Auburn, Ala. – Northwestern State heads to the War Eagle Classic for one last tune-up in the final matches of non-conference competition this weekend.  The squad will face Jacksonville State on Friday at 4 p.m. followed by Saturday matches against Florida A&M at 9:30 a.m. and host Auburn at 7:30 p.m.

"It's going to be three challenging matches just like last weekend," fifth-year head coach Hugh Hernesman said. "Auburn just went five (sets) with Florida State who is No. 6 in the nation. They're a young team but obviously a very talented team. (Head coach) Terry Gamble over at Jacksonville State is a very good friend of ours who was previously at McNeese and is off to a good start over there."

For the second consecutive Saturday, NSU volleyball will be showcased on ESPN3.com in conjunction with WatchESPN and SEC Network Plus. The game will provide a national platform for the program – this time against the Auburn Tigers.

"I think our sport is getting more exposure; it speaks toward what an exciting sport it is," Hernesman said. "For our program to put ourselves in that situation to have that attention is great for our fans, it's great for recruiting and it's great for our players to be able to be recognized for what they do."

NSU (3-7) is coming off a 3-1 loss against a formidable Baylor team in Waco that is known for its physical play. Arguably the biggest positive from the match was senior libero Keelie Arneson's return to the court after missing four matches with an injury.

"Having her back calms the rest of the floor," Hernesman said. "Keelie does things that make everyone else's job easier. I think it had a calming effect on our staff because we really know what to expect from her. Talking to her afterwards, she thought she played bad but she had 31 digs in four sets against a Big 12 team that is very physical. We thought she did a real good job."

Jacksonville State enters the weekend at 5-6 and on a two-game win streak.  Among the six losses includes a 3-0 defeat to Southland Conference foe Southeastern Louisiana during opening weekend. The matchup will mark the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Florida A&M heads to Auburn seeking to pick up its first win after starting the season out 0-9. In its most recent action, the squad traveled to Austin for a trio of matches against Central Florida, Arizona and Texas. NSU and Florida A&M met once before in 1994 resulting in 3-2 Lady Rattlers win.

Auburn comes into weekend play with a 5-5 record including a 2-1 home record. In their last action, the Tigers pushed No. 6 Florida State to five sets, eventually dropping the road match, 3-2. This weekend will mark the second consecutive home tournament for Auburn who hosted the Active Ankle Challenge last weekend posting victories over Troy and Winthrop before dropping the finale 3-2 to South Florida. Saturday night's matchup will mark the first-ever between NSU and Auburn.

Following the weekend slate, NSU will open Southland Conference play next Thursday at McNeese State with action getting underway at 7 o'clock.