NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State head volleyball coach Leah Johnson announced on Monday that the 2018 spring schedule has been finalized.
Illinois State will play three-straight weekends next month, beginning with its home tournament held at Redbird Arena on April 7. The Redbirds will then travel for a single match at the University of Illinois on April 13 at 6 p.m., before playing in their second all-day tournament of the spring slate at Northern Illinois on April 14. Illinois State will conclude the spring season on April 20 at Notre Dame with a match set for 5 p.m.
In Johnson's first year at the helm, the Redbirds finished in the top-15 nationally in several statistical categories, as Illinois State compiled the third-most digs as a team (2,515) and fourth-highest digs per set (19.20), led by libero Courtney Pence who finished the season with the second-most digs (821) in all of NCAA Division I.
On October 27, 2017, Johnson coached the Redbirds to their first win over a nationally-ranked opponent in nearly 14 years as Illinois State topped No. 25 UNI at Redbird Arena. The win was Illinois State's first over a Top-25 team since the Redbirds beat then-No. 8 UNI on Nov. 21, 2003 at Redbird Arena, also in five sets.
The 2017 Redbirds finished with an overall record of 22-13 with an impressive 13-5 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play – the best record in league action for Illinois State since the Redbirds went undefeated in 2014.
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