CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Illinois State volleyball team is prepped to face a loaded tournament field to start the 2022 campaign, as the Redbirds are scheduled to face Cincinnati and 2021 NCAA Tournament second-round qualifying Florida State and Dayton in the "Tribute to #10" at Cincinnati.
SCHEDULE
Friday at 10 a.m. CT: at Cincinnati (19-9 in 2021) | WATCH | LIVE STATS
Friday at 3 p.m. CT: vs. Florida State (20-10 in 2021) | LIVE STATS
Saturday at 5:30 p.m. CT: vs. Dayton (26-6 in 2021) | LIVE STATS
LOADED FIELD AT CINCINNATI
Illinois State opens the Allie Matters era by traveling to Cincinnati to face a loaded field, as the Redbirds' opponents combined to finish 65-25 (.722) in 2021 with both Florida State and Dayton advancing to the NCAA Tournament's 2nd Round. Both Florida State and Dayton are receiving votes in the preseason AVCA poll.
NEW HEAD COACH
Allie Matters enters her first season at Illinois State after four seasons at Wright State. Matters is joined by Matt DePauw (previously at Central Michigan) and Hayden Wagner (previously at Cincinnati).
PRESEASON ALL-MVC
Redbird seniors Kaity Weimerskirch and Sarah Kushner (both First Team All-MVC in 2021) were named Preseason All-MVC by the conference's 12 head coaches. ISU's two selections took up a third of the preseason team as only players were selected.
PRESEASON FAVORITES
High expectations await the 2022 Illinois State team as the Redbirds were picked by the MVC's 12 head coaches to win the conference. The 'Birds received five first-place votes.
NCAA TOURNAMENT IN 2022
The 'Birds made their fourth-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2021.The 'Birds are one of only 21 teams in the nation that have made it to each of the last four NCAA Tournaments. Illinois State will seek to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the fifth-straight season for the first time in program history in 2022.
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