FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Florida Gulf Coast University volleyball team (1-2) hosts Florida Atlantic University (3-0) on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Alico Arena to open the Sunshine State Classic.

FGCU enters the Thursday following a 3-1 win over Virginia Commonwealth University and back-to-back 3-1 losses to No. 24 Brigham Young University and Florida State University.

The Eagles are led by freshman opposite hitter Maju Hildebrand, who set the program record for kills by a freshman over the first three matches of a season with 45. Setter Dinara Sabitova paces the attack following a 46-assist performance against Florida State, while middle blocker Amany Kuwa anchors the front line after recording five blocks against BYU. Libero Anna Marzella directs the backline defense, logging 31 digs through three matches.

Florida Atlantic arrives in Fort Myers carrying a 3-0 record after sweeping Merrimack College, FGCU’s ASUN Conference foe Stetson University, and Florida International University to win the Florida Atlantic Invitational, held Aug. 28 and 29.

Entering its 40th program season under 15th-year head coach Fernanda Nelson, FAU was picked fifth in the American Athletic Conference preseason coaches’ poll following a 19-11 campaign in 2025. The Owls’ offense features outside hitters Olivia Hart—an AAC Preseason All-Conference selection who led FAU in kills (385) and aces (41) last season—and Sequoia Layne. Hart recorded 13 kills and nine digs against FIU, while Layne posted a team-high 14 kills against Stetson.

FAU operates a two-setter system featuring Maya van Heyst and Emsley Venard, with van Heyst pacing the unit after back-to-back performances of 28 and 25 assists. Defensively, middle blocker Maggie Allred leads an Owls front line that recorded 13 team blocks against FIU, while senior libero Zoe Winford leads FAU’s back-row defense.

Thursday’s matchup marks the 15th all-time meeting between the programs, and FGCU holds an 8-6 series lead over FAU. The Eagles claimed the most recent contest in September 2023, earning a 3-0 sweep at home behind eight kills and six blocks from middle blocker Juliana Lentz, eight kills from Alexandra Zakutney, and 20 assists from setter Lily Tessier.