PINE BLUFF, AR — The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Lady Lions volleyball team has unveiled its 2025 schedule as it enters its fourth season under head coach Gabrielle Floyd—a campaign filled with regional rivalries, conference battles, and high-level tournament opportunities. The Lady Lions will play a competitive 29-match regular-season slate, highlighted by three early-season tournaments and nine home matchups inside H.O. Clemmons Arena.
The season begins with an exhibition on Saturday, August 16, as UAPB visits Philander Smith in Little Rock. Just two weeks later, the Lady Lions officially open the year at the Betty Austin Invitational, a MEAC/SWAC Challenge hosted in Huntsville, Alabama. There, UAPB will take on Morgan State, Delaware State, and South Carolina State from August 29–30 in a weekend filled with top-tier HBCU competition.
The following weekend brings the Belmont Invitational in Nashville, Tennessee, where the Lady Lions are set to face off against Belmont, Tennessee State, and Nicholls State on September 5–6. UAPB then travels to New Orleans for the Southland-SWAC Challenge, featuring matchups against New Orleans, Nicholls State, and Abilene Christian from September 11–13.
From September 18–20, the Lady Lions head to Texas for the Texan Classic hosted by Tarleton State. There, they will meet Tarleton State, North Texas, and Louisiana Tech before closing out non-conference play on the road at Oral Roberts on Tuesday, September 23.
Southwestern Athletic Conference action opens with an Alabama road swing, taking on Alabama State on September 28and Alabama A&M on September 29. After a visit to Grambling State on October 2, the Lady Lions return home for a key homestand at H.O. Clemmons Arena, welcoming Southern on October 5 and Alcorn State on October 6.
Mid-October features a Texas road trip with back-to-back matches at Texas Southern on October 12 and Prairie View A&M on October 13. The Lady Lions then defend home court with four straight SWAC matchups: Mississippi Valley State on October 19, Jackson State on October 20, Bethune-Cookman on October 24, and Florida A&M on October 26.
After hosting Grambling State on November 6, UAPB wraps up the regular season with a road stretch at Southern (November 9) and Alcorn State (November 10), before closing out the home slate with Texas Southern (November 14) and Prairie View A&M (November 16).
Postseason play begins at the Cricket Wireless SWAC Volleyball Tournament, scheduled for November 21 in Tallahassee, Florida. With a year of growth behind them and a deep roster ready to compete, the Lady Lions will aim to make a strong statement and fight for a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
With a challenging non-conference lineup and a balanced SWAC schedule, the 2025 season represents a pivotal moment in the program's upward climb. Under Coach Floyd's continued leadership, the Lady Lions are poised to rise, bringing pride, intensity, and resilience into every match.
