished with 20 kills in a four-set victory.

Setter Gabi Ashcraft has recorded 160 assists and is averaging nearly six assists per set after averaging 5.38 per set last season.

Several newcomers have also contributed early in the season. Leah Klueber has 44 kills, while transfer Vivian Parker has accounted for 43.5 points. Freshman setter Olivia Pena has recorded 123 assists and is averaging 4.73 assists per set.

West Texas A&M enters the LSC Challenge with a 4-5 record. The Lady Buffs went 2-2 at the BritKare Lady Buff Classic before losing in five sets to CSU Pueblo. West Texas A&M then went 2-2 at the Colorado Premier Challenge, defeating Anderson and Central Missouri while losing to Ferris State and Concordia-St. Paul.

Lubbock Christian enters the weekend at 4-4. The Lady Chaps went 1-3 at the Virginia Harris/Jeanie Miller Invitational hosted by Western Colorado before posting another 1-3 mark at the Barry Invitational in Florida.

ASU entered the season ranked No. 21 nationally after being selected to repeat as LSC champion in the conference's preseason poll. The Belles received 951 points and 41 of 54 first-place votes, finishing ahead of West Texas A&M and Lubbock Christian.

The Belles returned 12 letterwinners from their 2025 team, including Parrish and former All-LSC selections Thornton and Hopkins. ASU brought back 66.1% of its kills, 89.8% of its blocks and 65.9% of its digs from last season.

The 2026 campaign marks the 51st season in program history. ASU entered the year with a 1,118-638-3 all-time record, 12 LSC Tournament championships, 17 NCAA Tournament appearances and two regional titles.

ASU has also built a significant home-court advantage under head coach Chuck Waddington. The Belles have compiled a 220-34 record at the Junell Center/Stephens Arena during his tenure and are 41-2 at home over the past three seasons.

The program set ASU and LSC attendance records during the 2024 Kathleen Brasfield Invitational when 3,315 fans attended the Belles' sweep of New Mexico Highlands. During Waddington's tenure, ASU has drawn more than 1,000 fans for 40 matches and has a 35-5 record in those contests.