Troy University Athletics
Troy University
Virginia
Volleyball Closes Non-Conference Schedule at Sports Imports Classic
9/19/2025 10:39:00 AM | Volleyball
TROY, Ala. – Troy volleyball will wrap up its non-conference slate this weekend in Columbus, Ohio, with a pair of matches, taking on Virginia and Ohio State. The Trojans will face the Cavaliers on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT before matching up with the host Buckeyes on Sunday at 12 p.m. CT.
Troy was upended by Kennesaw State in three sets last Sunday, with just seven points separating the two teams overall. The Trojans hit a season-high .536 in the opening set but struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the final two frames. Amiah Butler has paced the Cardinal and White this season, totaling 91 kills across 20 sets (4.55 k/s).
Both Virginia and Ohio State enter the weekend coming off defeats. Virginia fell in three sets to Michigan, while Ohio State dropped a five-set battle to Wright State. The Cavaliers and Buckeyes will open the weekend against each other on Friday.
Game Information
The Matchup: vs. Virginia | at Ohio State
When: Saturday, Sept. 20 at 2 p.m. | Sunday, Sept. 21 at 12 p.m.
Where: Columbus, Ohio – Covelli Center
Watch: B1G+
Stats: gotroy.us/nf8
Rising to the Top
Amiah Butler currently ranks 18th in the country in kills per set with 4.55. Butler has recorded double-digit kills in all six matches this season, including a career-high 24 against Samford. The Pensacola, Fla. native also ranks 39th in points per set at 4.78. Despite the Trojans only having played 20 sets through the first six matches, Butler is still 48th in the country in total kills with 91.
Scouting Virginia
Second meeting: Virginia leads, 1-0
Virginia enters the weekend 4-2, and 1-0 in neutral site contests. The Cavaliers split a series with Michigan last weekend, winning in five sets on Friday before losing in straight sets on Saturday. Lauryn Bowie and Becca Wight have paced Virginia offensively, with 73 and 70 kills, respectively. Hannah Scott and Zoey Dodd have split setting duties, each with 131 assists this season. The Cavaliers are hitting at a .216 clip, while hitting over .300 in one match (.386 at Howard).
Scouting Ohio State
This Sunday will mark the first ever meeting between the two programs. Ohio State is currently 2-4, and 0-1 inside the Covelli Center. The Buckeyes went 1-1 last weekend, sweeping Ohio on Saturday and dropping a five-set match to Wright State on Sunday. Hannah Jones has taken on the majority of the offensive duties, with 81 kills on 237 attacks. Mia Tuman is the Buckeyes' primary setter, racking up 223 assists through the early portion of the season. Ohio State has hit .195 through six matches.
Notables
- Troy head coach Josh Lauer is in his ninth season at the helm, holding a career record of 122-117. He is the second-longest tenured Division I head coach in program history, trailing only Sonny Kirkpatrick, who guided the Trojans for 11 seasons (2006-16).
- Troy's non-conference slate features five opponents that finished inside the top 100 of the final 2024 NCAA RPI rankings. In Sun Belt play, the Trojans will face four more programs that met that mark, highlighted by Arkansas State, which posted the highest RPI (45) among Troy's 2025 opponents.
- Amiah Butler recorded the first double-double of Troy's season against Mercer on September 10. Butler's dominant performance (18 kills, 15 digs, .368 hitting percentage) marked the fourth double-double of her career. It was the fifth time the senior has recorded double-digit digs in a match.
- The last time Troy played in the state of Ohio was in 2009, when the Trojans played three matches as part of the Miami Best Western Invitational in Oxford.
- Two Trojans will be making a return to their home state this weekend: Audrey Worthington is a native of Blacklick, Ohio, while Sara Bates is from Cincinnati.
