The Bowie State University women’s volleyball team will face Shaw University in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association action Thursday, Oct. 8, at 6 p.m. The match will be played inside C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium in Raleigh, N.C.
Bowie State enters the matchup with a 6-8 overall record and a 4-5 mark in CIAA play. The Bulldogs split their final two matches at the first 2026 CIAA Round-Up, defeating Fayetteville State University 3-2 before falling to Winston-Salem State University 3-0.
Bowie State Women’s Volleyball Team Earns Five-Set Comeback
Bowie State rallied from an 0-2 deficit against Fayetteville State to win the final three sets, 26-24, 25-23 and 15-13. The Bulldogs finished the match with 51 kills and hit .171 as a team.
Bowie State also opened the CIAA Round-Up with victories over Bluefield State and Johnson C. Smith. The Bulldogs defeated Bluefield State 3-1 and swept Johnson C. Smith 3-0 on the opening day.
Gabrielle Hale Leads Bowie State Offense
Setter Gabrielle Hale was named to the 2026 Preseason All-CIAA Team. Against Winston-Salem State, Hale recorded 22 assists, one kill and one service ace.
Taylor Johnson added eight kills, five digs and one service ace in that match. Jy’Asha Cousins recorded three blocks, while Mil’lanni Marte contributed seven digs.
Shaw University Presents CIAA Test
Shaw University was selected to finish second in the 2026 CIAA preseason poll behind defending champion Fayetteville State University. Shaw advanced to the 2025 CIAA championship match and won conference championships in 2023 and 2024.
Sydni Hunter earned a spot on the 2026 Preseason All-CIAA Team after receiving First Team All-CIAA honors in 2025. Thursday’s match also serves as Shaw’s Black Out event and marks the first of two scheduled 2026 regular-season meetings between the teams.
Shaw is scheduled to return to Bowie on Oct. 29 for the second matchup. The teams will meet again during the regular season after Thursday’s contest in Raleigh.
Bowie State Women’s Volleyball Team Schedule
Following Thursday’s match, Bowie State is scheduled to visit Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, N.C., on Monday, Oct. 12. That match is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The Bulldogs are then scheduled to return to CIAA Round-Up action Oct. 16-18 in Petersburg, Va., in an event hosted by Virginia State University.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
Bowie State enters the Shaw matchup with a 4-5 CIAA record and a recent five-set conference comeback against Fayetteville State. The match will give the Bulldogs another conference test against a Shaw team selected to finish second in the preseason poll.
Source: Original report
