BC Takes on Vanderbilt in Showdown at the Net

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Boston College Volleyball is set to take on Vanderbilt (5-0, 0-0 SEC) on Wedneday, September 9 at 7 p.m. in the Margot Connell Rec. Center. Coverage of the game can be seen on ACCNX.

Inside the Match-Up

Vanderbilt
The Eagles will host Vanderbilt at the Margot Connell Recreation Center on Sept. 9 as part of the ACC/SEC Showdown at the Net. The matchup will mark the first meeting between Boston College and Vanderbilt, creating a brand-new series between the two programs.

Vanderbilt volleyball enters its matchup with Boston College with a 5-0 record. The Commodores opened their season with straight-set wins over Charleston and Memphis before sweeping Maryland and defeating Rutgers, 3-1, in the Big Ten/SEC Challenge. Vanderbilt capped its opening homestand with another 3-0 sweep of Samford this past Sunday.

Showdown at the Net History
BC will participate in the second year of the Showdown at the Net, an ACC/SEC volleyball challenge that brings teams from the two conferences together. Last season, the Eagles came away with a victory over Arkansas after going five sets. Audrey Ross had a team-high 12 kills and 13 digs, while Sam Hoppes recorded five kills and total blocks in the victory.

The ACC led the way, as nine teams took wins across the event.

Spectacular Season Opener
Boston College continues to start the 2026 season off strong, earning another sweep of its opponents to hold a 5-0 record. The Eagles opened the weekend with a 3-0 win over Stonehill (9/3). Audrey Ross led the way with 14 kills, while Lucie Vesela made her debut for the Eagles. Friday, BC took down Bucknell, 3-0. The match was highlighted by the opening set, which BC won 25-3. Sofija Marjanovic excelled with three service aces, matching a career-high for the fourth time. In the final game of the invitational, BC took on UNH in a matchup between two undefeated teams. Sam Hoppes (17) and Reese Dunkle (11) led the way with career-high kills in a game, as the Eagles would take down the Wildcats, 3-1. Vesela also logged a team-best 23 assists in the victory.

Boston College is 5-0 for the second straight season and fifth time overall under Head Coach Jason Kennedy.

ACC Rankings
Through the first weekend of volleyball, Boston College and several players rank among the top 10 in the conference.

In 16 sets, Boston College ranks first in the ACC in opponent assists (8.88/set), third in hitting percentage (.302), and fifth in service aces (1.81/set).

Individually, Audrey Ross ranks second in kills per set (4.88) and points per set (5.53). Reese Dunkle is fourth in the conference in hitting percentage (.412). Sofija Marjanovic (0.63) and Brooklyn Yelland (0.56) rank third and fourth in the ACC in service aces per set, with Yelland also having the tenth-best dig-per-set rate (3.63) in the conference.

For Welles
Wednesday's matchup against Vanderbilt will be the Red Bandanna Game, played in honor of Welles Crowther '99, who tragically passed away in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. "The Man in the Red Bandanna," Crowther is remembered for courageously saving over a dozen lives in the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

BC Takes on Vanderbilt in Showdown at the Net

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Players Mentioned

Reese Dunkle

Sam Hoppes

Sofija Marjanovic

Audrey Ross

Lucie Vesela

Brooklyn Yelland

Boston College Athletics