Location: Tallahassee, Fla.
Match 1 vs. McNesse: Friday, Sept. 12 @ 2 p.m.
Match 2 vs. FAMU: Saturday, Sept. 13 @ 12 p.m.
Match 3 vs. FSU: Monday, Sept. 15 @ 5 p.m.
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ATLANTA - Georgia State volleyball (5-1, SBC 0-0) heads south to Tallahassee, Fla., carrying the momentum of the best start to a season since 2009. The Panthers open the three-game road stretch with the FAMU Invitational, where they will face McNeese on Friday, Sept. 12 at 2 p.m., followed by a matchup with host Florida A&M on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 12 p.m.
The road swing concludes with a Power Four test in the ACC/SBC Challenge, as Georgia State takes on Florida State on Monday, Sept. 15 at 5:00 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
Georgia State will face McNeese for the first time ever in program this Friday.
The Panthers and Florida A&M will meet for the second time this season, with Georgia State owning a perfect 3-0 record in the overall series. Most recently, the Panthers swept the Rattlers in straight sets on Sept. 5, 2025, in the GSU Invitational. In 2024, Georgia State defended its home court with a four-set victory, rallying late to close out the match. The series first began in 2010 at a neutral site in Clemson, S.C., where the Panthers controlled the tempo from start to finish in a 3-0 sweep.
Georgia State and Florida State have only squared off once in program history, a 2010 meeting in Atlanta where the Seminoles came away with a 2-0 win.
ACROSS THE NET
McNeese enters the FAMU Invitational with a 3-3 record, showcasing a mix of straight-set wins and five-set battles, with half of their matches going the distance. The Cowgirls 2025 roster features 15 newcomers, including eight freshmen. Freshman Ava Henry and senior D'Nari Mills have already earned all-tournament honors twice this season.
The Rattlers are projected to sit in first place in the SWAC for the 2025 season, with 13 votes supporting their dominance. The Rattlers enter the FAMU Invitational on a four-game losing streak after dropping all three matches during the GSU Invitational. Junior Iyonnie Sanford leads the FAMU attack with 29 kills across 11 sets, earning preseason All-SWAC First Team honors. Paired with junior setter Bengisu Kazazlar, who has 50 assists, the duo forms the cornerstone of a strong offensive attack.
Florida State enters the weekend with a 3-2 record and a one-match losing streak after forcing a fifth set in a 3-2 loss to Oklahoma in the ACC/SEC Showdown on Wednesday. The Seminoles will wrap up their SEC matchups this weekend with two games against Auburn before taking the court against the Panthers on Monday. This season, Florida State debuts a refreshed roster of 14 new players, including nine freshmen and five transfers, marking the biggest freshman class in program history.
SO INTERNATIONAL
Georgia State's volleyball roster boasts with international flair. Nearly half of the 2025 squad hails from overseas, with eight of the 17 players bringing valuable international experience to the court.
THE SIQUEIRA ERA
Entering her second season at the helm, Head Coach Flavia Siqueira has quickly elevated the Georgia State volleyball program to new heights. During Siqueira's first campaign in 2024, the Panthers capped the season with 17 wins, the most in over a decade, and advanced to the second round of the Sun Belt Tournament for the first time since 2021. With Flavia at the forefront, the Panthers enter 2025 on the rise.
SEEING DOUBLE
Georgia State's 2025 season has already seen standout two-way performances, with three Panthers recording multiple double-doubles to anchor the team's early success. Nazli Guvener leads the way with three double-doubles, highlighted by a season-high 18 kills and 12 digs against Furman (8/30). Myllena Torquetti has tallied two double-doubles, including 10 kills and 10 digs in the same matchup. Setter Shanelle Martinez has recorded two double-doubles, dishing out a season-best 28 assists while adding 14 digs, including her performance against Queens (9/5).
SUN BELT DOMINANCE
The Panthers are making an early statement in the Sun Belt. Georgia State ranks first in the league for holding opponents to the fewest service aces per set (.95) and sits second in limiting opponent hitting percentage (.140), opponent kills per set (11.05), points per set (17.24) and assists per set (12.57). Individually, Marta Lazzarin has earned two Sun Belt rankings, sitting second in digs per set (5.52) and total digs (116), while Shanelle Martinez ranks third in service aces per set (0.67) and tenth in assists per set (5.62).
TOP 25
Marta Lazzarin and Shanelle Martinez have both earned spots in the NCAA top-25 rankings this week. Lazzarin ranks No. 9 nationally in digs per set (5.52) and No. 25 in total digs (116), while Martinez comes in at No. 25 in service aces with 14.
