HUNTSVILLE — The Sam Houston volleyball team begins its Conference USA Tournament journey Friday at Memorial Gym, taking on third-seeded New Mexico State in the quarterfinals. 
 
The sixth-seeded Bearkats (13-16, 8-10 CUSA) are looking to navigate a tough field for a chance to secure a spot in the NCAA Championships. Friday's match is set for 8 p.m. with the winner advancing to Saturday's semifinal to face the victor of No. 2 UTEP and No. 7 Liberty. 
 
Sam Houston and NM State split their regular-season meetings in Huntsville. The Aggies, who lead the all-time series 3-1, claimed a 3-1 win in the first matchup in October, as the Bearkats played their fifth match in six days across two states. However, Sam Houston bounced back with a commanding sweep the following day to even the season series. 
 
This marks the Bearkats' first postseason appearance since 2021, when they fell to Grand Canyon in the WAC Tournament quarterfinals. It is the program's 27th conference tournament appearance, all under longtime head coach Brenda Gray. Sam Houston has made two NCAA Tournament appearances in its history, holding a 1-2 record. 
 
The match will be streamed on ESPN+ and live stats will be available via StatBroadcast.