CONWAY, S.C. – After an encouraging first three weeks of practice, Coastal Carolina will finally play somebody else on Friday, Aug. 22, in a road exhibition match at the College of Charleston. The first serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. at TD Arena.

The Chanticleers are looking for a bounce-back season after finishing outside the top two in the Sun Belt East Division for the first time, tying for third with a 7-9 league record while posting a 13-17 overall mark. 

College of Charleston was picked to repeat as CAA champions, edging Hofstra by two points in the preseason coaches' poll. The Cougars swept the CAA regular season and tournament titles a year ago and compiled a 25-9 overall record. 

Coastal was picked third in the East Division in the annual Sun Belt preseason coaches' poll, while junior Jalyn Stout was named preseason Player of the Year. 

Stout earned First Team All-Sun Belt honors in 2024, ranking third in the Sun Belt in points (457.5) and total kills (402), sixth in kills per set (3.41), and 11th in digs (392). She posted double-digit assists in 29 of 30 matches, digs in 26 matches, and kills in 21 matches. Stout reset her NCAA record for most triple-doubles in a season with 20. 

Coastal returns seven letterwinners, including two of its three top outside hitters, Emily Fowler and Emma Van Elslande. Fowler finished third on the team in kills last season with 250 and had the most blocks of any returning player, 61. Van Elslande played in 84 sets and registered 143 kills, fifth-most on the team.
 
Senior defensive specialist Bailee Earnhardt appeared in 28 matches and collected 183 digs. Junior setter Ava Wallis played in just 11 matches but posted an average of 5.07 assists per set, while junior libero Anna Smith is the only returning player other than Stout to see action in all 30 matches. 

The Chanticleers welcome eight newcomers to the 2025 squad, including a foursome of transfers: graduate middle blocker Kibi Jae' Huggins, graduate libero Becca Micelle, junior middle blocker Anna Rita, and sophomore outside hitter Anzley Rinard, and four freshmen: Elin Andersson, Kayla Channell, Bella Loeswick, and Julia Rose Rivera.
  
Coastal Carolina opens its regular season Labor Day weekend as the Chants host Maryland and North Carolina. CCU will face the Terrapins on Friday, Aug. 29, at 6 p.m. and the Tar Heels on Sunday, Aug. 31, at 1 p.m.