West Texas A&M (8-3) at Texas A&M-Kingsville (9-2, 1-0) / Texas A&M International (2-7)
Date	Friday, September 26 | Saturday, September 27
Location	Kingsville, Texas - Steinke Center | Laredo, Texas - The KCB
Opponents	Texas A&M-Kingsville (Friday - 6:00 p.m.) | Texas A&M International (Saturday - 1:00 p.m.)
Live Statistics	WT vs. TAMUK | WT vs. TAMIU
Live Video	FloCollege (Pay-Per-View)
Additional Links	Game Notes

CANYON, Texas – The #10 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M begin the defense of their Lone Star Conference Championship this weekend as they make their way to South Texas for matchups against Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas A&M International.
 
TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE
The Javelinas enter the weekend with an overall record of 9-2 as they opened up Lone Star Conference action on Wednesday night with a sweep of the Texas Woman's Pioneers. TAMUK is 5-1 so far this season inside of the Steinke Center with the lone defeat coming to Midwestern State during the LSC Crossover on September 20. 
 
Tanya Allen-Gonzalez is in her 15th season at Texas A&M-Kingsville, holding an overall record of 248-164 during her time in South Texas with two trips to the NCAA Tournament (2016, 2023) and four All-American honorees. Allen also leads the Javelina beach volleyball program, winning the 2018 AVCA Small College National Championship in their inaugural season.
 
Rylan Pollard leads the way offensively for the Javelinas as the senior from Denver, Colorado has registered 138 kills on 325 swings for an attack percentage of .289 while averaging 3.21 kills per set to go along with 218 assists, 13 aces, 96 digs and 19 blocks. 
 
A LOOK AT THE SERIES
Friday night will be the 71st all-time meeting on the volleyball court between WT and Texas A&M-Kingsville, the Lady Buffs hold a 57-13 advantage in the series that started in 1980. West Texas A&M is 26-5 all-time in Kingsville, winning their last four matches at the Steinke Center.
 
TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL
The Dustdevils enter Lone Star Conference play with an overall record of 2-7 following a pair of losses during league crossover action last weekend in Kingsville to the Javelinas (3-0) and Midwestern State (3-0). TAMIU will hold their first home match of the season on Friday night against Eastern New Mexico before hosting WT on Saturday. 
 
Tammie Jimenez is in her second season at the helm of the Dustdevil volleyball program. She came to Laredo from Midland College, winning a share of the WJCAC title, the NJCAA Region 5 West Championship, and a memorable appearance in the 2010 NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championship Tournament.
 
Sierra Long leads the way offensively for the Dustdevils as the junior outside from Pearl City, Hawaii has registered 66 kills on 212 swings with 33 attack errors to hit .156 on the season to go along with one assist, 12 digs and 15 total blocks. Samantha Estrada guided the TAMIU defense in the back row as the San Antonio product has 105 digs to average 3.75 per set.
 
A LOOK AT THE SERIES
Saturday afternoon will be the 11th all-time meeting between the Lady Buffs and Dustdevils, WT holds a 9-1 advantage in the series that dates back to 2008. West Texas A&M is 2-1 at the Kinesiology and Convocation Building as they swept the Dustdevils last season in Laredo. 
 
WELCOME TO THE BOX
West Texas A&M is fortunate to have one of the best home environments in all of NCAA Volleyball. The WTAMU Fieldhouse is more affectionately known as "The Box," is home to 22 Lone Star Conference Championships, 16 Regional Titles and four NCAA Division II National Championships. 
 
The Box boasts one of the best home winning records in the NCAA on any level of competition. The Lady Buffs are 560-85 at The Box since the 1980 season for an incredible winning percentage of 86.7%.
 
LSC PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Senior middle blocker Taytum Stow was named the 2025 Lone Star Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year announced on Monday, August 25th. The Hereford product ed the league with 138 blocks (1.27 per set) on her way to a second LSC Defensive Player of the Year Award (also 2022). Stow was also third in the LSC with a .364 hitting percentage and earned honorable mention All-American status.
 
THE GAMBLE ERA
Three-time National Champion and NJCAA Hall of Famer Terry Gamble was named the 17th head coach in Lady Buff Volleyball history on February 4, 2025. Gamble has compiled a record of 1,107-349 (.759) as he was just the third head coach in NJCAA history to reach 1,000 career wins on October 15, 2024.
 
Gamble came to Canyon following seven seasons at Blinn College in Brenham, Texas. Gamble was named the Regional Coach of the Year for the third time, leading Blinn College to their fifth straight NJCAA National Tournament. He was inducted into the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2007 after winning three NJCAA volleyball championships (2000, 2004, 2006) and three NJCAA Coach of the Year awards.
 
LADY BUFFS IN THE AVCA POLL
The Lady Buffs remained 10th in the newest edition of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Top-25 Poll announced on Monday afternoon. It marks the 320th time since 1986 that the Lady Buffs appear in the poll, the sixth most in Division II history. WT has sat atop of the poll 28 different times including twice during the 2023 campaign.