Season Stats (PDF)

The No. 10-ranked Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team (11-1 overall, 4-0 MIAA) returns home to Bearcat Arena for matches Friday and Saturday against league foes.
 
The Bearcats will play host to Fort Hays State on Friday a 6 p.m. The Tigers are 6-7 overall and 3-2 in league play. Northwest will then take on No. 4-ranked Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday in a battle of two top-10 foes. The Bearcats and Lopers will square off in Maryville at 3 p.m. The Lopers are 13-0 overall and 4-0 in MIAA action.
 
Friday, Oct. 4
6 p.m., Fort Hays State at #10 Northwest – LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
Student Org Night – come out for a chance to win 250 wings courtesy of Carson's Sports Grille or a catering party courtesy of Campus Dining
 
Saturday, Oct. 5
3 p.m., #4 Nebraska-Kearney at #10 Northwest – LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
With two victories this weekend, Northwest would match its best MIAA start (6-0) in program history. Northwest began the 2018 season by winning its first six MIAA matches on its way to a 14-4 league record.
 
Northwest and Nebraska-Kearney are tied atop the MIAA standings with 4-0 league records. Washburn and Central Missouri sit a game back at 3-1.
 
Northwest climbed to No. 10 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll. It is the first time in program history that Northwest has recorded a top-10 national ranking. It marks the 13th time in program history that Northwest has been ranked in the AVCA top 25.

Northwest in AVCA Top 25
Sept. 19, 2016 – No. 22
Sept. 26, 2016 – No. 20
Oct. 3, 2016 – No. 18
Oct. 10, 2016 – No. 17
Oct. 17, 2016 – No. 17
Oct. 24, 2016 – No. 16
Oct. 31, 2016 – No. 21
Nov. 7, 2016 – No. 25
Nov. 14, 2016 – No. 25
Sept. 9, 2019 – No. 18
Sept. 16, 2019 – No. 15
Sept. 23, 2019 – No. 11
Sept. 30, 2019 – No. 10
 
Northwest is 4-0 in matches this season against ranked opponents. The Bearcats scored a 3-1 win at No. 12-ranked Central Missouri this past Saturday. Northwest knocked off No. 7-ranked Northern State in four sets at the Drury Invitational. Northwest began the season by defeating No. 23 Central Washington (3-0) and No. 18 Drury (3-2) at the Washburn Invitational.
 
Northwest vs. Ranked Foes in 2019
W, 3-0 vs. #23 Central Washington (Sept. 6)
W, 3-2 vs. #18 Drury (Sept. 7)
W, 3-1 vs. #7 Northern State (Sept. 13)
W, 3-1 at #12 Central Missouri (Sept. 21)
 
Northwest Opponents Ranked in This Week's AVCA Top 25
#4 Nebraska-Kearney (Oct. 5, Nov. 1)
#5 Washburn (Oct. 19, Nov. 15)
#9 Northern State (W, 3-1)
#13 Central Missouri (W, 3-1; Oct. 15)
RV Central Washington (W, 3-0)
 
Junior Maddy Ahrens (Appleton, Wisconsin) nabbed her third MIAA specialist of the week honor for his play in wins over Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern. Ahrens leads the squad in assists (522). She is second on the squad in service aces (15). Ahrens ranks No. 2 in the MIAA in assists per set (10.88) entering this weekend's set of matches. Ahrens recorded a season-best 58 assists in Northwest's 3-2 victory over Missouri Western (Sept. 18). Ahrens ranks No. 10 in Northwest history with 2,103 career assists and needs 56 more assists to tie Jennifer Hepnum (1989-1992), who posted 2,159 in her career. Ahrens earned all-tournament team honors at the Washburn Invitational.
 
Junior Hallie Sidney (Chesterfield, Missouri) is a two-time MIAA hitter of the week selection this season. Sidney leads the MIAA in kills (184) and kills per set (4.18). Sidney has reached double-figure kill totals in 10 of the 11 matches. Sidney has totaled at least nine kills in every match she has played in this season. Sidney notched a season-best 23 kills in Northwest's 3-2 win over Missouri Western (Sept. 18). Sidney was named to the all-tournament teams at the Drury Invitational and the Washburn Invitational.
 
Sophomore Bethany Elkins (Belton, Missouri) is leading the MIAA in hitting percentage (.388). Elkins is tops on the Bearcats in blocks (43). Elkins ranks No. 5 in the MIAA in blocks per set (0.90). Elkins has 138 kills (2.88 kills/set) this season. Elkins registered a career-high nine blocks in Northwest's 3-1 win at No. 12-ranked Central Missouri (Sept. 21). Elkins tallied a career-high 24 kills and hit .526 in Northwest's 3-2 win over Truman State. Elkins has eight double-figure kill performances this season after posting two in 2018.
 
Junior Morgan Lewis (Overland Park, Kansas) ranks second on the team in blocks (36) and third on the team in kills (128). Lewis possesses a .314 hitting percentage on the season. She hit .522 with 13 kills and one error in a 3-0 win at Missouri Southern. Lewis has posted seven double-figure kill totals in 2019. She posted a season-high seven blocks in a 3-1 win vs. Quincy. Lewis was named to the all-tournament team at the Drury Invitational.
 
Sophomore transfer Hannah Koechl (Innsbruck, Austria/Boise State) leads the team with 153 digs (3.19 digs/set) and in service aces (20). Koechl served up a season-high six aces in a 3-1 win at Pittsburg State. Koechl has recorded six consecutive double-figure dig totals entering this week's matches against Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney.
 
Sophomore Rachel Sturdevant (Kansas City, Missouri) notched her first double-double of the season with a 16-kill, 11-dig performance in a 3-1 win at Pittsburg State. Sturdevant ranks No. 2 on the team in digs (127; 2.95 digs/set).
 
Northwest is 4-0 in three-set matches this season. The Bearcats have won 23 straight matches that have ended in three sets dating back to the 2017 season.
 
The Bearcats at 3-1 in five-set matches in 2019.
 
For the sixth consecutive year and 13th time overall, the Bearcat volleyball team earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award. Northwest also tallied the AVCA Team Academic Award Honor Roll for the third straight year with a GPA ranked among the top-25 NCAA Division II schools. The Bearcat volleyball team recorded a 3.75 cumulative team grade point average during the 2018-19 season under the direction of head coach Amy Woerth. Northwest is one of 141 NCAA Division II schools to gain the AVCA Team Academic Award this year.
 
Eighth-year head coach Amy Woerth is looking to guide the Bearcats to an improvement in the MIAA standings for the seventh straight season. Woerth, who was named the 2018 MIAA Coach of the Year, and the Bearcats set a program record with 14 MIAA wins in 2018.
 
2013 – 9^th, 6-10 in MIAA
2014 – 7^th, 8-14 in MIAA
2015 – 7^th, 8-10 in MIAA
2016 – 6^th, 10-8 in MIAA
2017 – 5^th, 11-7 in MIAA
2018 – 4^th, 14-4 MIAA
 
Woerth ranks No. 3 in Bearcat coaching history with 125 career victories, trailing only Sarah Pelster (1991-2002) with 199 wins and Pam Stanek (1977-1981) with 176 triumphs.
 
The Bearcats registered 22 wins last season, their 15th 20-win campaign in program history. Northwest will be looking for back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 1999. The Bearcats had 25 wins in 1999 after notching 21 wins in 1998.