NASHVILLE — Tennessee State volleyball returns to Kean Hall for its 2026 home opener Tuesday as the Tigers host North Alabama at 6 p.m. 

Tuesday's match will feature a Block Party theme. The first 50 Tennessee State freshmen in attendance will receive a signed TSU volleyball schedule poster. 

The Tigers (0-6) return home after playing three matches at the Golden Eagle Invitational in Cookeville, where they faced Green Bay, Austin Peay and host Tennessee Tech. 

Last Time Out 

Tennessee State closed the tournament Saturday against Tennessee Tech, falling 25-20, 25-12, 25-15. The Tigers stayed within striking distance throughout the opening set, which featured seven ties and five lead changes. TSU used a 3-0 run to erase a 13-10 deficit, with Wiktoria Jakubik recording a kill before Gabrielle Washington and Sydney Robinson combined for consecutive blocks to tie the set at 13.  

Jakubik led TSU with eight kills on 12 attempts without an error, finishing with a .667 hitting percentage. Washington added four kills on seven attempts without an error to hit .571 while contributing three block assists. Robinson finished with four kills and three block assists, while Triniti Jackson recorded 12 assists and six digs.  

Jakubik's performance capped a weekend that earned her a spot on the Golden Eagle Invitational All-Tournament Team. 

Tigers at the Net 

Washington enters Tuesday's match following an efficient weekend on both sides of the net. She totaled 14 kills with two errors on 23 attempts for a .522 hitting percentage across the three matches. 

The middle blocker also totaled eight blocks, including five against Austin Peay and three against Tennessee Tech. Against Green Bay, Washington recorded four kills on five errorless swings to hit .800 before posting six kills and five blocks against Austin Peay.  

Jakubik totaled 18 kills over the weekend, highlighted by her eight-kill, errorless performance against Tennessee Tech. She also contributed six total blocks during the tournament. 

Jackson continued to direct the TSU offense, totaling 46 assists and 22 digs over the three matches. She recorded a double-double against Austin Peay with 21 assists and 12 digs while adding two kills, three total blocks and a service ace.  

Series History 

Tennessee State and North Alabama will meet for the fifth time Tuesday. The Tigers hold a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series and have won each of the last three meetings. 

TSU has not faced North Alabama since Sept. 17, 2022, when the Tigers earned a 3-1 victory in Nashville. Tennessee State took the opening two sets, 25-21 and 25-20, before UNA won the third, 25-23. The Tigers responded with a 25-19 fourth-set victory to close the match. 

The Tigers' current three-match winning streak against the Lions also includes consecutive sweeps in 2019 and 2021. TSU's lone loss in the series came in five sets in the first meeting in 2018. 

Block Party at Kean Hall 

First serve between Tennessee State and North Alabama is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Kean Hall. 

The home opener will feature TSU volleyball's Block Party, with the first 50 freshmen receiving a signed schedule poster. Live stats will be available through TSUTigers.com.