Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
Liberty
Volleyball Journeys to Long Island to Close Non-League Slate at Hofstra Invitational
September 10, 2026 | Volleyball
WEST POINT, N.Y. — Army West Point volleyball (5-1) will play its final three games on its non-conference slate this season, heading to Long Island for the 2026 Hofstra Invitational on September 11-12.
The Black Knights will play two games on the first day of the tournament, first taking on the Liberty University Flames for the first time since 2023 on Sept. 11 at 12 p.m. ET, then will play Fairfield on the same day at 7 p.m. ET.
Army will conclude its time in Hempstead, N.Y. on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 5 p.m. ET, taking on host Hofstra, and winners of the 2025 Black Knight Invitational.
All three games will take place at the David S. Mack Physical Education Center, with all three games streaming on FloCollege and Saturday's game against Hofstra broadcasting on the MSG Sports Network.
ARMY STORYLINES:
WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK: Army saw a clean weekend at the UT Arlington Tournament, located in Arlington, Texas. The Black Knights were 3-0, defeating Sam Houston State, Kent State and UT Arlington. The team also did not drop a set all weekend, defeating all opponents in 3-0 sweeps. Army's duo of setters, Juliette Myrick and Naomi Chinchar, were named to the All-Tournament team, with Myrick receiving MVP honors. Nicole Stroud and Marlee Lightsey, who saw strong weekends in their home state, received Patriot League weekly honors for their performances.
HOLDING DOWN THE BACK LINE: Junior libero Nicole Stroud received her first Patriot League honor on Tuesday, being named Defensive Player of the Week. The Fort Worth, Texas native had a strong week in her home state, leading Army's back line at the UT Arlingon Tournament, earning a team-high 40 digs (4.44 per set) alongside a .939 reception percentage, committing only two errors. She also earned 11 assists and three aces. Stroud also ranks ninth in the Patriot League in digs per set (3.17).
LIGHT 'EM LIGHTSEY: Alongside Stroud, freshman outside hitter notched her first Patriot League accolade in her career, being named Rookie of the Week. The New Braunfels, Texas native finished Army West Point's 3-0 weekend with 20 kills on a .356 hitting percentage, 22 digs, two service aces and two blocks. She earned a career-high 16 kills, hitting .571, while adding 14 digs and two aces in a sweep of Kent State. Lightsey is in a tie for third in the Patriot League in aces per set (0.50) and tenth in digs per set (2.71).
KEEPING UP WITH JONES: Sophomore Kennedy Jones proved to be one of the offensive standout for the Black Knights through the first two weeks of the season. She leads the team with 65 kills (3.10 per set) while posting a .310 hitting percentage, while also adding 12 blocks. Her standout performance so far this season came against UAlbany, where she tallied 18 kills on a match-best .452 hitting percentage. Jones also contributed five blocks and finished with a career-high 20.5 points. She went on to earn Black Knight Invitational Tournament honors.
JACK OF ALL TRADES: Juliette Myrick continues to serve as the central piece to Army's offense this season. The lone senior was named the UTA Tournament MVP plus was named to the Black Knight Invitational All-Tournament Team. She directs the offense with a team-best 136 assists (6.48 per set) while also adding a team-high 12 service aces, the second-best mark in the Patriot League. Myrick's best performance was in Army's win against UAlbany, where she finished with 12 kills (career-high), 16.0 points (career high), 35 assists, nine digs and four service aces (career-high).
ACE ACE BABY: So far in 2026, the Black Knights prove to be one of the premier serving teams in the country. Army currently sits eighth in all of Division I volleyball in aces per set, with the team averaging 2.48 per set. Norfolk State leads the country with 3.21 per set, and Army only trails UNC-Asheville, Dartmouth, Harvard, Duke, Saint Mary's and UConn in the aces per set category.
SETTING THE STANDARD: Through the first two weeks of the 2026 season, Army holds some of the best numbers in NCAA Division I in several statistical categories. The Black Knights are one of the best serving team's in the country, currently ranked eighth in aces per set at 2.48. Army's defense is currently 35th in the nation, averaging 15.48 digs per set. The team is also in the top 70 or higher in three other statistical categories, including assists per set (66), team attacks per set (62) and kills per set (71). They are also are in the top 30 for match win-loss percentage (tied 27).
History with Liberty
- The Flames lead the series, 2-1
- Current Streak: Liberty, 1 win
- Last Army win: Sept. 16, 2006, 3-2
- Last Liberty win: Sept. 1, 2023, 3-0
History with Fairfield
- The Black Knights lead the series, 12-7
- Current Streak: Fairfield, 1 win
- Last Army win: Aug. 28, 2009, 3-0
- Last Fairfield win: Aug. 25, 2023, 3-2
History with Hofstra
- The Pride lead the series, 14-4
- Current Streak: Hofstra, 2 wins
- Last Army win: Sept. 10, 2022, 3-0
- Last Hofstra win: Sept. 5 2025, 3-2
Follow Along
For complete coverage of Army West Point women's volleyball, follow the Black Knights on X and Instagram at @ArmyWP_VB, online at www.goarmywestpoint.com and turn on notifications for volleyball in the Army Athletics app.
Army West Point Athletic Association, Inc. (AWPAA)
AWPAA is an IRS code 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation established to execute the United States Military Academy's intercollegiate athletics program. AWPAA is led by a board of directors that provides guidance to the director of athletics, who serves as the primary advisor to the USMA Superintendent and the USMA leadership on all NCAA operations. The AWPAA mission is to recruit, educate, train and inspire leaders of character who are committed to the Army values through an extraordinary Division I athletic experience.
