RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University beach volleyball team will hit the road for the first time in the 2024 season, competing at the UAB Beach Classic across Saturday and Sunday in Birmingham, Ala.
 
At the tournament, the Colonels will play four matches in total facing UTEP and UT Martin on Saturday and No. 15 Florida Atlantic and host UAB on Sunday.
 
The Colonels enter the tournament 4-0 on the season after knocking off Liberty, Morehead State, Tusculum, and Austin Peay last weekend at the Grand Sands Tournament.
 
EKU's projected No. 1 pair of Paityn Walker and Sarah Mitchell are 3-1 with the pairs only loss coming in a three-set match against APSU last Saturday.
 
The projected No. 4 pair of EK Lonergan and Gabriella Armitage are the only Colonel duo that is 4-0 heading into the weekend as the duo did not drop a single set across their first four matches of 2024.
 
SCOUTING THE MINERS
 
UTEP comes to the UAB Beach Classic with a record of 1-3 on the season, with the only win coming against Division II Colorado Mesa.
 
The Miners next two closest matches were 2-3 losses to San Francisco and CSU Bakersfield.
 
Saturday will mark the first time the Miners and Colonels have met.
 
SCOUTING THE SKYHAWKS
 
Former Ohio Valley Conference foe, UT Martin is 2-2 on the season with wins over Hendrix and Southwest Baptist last weekend to open the season.
 
The Skyhawks are the preseason favorites to claim the OVC title at the end of the season according to the league's preseason coach's poll.
 
Additionally, UT Martin had three players named to the conference's preseason player top-10 in Dylan Mott, Olivia O'Keefe, and Haeleigh Paulino.
Last season, the Colonels dropped both meetings with the Skyhawks, both coming by a score of 1-4.
 
SCOUTING THE OWLS
 
On Sunday, the Colonels will take their first ranked opponent of the season in the No. 15 Florida Atlantic Owls.
 
The Owls (2-2) notched two impressive wins at the Tampa Invite last weekend to being 2024, defeating No. 12 Georgia State, 4-1, and No. 17 South Carolina, 5-0.
 
FAU's losses all came last Saturday, losing to No. 18 Arizona State, 2-3 and Tampa, 2-3.
 
The Owls opened the year at No. 11 in the AVCA Collegiate Beach Preseason Coaches Poll, the highest in program history with four players named to the CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team.
 
Sunday's meeting will mark the first between the Owls and Colonels.
 
SCOUTING THE BLAZERS
 
Host UAB is 2-2 on the season with wins over NAIA Arizona Christian and Ottawa College (Ariz.) and 4-1 losses to Boise St. and Grand Canyon.
 
The Blazers are under the direction of first year head coach Delaney Clesen and features one CUSA All-Conference member in reigning co-freshman of the year Jasmine Haas.
 
UAB and EKU last met in 2020 where the Blazers won, 5-0.