NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State volleyball team is set to host the Redbird Classic at Redbird Arena on Friday and Saturday. All Illinois State matches will be on ESPN+/3.
SCHEDULE
-Friday at 10 a.m. CT: vs. Oral Roberts (2-1 in 2022, 18-11 in 2021) | WATCH | LIVE STATS
-Friday at 7:30 p.m. CT: vs. Green Bay (1-2 in 2022, 15-16 in 2021) | WATCH | LIVE STATS
-Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT: vs. SEMO (2-1 in 2022, 26-8 in 2021) | WATCH | LIVE STATS
PROMOTIONS
Friday, September 2 vs. Green Bay – 7:30 p.m. – Red Out/College Colors Day
· Pre-match banner-raising ceremony honoring 2021 championship team
· In celebration of College Colors Day, all fans are asked to wear red attire
· The first 200 students in attendance presenting an Illinois State University ID will take home a red "roll birds" specialty t-shirt in a giveaway presented by Young America
· Concession Special: $2 Hot Dogs
*Reminder* Bloomington Public Library Summer Reading Program voucher valid for this match only
RALLIED IN ROUND 1
Illinois State trailed Cincinnati 2-1 after four sets and 9-3 in the 5th set but rallied to upend the Bearcats in the season-opening match. Freshman Regan Haith led the way tallying 9 blocks (most for a Redbird in a season-opening match since Kelsey Holman in 2010 and the most by a true freshman since Jaelyn Keene in 2014) to go with 8 kills (.400%) and 4 service aces.
ACE, ACE, ACE
Illinois State and Kent State are the only schools in the country with multiple matches with 12+ aces. Illinois State's 32 service aces is T-7th in the nation. Kaity Weimerskirch's 10 service aces are T-9 in the nation.
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.
NON-ISU MATCHES
Friday, 12:30 p.m. CT: SEMO vs Green Bay
Friday, 5:00 p.m. CT: SEMO vs Oral Roberts
Saturday, 12:00 p.m. CT: Green Bay vs Oral Roberts
For all latest on Illinois State volleyball, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
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