No. 5 Mustangs Set to Close Out Non-Conference Slate with Rice, Yale

#5 SMU (6-2) vs. Rice (6-3)
Thursday, Sept. 17 • 6:30 p.m. CT
Schollmaier Arena • Fort Worth, Texas
Match Notes • Live Stats • SMU Mobile App

#5 SMU (6-2) vs. Yale (6-0)
Saturday, Sept. 19 • 1 p.m. CT
Moody Coliseum • Dallas, Texas
ACCNX • Match Notes • Live Stats • SMU Mobile App

CLOSING OUT NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
• The No. 5-ranked SMU Mustangs enter the final week of non-conference action with two matches, starting with a neutral-site battle in Fort Worth with Rice on Thursday, Sept. 17, and then a home Saturday meeting with Yale on Sept. 19.
• SMU is 6-2 in non-conference action with two matches to go before its ACC opener at home against Stanford on Friday, Sept. 25.
• Despite a historic week, highlighted by two top-10 wins, the Mustangs fell for just the second time this season in their last outing to No. 14 Purdue in three sets. SMU looks to get back in the win column, starting with Thursday's match against Rice.

HIGHEST RANKING IN PROGRAM HISTORY
• After a week in which it took down two top-10 teams, No. 3 Kentucky and No. 9 Texas, the SMU Volleyball program has earned its highest ranking in program history, coming in at No. 5 in the latest edition (Sept. 14, 2026) of the AVCA-Taraflex Division I WVB Poll.
• The Mustangs' previous high was No. 7, a ranking that SMU held in three separate polls last season. SMU has been ranked by the AVCA in 32 consecutive polls dating back to week three of the 2024 season.
• SMU knocked off two top-10 teams this week, defeating No. 9 Texas in its home opener on Wednesday and then No. 3 Kentucky in its first match of the Paradise Invitational in the Bahamas on Saturday.

NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• SMU Volleyball outside hitter Suli Davis was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Collegiate Player of the Week, the association announced Tuesday (Sept. 15).
• The sophomore racked up 64 kills (5.33 kills per set) and hit .303 for the week across three matches, leading the Mustangs to ranked wins over No. 3 Kentucky and No. 9 Texas.
• Davis is just the third player in program history to earn National Player of the Week, joining current Graduate Assistant Emma Clothier (Sept. 26, 2023) and former AVCA First Team All-American Malaya Jones (Sept. 2, 2025 & Dec. 2, 2025).
• The Euless, Texas, native has reached double-digit kills in all eight matches to start the year and has notched 20 or more in three outings.
• Davis began the week with 22 kills and 13 digs against No. 9 Texas on Sept. 9, while adding four blocks against the Longhorns. She followed that performance with a season-high 25 kills on .340 hitting and 15 digs in the win over No. 3 Kentucky on Sept. 12, then capped the week with a team-leading 17 kills and 10 digs against No. 14 Purdue on Sept. 13.

TOP-10 TAKEDOWNS: 3-0 vs. the SEC
• The Mustangs have three ranked wins to start the season, all coming against the top-3 programs in the SEC based on last year's regular season standings. The other win was the sweep of then-No. 8 Texas A&M in the season opener on Aug. 23, at the AVCA First Serve.
• Since 2024, the Mustangs have eight wins over top-10 teams and 16 total wins over ranked opponents since head coach Sam Erger took over on the Hilltop.

ANYANWU, DAVIS EARN ACC WEEKLY HONORS
• Junior middle blocker Favor Anyanwu has been named ACC Defensive Player of the Week and sophomore outside hitter Suli Davis has been named ACC Offensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday (Sept. 14).
• Anyanwu, who was a force for SMU defensively, totaled 20 blocks in three matches this week, which led the conference. She notched eight blocks in wins over both No. 9 Texas and No. 8 Kentucky.
• The Rowlett, Texas, native averaged 1.67 blocks per set and 1.17 digs per set last week.
• Davis led the ACC with 5.33 kills per set and 5.79 points per set this week as the Mustangs took down two top-10 foes: No. 3 Kentucky in the Bahamas and No. 9 Texas in their home opener.
• The Euless, Texas, native logged double-doubles in all three matches this week, including a season-high 25 kills along with 15 digs, tying her career-high, in the win over the Wildcats in the Bahamas. Davis has five double-doubles this season and has reached the mark in four consecutive matches.

HOME DOMINANCE
• SMU has won 12 straight home matches inside Moody Coliseum, tied for the longest streak in program history.
• The Mustangs look to break the record on Saturday, Sept. 19, when they host Yale.
• 12-straight wins at home rank 8th in the nation and second in the ACC behind Pittsburgh.

MOODY ATTENDANCE
• SMU's home opener against Texas on Wednesday, Sept. 9 drew the second-largest crowd for a volleyball match in program history. It was also the most-attended match by SMU students (801) for volleyball in program history.

SMU HOME ATTENDANCE RECORDS:
1. #2 Nebraska - 6,773 - 9/3/24
2. #9 Texas - 6,207 - 9/9/26
3. #8 Texas A&M - 3,076 - 9/9/25
4. #4 Louisville - 3,015 - 10/27/24
5. #5 Pittsburgh - 2,950 - 9/24/25

WEEK 3 NOTABLES
• Outside Hitter Suli Davis is on a four-match double-double streak. She has logged double-doubles against San Diego, No. 9 Texas, No. 3 Kentucky and No. 14 Purdue.
• Davis logged her second and third 20+ kill performances of this season this week with 25 against Kentucky and 22 against Texas.
• SMU defeated No. 3 Kentucky for the first time in program history in the first match of the Paradise Invitational in the Bahamas.
• SMU, under Coach Erger since 2024, has wins over teams ranked No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 8 and No. 9.
• Libero Victoria Harris has logged 10+ digs in all eight matches this season.
• The Mustangs had their streak of first-set dominance snapped against No. 14 Purdue. Prior to Sunday, SMU had won seven straight first sets to start the year.

SMU VS. RICE
• SMU and Rice have met 40 times since 1996, with the Owls leading the overall series 25-15.
• Rice is SMU's third most frequent (40) all-time opponent behind Tulsa (54) and Houston (47)
• The Owls have the most wins over the Mustangs among any opponent in SMU's 31-year volleyball history.
• Recently, the Mustangs have controlled the series, winning four of the last five matchups. Coach Erger is 2-0 against the Owls. Both matches came during the 2023 season.
• Thursday's match will be the first between the two programs at a neutral site.
• After Thursday's matchup, Rice will take on No. 13 TCU on Friday.
• The Owls are on match two of a four-match stretch of ranked opponents. Rice took down No. 15 Creighton at home on Sunday and faces the No. 5 Mustangs, No. 13 Horned Frogs, and No. 15 Texas A&M on Tuesday.

FIRST MEETING AGAINST YALE
• Saturday's meeting with Yale is the first between the two programs.
• The Bulldogs enter the week 6-0 and will face TCU on the road Friday prior to Saturday's matchup with SMU.

CHALLENGING ROAD AHEAD
• SMU's remaining opponents as of Sept. 15, starting with Rice on Thursday, currently have combined for 128 wins so far this season, which ranks second most in the country behind Stanford at 129. The Mustangs open ACC action with the Cardinal next Friday, Sept. 25.

Schedule

No. 5 Mustangs Set to Close Out Non-Conference Slate with Rice, Yale

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Players Mentioned

Favor Anyanwu

Suli Davis

Victoria Harris

Malaya Jones

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Upcoming Events

Upcoming Event: Volleyball versus #12 Stanford on Sep 25, 2026 at 8pm CT

Upcoming Event: Volleyball versus California on Sep 27, 2026 at 1pm CT

Upcoming Event: Volleyball at Syracuse on Oct 2, 2026 at 5pm CT

Upcoming Event: Volleyball at Boston College on Oct 4, 2026 at 12pm CT

Upcoming Event: Volleyball at Pittsburgh on Oct 7, 2026 at 6pm CT

Results

Completed Event: Volleyball versus Yale on September 19, 2026 , Win , 3, to, 0

Completed Event: Volleyball versus Rice on September 17, 2026 , Win , 3, to, 0

Completed Event: Volleyball versus #14 Purdue on September 13, 2026 , Loss , 0, to, 3

Completed Event: Volleyball versus #3 Kentucky on September 12, 2026 , Win , 3, to, 1

Completed Event: Volleyball versus #9 Texas on September 9, 2026 , Win , 3, to, 2

No. 5 Mustangs Set to Close Out Non-Conference Slate with Rice, Yale

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Favor Anyanwu

Suli Davis

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