FOLEY, Ala. — Coastal Carolina opens play in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Friday, Nov. 21, when the No. 2 seed from the East Division faces West No. 3 seed Texas State in a noon quarterfinal.

The Chanticleers (18-10) are seeking their second conference tournament title in three seasons and their fourth overall since joining the Sun Belt. Coastal won championships in 2016, 2017 and 2023, and several key contributors from its most recent title run — including Bailee Earnhardt, Emily Fowler, Anna Smith, Jalyn Stout and Emma Van Elslande — return to the postseason lineup.

Coastal has historically fared well in its tournament opener, going 7-2 in first-round games. The Chants have been the higher seed in every SBC Tournament they've appeared in, with only two opening losses — in 2018 and 2022 — after earning byes.

The Chants have also been one of the league's most consistent programs, earning a top-three overall/division seed in nine of their 10 seasons in the Sun Belt. This marks their third appearance as the East's No. 2 seed.

Coastal enters the postseason riding a six-win improvement from last year's regular season, when it finished 12-16. The Chants are looking to reverse recent fortunes against Texas State, which swept the teams' regular-season meeting in San Marcos and has won five straight in the series. The Bobcats lead the all-time series 14-4, though Coastal is 2-3 against them in tournament play.

Stout headlines Coastal's all-conference contingent after earning First Team All-Sun Belt honors for the third straight season. Stout recorded an NCAA-best 12 triple-doubles and recently surpassed 1,000 career kills, becoming the 13th Chanticleer to reach the milestone. She is also the only player in program history with more than 1,000 career assists, digs and kills.

Fowler and Rita were named to the second team. Rita enters the weekend with 137 blocks, ranking third on the program's single-season list. She ranks fifth in the Sun Belt in hitting percentage (.333), with Fowler seventh (.328). As a team, Coastal averages 2.55 blocks per set — the third-highest mark in school history and the best of the rally-scoring era.

Junior setter Ava Wallis has emerged as a key contributor, doubling her assist total from last season while more than tripling her digs. She has led the Chants in assists in 21 matches. Earnhardt has anchored the back row with a career-best 343 digs, along with 27 aces and 77 assists.

The first set has been a strong indicator for Coastal this season. The Chants are 15-2 when winning the opening frame, with only North Carolina and FIU handing them losses after dropping the first set.

The winner of Friday's match advances to Saturday's semifinals where it will face either Arkansas State, Georgia State or Southern Miss at 3 p.m. ET.