Volleyball Closes Non-Conference Season with Tournament in Dayton

DAYTON, Ohio - The Illinois State volleyball squad closes the non-conference portion of their schedule this weekend, as the squad travels east to Dayton, Ohio, to compete in the Dayton Flyer Invitational, where ISU will face off against UC Santa Barbara (who is receiving votes in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll), Wright State, and Dayton over a two-day stretch.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE

Sept. 19 - 10:00 a.m. (CT) - vs UC Santa Barbara - STATS
Sept. 19 - 4 p.m. (CT) - vs Wright State - STATS
Sept. 20 - noon (CT) - at Dayton - WATCH | STATS

HIGH SCORING SET

This season the Redbirds have played in seven sets that have needed more than 25 points to secure a win, and ISU is 4-3 in those sets. ISU's second-set win against Butler saw a score of 34-32, which is the second-highest scoring set in program history, and is the fifth-highest scoring set in the NCAA this season.

FACING HER FORMER SCHOOL

Illinois State head coach Allie Matters had previously coached at Wright State University, ISU's second opponent at the Invitational. Matters coached the Raiders from 2018 until 2021, and had a 79-30 record with WSU. One remaining Wright State student-athlete - Taylor Bransfield - played for Matters during her tenure with the Raiders, while WSU assistant coaches Megan Alders and Cam Hausler also played under Matters during their student-athlete days.
 

BIG CROWD FOR OPENING WEEKEND

During ISU's opening weekend closer against Illinois, 2,874 fans were on-hand inside CEFCU Arena for the tournament. That total is among the 10 best crowds to see the Redbirds play at home since 2003.
 

MVC PLAYER OF THE WEEK

The award is her second career MVC Player of the Week honor, as she had previously earned the award on October 7, 2024. She had 29 total kills over nine sets in the opening weekend, and she is averaging 3.22 kills per set, while hitting at a .278 percentage. She is one of two players in the MVC to be averaging at least 3.0 kills and digs, and the only player to rank inside of the top-15 in kills per set, hitting percentage, aces per set, and digs per set. The Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, native, led the Redbirds in kills during two of her three matches on the week, knocking down a season-high 12 in the opener against 2024 NIVC qualifier DePaul, and 11 more against Oakland in the weekend finale.

CONSECUTIVE SET WINS

By sweeping the opening weekend of the 2025 season, the Redbirds won nine consecutive sets. The Redbirds won the first two sets of their next match against Loyola, running the consecutive set streak to 11, tied for the second-longest season-opening streak in school history.

DOUBLE-DIGIT KILLS

This season the Redbirds have had nine student-athletes (Ruth Ziegler, Khenedi Guest, Caitlyn Little, Logan Grevengoed, Aida Shadewald, Oliwia Caputa, Ne'Khaela Rogers, Abby Reck, and Hannah Reichensperger) record a match with double-digit kills, tied for the most in a season since 2003.
 

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS

In the season-opening Western Michigan Tournament, three Redbirds - Aida Shadewald, Arianna Rossi, and Ruth Ziegler - were named to the All-Tournament Team, with Shadewald earning Most Valuable Player honors. A week later, Logan Grevengoed was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Kwik Star Klassic.

PRESEASON POLL

Returning eight student-athletes that started at least nine matches last season, while bringing in the top-rated recruiting class in program history, has the Illinois State volleyball team picked to finish third in the preseason Missouri Valley Coaches Poll. Two Redbirds – Aida Shadewald and Khenedi Guest – were named to the preseason All-MVC squad.
 

ALL-TIME SERIES

Illinois State has previously played each of the other three schools from the Linda Herman Classic, with a winning record against one, a tied series against another, and a losing record against the third. Against Miami, the Redbirds are 1-2, with their lone win coming during the 2012 Redbird Classic. ISU is 15-6 all-time against the Bearcats, and are riding a two-match win streak, including a four-set win in Cincinnati during the 2022 season. The all-time series against the Illini is knotted at 32 wins apiece, with the Redbirds' last win coming on September 17, 2022 in Milwaukee.