The Alabama State University volleyball team is set to host the Second Annual ISTAP Collegiate Cup on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 13-14 in the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.

Along with the Lady Hornets the other teams participating will be University of New Orleans, SWAC-member Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Jacksonville State and Savannah State.

There will be five games each day with each team playing four times over the two-day tournament. The first game each day will begin at 11 a.m. with the following games set to begin at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

"We are so grateful for ISTAP in hosting this Collegiate Cup for the second year," Head Coach Penny Lucas-White said. "A lot of people have heard of ISTAP, but few know about all of the things they do for ASU's athletic programs and this is just one of many. What makes this group of people so special is the love they have for ASU and the enthusiasm in which they show that love. They are so hospitable with our guest teams and they will be here early each day and stay late."

ASU (2-6) will play New Orleans (0-8) at 1 p.m. on Friday and will host Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-10) to end the first day of games at 7 p.m. Saturday, the Lady Hornets will play in-state rival Jacksonville State (2-6) at 3 p.m. and end the tournament playing host to fellow HBCU member, Savannah State (0-8) at 7 p.m.

"I am really excited about the teams that agreed to come to our tournament this year," Lucas-White said. "It looks like all of the games will be highly competitive and with it still being early in the season, the teams are still working hard to get ready for their conference seasons and trying to get on a roll."

The Lady Hornets are being led by sophomore Amber Bennett who has already been named to the All-Tournament Team at the Central Florida Invitational and just last week was named the SWAC's Defensive Player of the Week after registering 15 blocks during the week. Bennett leads ASU in kills with 83 and in blocks with 24.

"Amber is really playing well both offensively and defensively," Lucas-White said. "She is growing into the middle hitter and blocker we knew she could be and she really has no ceiling as to how high she can go."

As well as Bennett is playing she is not the only middle hitter ASU has. Myla Marshall and LaToya Ellington are playing well in those positions as well. Marshall is coming off a weekend which saw her set a career-high with 20 kills against North Carolina A&T.

"Myla and LaToya are two really good players and they have given us a great option along the front line," Lucas-White said. "Those two players along with Amber have given us so many different options because they are all hitting the ball well and are registering a lot of blocks."

ASU goes into the tournament with something else they have not had around the campus in a long time and that is two setters that can play on the floor at the same time.

Brooke Beasley led the SWAC in assists in conference games last year on her way to being named the 2012 SWAC Newcomer of the Year. This year the Lady Hornets added transfer Ellyn Jones to the team from IUPUI. She was the starting setter at IUPUI and helped lead that team to a conference title.

They are both playing well and Beasley has already been named the SWAC Setter of the Week after the first week of competition and Jones has showed her passing ability with 30 assists over the weekend against North Carolina A&T.

"With the addition of Ellyn to the team, things have opened up so much for Brooke," Lucas-White said. "Brooke has always been an all-around good player and you are able to see that this year as Ellyn has taken on some of the setting responsibilities."

Beasley still leads the team in assists with 123, but Jones is not far behind with 118. Together they have helped the Lady Hornets lead the conference in assists with 262. Beasley is also able to use her 6' frame along the front line as she is second on the team in blocks with 18.

Another transfer, Tiara Kelley, has also been a bright spot for the Lady Hornets. She is hitting over .250 and was named to the All-Tournament Team over the past weekend at the Aggie/Spartan Invitational. Kelley is second on the team in kills with 56.

One area the Lady Hornets know they are going to be ok in is at libero. Senior Luiza Griz continues to show why she is an All-SWAC performer and already has 74 digs on the season. Griz enters this weekend of play with 852 career digs, needing only 148 to garner her 1,000th career dig.

"We are still such a young team, but the girls have done a lot of good things," Lucas-White said. "It is going to be fun this weekend to build on what we are doing and to also improve in the areas where we need improvement. It is also exciting since this is the first time we have played at home this year and all of our fans will be able to come out and show their support."

Live stats of all the games can be viewed at bamastatesports.com and the games featuring ASU will be shown live on the web, also at bamastatesports.com.