SPRINGFIELD - Missouri State beach volleyball travels to Monroe, Louisiana this weekend to compete in the ULM Bayou Bash, hosted by ULM on Friday and Saturday. The Bears will face Stephen F. Austin and Tarleton State on Friday before closing the tournament on Saturday against the host Warhawks.
Missouri State enters the weekend looking to continue its strong start to the 2026 season as the Bears hit the road for their next tournament.
Tournament Schedule (central times)
Friday, March 13
9:00 a.m.: Missouri State vs. Stephen F. Austin
11:00 a.m.: ULM vs. Stephen F. Austin
1:00 p.m.: Missouri State vs. Tarleton (CUSA)
Saturday, March 14
9:00 a.m.: Missouri State vs. ULM
11:00 a.m.: Stephen F. Austin vs. Tarleton
1:30 p.m.: ULM vs. Tarleton
Bears on the Beach
Missouri State enters the Bayou Bash with an 8-0 record to begin the 2026 season, continuing the program's early momentum under head coach
Ashley Emery. The Bears have relied on balanced production across the lineup with multiple pairs contributing dual points throughout the opening tournaments.
At the top of the lineup,
Rylie Cepicky delivered one of the most dominant defensive performances in recent program history, recording nine blocks in the 1s pairing during the Bears' last tournament. The total marked the most blocks by a Missouri State player since
MacKenzie Steele recorded seven against UAB during the 2025 season.
Missouri State has seen consistent performances across all five flights, with depth throughout the roster helping the Bears remain unbeaten heading into the Louisiana tournament.
Scouting the Sands & Series History
Friday's opening matchup against Stephen F. Austin will mark the second meeting between the programs. SFA holds a 1-0 edge in the all-time series after defeating Missouri State 3-2 in the previous meeting.
Later Friday, Missouri State will face Tarleton State for the second time in program history. The Bears lead the series 1-0 after defeating the Texans in the contenders bracket of the Conference USA Championship.
Missouri State closes the weekend Saturday against ULM. The Warhawks hold a 3-2 advantage in the all-time series, with the most recent meeting coming last season when ULM earned a 3-1 victory.
Head Coach Ashley Emery
Ashley Emery is in her fourth season as head coach of Missouri State beach volleyball and enters the weekend with a 61-30 career record. Emery continues to build the program into a competitive force within Conference USA.
Under her leadership, the Bears recorded a program-record 26 wins during the 2024 season and have continued to develop depth throughout the lineup while competing against strong regional competition.
Bears in Conference USA
The Bears will compete in the 2026 Conference USA Championship, scheduled for April 24–26 at Sugar Beach in Youngsville, La.
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