The New Orleans Privateers beach volleyball team will finish their regular season at the NOLA Classic, starting on April 16. The event will take place at White Sands, where the team began their season.
The tournament is significant as it provides the last opportunity for the Privateers to prepare before entering the conference tournament. On Friday, New Orleans is scheduled to play Southern Miss, Florida International University (FIU), and Tulane. Saturday’s matches include games against nationally ranked Arizona and ULM.
Last week, the Privateers achieved a 2-2 record at the Battle on the Bayou in Baton Rouge. They secured a close win over Texas A&M-Kingsville and ended with a victory against Spring Hill.
Cassie and Ellie Sieling have extended their winning streak to 11 matches, marking the longest run by any Privateer duo since 2022. The sisters are currently 18-5 together in flight one and have won eight of those matches in straight sets. Brooke Dow and Ashley Salazar have also been consistent performers at flight two, recording a 3-1 result last weekend and holding a season record of 14-8 as partners.
Looking ahead, New Orleans will enter next week’s conference tournament as the fifth seed. Their first-round match will be against Houston Christian University (HCU), who previously defeated them by a narrow margin earlier this season. In addition to facing Arizona—ranked twentieth nationally—the team will also play Tulane, which has received votes in recent coaches’ polls.
The upcoming NOLA Classic offers one final test for New Orleans before postseason play begins.
