Wednesday, Nov. 3
Missouri Southern at Northwest Missouri State, 6 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
Friday, Nov. 5
Central Oklahoma at Northwest Missouri State, 5 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, Nov. 6
Newman at Northwest Missouri State, 2 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
Yet another three-match week awaits the No. 5-ranked Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team with all three matches taking place in Bearcat Arena.
 
Northwest (19-4 overall, 12-3 MIAA) will entertain a trio of opponents in Bearcat Arena. The action will get underway Wednesday with a makeup match against the Missouri Southern Lions (3-22 overall, 0-15 MIAA). Friday will bring Central Oklahoma (18-7 overall, 11-6 MIAA) to town for a 5 p.m. start. The Bearcats will wrap up the week's action with a Saturday 2 p.m. match against Newman (9-14 overall, 5-12 MIAA).

Admission for home Northwest volleyball matches in Bearcat Arena is $5. Northwest students are admitted free with their student ID.
 
Northwest vs. Missouri Southern
Northwest holds a 41-28-1 record against Missouri Southern in 70 all-time meetings. Northwest has won 11 consecutive matchups with Missouri Southern. The Bearcats have the last five matches against the Lions in 3-0 sweeps. Northwest has won 19 straight sets vs. the Lions.
 
Northwest vs. Central Oklahoma
Northwest produced a five-set win at Central Oklahoma on Oct. 9 – for the program's first-ever win in Edmond over the Bronchos. UCO holds a 16-4 lead in the all-time series.
 
Northwest vs. Newman
The Bearcats are a perfect 10-0 all-time against the Jets. On Oct. 8, Northwest produced a 3-1 win over Newman in Wichita, Kan. Northwest is 3-0 vs. Newman in Bearcat Arena.
 
Head coach Amy Woerth will honor five seniors prior to their final home match Saturday against Newman. Maddy Ahrens, Kelsey Havel, Hannah Koechl, Sophie McMullen and Rachel Sturdevant will play in their final home regular season. Since the 2017 season, Northwest has won 79 overall matches with 50 of those coming in MIAA contests
 
The Bearcats begin the week  2 1/2 game out of first place in the MIAA standings. Central Missouri is on top of the league standings at 15-1. Washburn is in second place 14-2 in league play. Northwest follows at 12-3. Nebraska-Kearney is in fourth place with an MIAA record of 11-5 and Central Oklahoma is in fifth place at 11-6.
 
Northwest's 12 MIAA wins are the third-most league wins in program history. Each of the last five seasons has produced the most MIAA wins in program history. Northwest's 2018 squad set the school record with 14 MIAA victories.
 
Northwest's MIAA Wins – Single Season
1. 14 – 2018
2. 13 – 2019
3. 12 – 2021
4. 11 – 2017
5. 10 – 1999
    10 – 2010
    10 – 2016
7. 8 – 2011
    8 – 2014
    8 – 2015
 
Northwest is ranked No. 3 in the nation in assists (1,197). The Bearcats are ranked No. 5 in the country in kills per set (14.65).
 
The first set result has not been a tell-tale sign for the Bearcat volleyball team this season. Northwest has dropped the first set 10 times, but has gone on to win seven of the 10 matches. Northwest is 12-1 when winning the initial set.
 
The Bearcats are a 5-1 in five-set matches this season.
 
Most Five-Set Wins – Single-Season
1. – 1990 – 7 (7-1)
2. – 1998 – 6 (6-2)
       2019 – 6 (6-2)
4. – 1997 – 5 (5-4)
       2005 – 5 (5-2)
       2016 – 5 (5-5)
       2021 – 5 (5-1)
 
Northwest has been strong on the road this season putting together an 8-1 mark. The Bearcats have produced a record of 14-2 in road/neutral matches this year.
 
Most Road Wins – Single-Season
1. - 1994 - 10
2. - 1980 - 9
3. - 1999 - 8
      2018 - 8
      2021 – 8
5. - 2019 – 7
6. - 2005 - 6
       2016 - 6
       2017 – 6
10. - 1993 - 5
       1997 - 5
       1998 – 5
 
Road/Neutral Records in Amy Woerth Coaching Era
2021 – 14-2
2019 – 15-5
2018 – 15-5
2017 – 11-12
2016 – 13-4
2015 – 10-10
2014 – 6-12
2013 – 9-13
 
Northwest dropped two spots to No. 5 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches' Association Division II Top 25 rankings. It marks the 32nd time in program history that Northwest has been ranked in the AVCA Top 25. Northwest set the program's highest ranking at No. 3 in the Oct. 25, 2021, poll. Northwest has been ranked in the AVCA Top-10 eight times – with six of those coming in the 2021 season.

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
Oct. 7, 2019 – No. 10
Oct. 14, 2019 – No. 14
Oct. 21, 2019 – No. 14
Oct. 28, 2019 – No. 14
Nov. 4, 2019 – No. 14
Nov. 11, 2019 – No. 19
Nov. 18, 2019 – No. 20
Nov. 25, 2019 – No. 21
Dec. 16, 2019 – No. 25
2021 Preseason – No. 17
Sept. 6, 2021 – No. 8
Sept. 13, 2021 – No. 12
Sept. 20, 2021 – No. 13
Sept. 27, 2021 – No. 13
Oct. 4, 2021 – No. 10
Oct. 11, 2021 – No. 9
Oct. 18, 2021 – No. 6
Oct. 25, 2021 – No. 3
Nov. 1, 2021 – No. 5
 
The Bearcats have recorded three wins this year over top-10 ranked opponents. Northwest posted the program's first-ever win over a No. 1-ranked foe when the Bearcats took down the top-ranked Washburn Ichabods in five sets on Oct. 15 in the Hughes Fieldhouse. Northwest posted a five-set win over then No. 5-ranked Tampa on Sept. 4. Northwest recorded a 3-1 win at No. 10-ranked Nebraska-Kearney on Oct. 1.
 
This year marks the third straight season that Northwest has knocked off a top-10 ranked opponent. Northwest scored a 3-0 win over No. 9-ranked Central Missouri in the 2018 season. In 2019, Northwest recorded a 3-1 victory over No. 7-ranked Northern State.
 
Northwest's MIAA Athletes of the Week (2021)
Alyssa Rezac (Setter) - Oct. 4
Kelsey Havel (Offensive) - Oct. 4
Alyssa Rezac (Setter) - Oct. 11
Hannah Koechl (Defensive) - Oct. 11
Payton Kirchhoefer (Offensive) - Oct. 18
Alyssa Rezac (Setter) - Oct. 18
Hannah Koechl (Defensive) - Oct. 18
 
Sophomore Alyssa Rezac (Wahoo, Neb.) leads Northwest in assists (878 – 11.55 assists per set). She ranks No. 2 in the MIAA and No. 6 in the nation in assists per set. Rezac regaled the UCO Bronchos with a career-high 66 assists and 16 digs in a five-set triumph in Edmond, Okla. She posted a phenomenal 48-assist, 24-dig effort in a five-set win over No. 5 Tampa (Sept. 4). Rezac sparked the No. 13 Bearcats to a 3-1 win over Pittsburg State. Rezac tallied a career-high 54 assists and added 19 digs in the four-set win against the Gorillas. Rezac had 60 assists, 10 digs, five blocks and three kills in a 3-2 win over No. 1-ranked Washburn. She has posted four matches of 60 or more assists in 2021. She has 11 double-doubles this season and 12 for her career.
 
MIAA Assists Per Set Leaders (through Nov. 1)
1. Maddie Squiers (Neb.-Kearney)     11.73
2. Alyssa Rezac (Northwest)               11.55
3. Allison Sadler (Washburn)              10.60
4. Brianna Richard (Pittsburg State)   10.21
5. Ally Offerdahl (Central Missouri)    9.49
 
Freshman Payton Kirchhoefer (Omaha, Neb.) leads the squad in kills (335 – 3.81 kills/set). She leads the MIAA in kills (335), kills per set (3.81), points scored (359) and in points per set (4.08). Kirchhoefer posted a season-best 26 kills in a four-set match with Michigan Tech (Sept. 10). Kirchhoefer matched her career-high with 26 kills in Northwest's 3-2 win over No. 1-ranked Washburn. She has tallied 15 double-figure kill matches, including eight straight heading into Friday's match at Pittsburg State. Kirchhoefer earned her first MIAA offensive athlete of the week award for her performance in wins over Missouri Western, No. 1 Washburn and Emporia State. Kirchhoefer averaged 4.85 kills per set (63 total kills in 13 sets) as Northwest went 1-2 against MIAA foes No. 5 Central Missouri, Fort Hays State and No. 15 Nebraska-Kearney. She hit .342 over the three matches. Kirchhoefer netted 23 kills (.283) against Central Missouri, 23 kills (.415) vs. Fort Hays State and 17 kills (.326) vs. Nebraska-Kearney.
 
MIAA Total Kill Leaders (through Nov. 1)
1. Payton Kirchhoefer (Northwest)    335
2. Genna Berg (Washburn)                 308
3. Courtney Lane (Central Okla.)        306
4. Meg Auten (Pittsburg State)          284
5. Salome Romp (Newman)               278
 
MIAA Kill Per Set Leaders (through Nov. 1)
1. Payton Kirchhoefer (Northwest)    3.81
2. Genna Berg (Washburn)                 3.62
3. Courtney Lane (Central Okla.)        3.56
4. Meg Auten (Pittsburg State)          3.46
5. Salome Romp (Newman)               3.43
 
MIAA Total Points Scored Leaders (through Nov. 1)
1. Payton Kirchhoefer (Northwest)    359.0
2. Courtney Lane (Central Okla.)        344.5
3. Genna Berg (Washburn)                 342.0
4. Audrey Fisher (Central Missouri)   332.0
5. Allison Maxwell (Washburn)          324.0
 
MIAA Points Scored Per Set Leaders (through Nov. 1)
1. Payton Kirchhoefer (Northwest)    4.08
2. Genna Berg (Washburn)                 4.02
3. Courtney Lane (Central Okla.)        4.01
4. Audrey Fisher (Central Missouri)   3.86
5. Allison Maxwell (Washburn)          3.81
 
Junior Hannah Koechl (Innsbruck Austria) has posted a team-best 361 digs (4.75 digs/set). She ranks sixth in the MIAA in total digs (361). She has reached double-figure dig totals in 16 of the 20 matches. She registered a season-high 38 digs in a five-set win over Grand Valley State (Sept. 10).
 
MIAA Total Dig Leaders (through Nov. 1)
1. Faith Rottinghaus (Washburn)       564
2. Katie Le (Central Oklahoma)          508
3. Rylie Fornelli (Emporia State)         441
4. Jessica Sachen (Missouri Western) 415
5. Hannah Koechl (Nothwest)            408
 
Junior Rachel Sturdevant (Kansas City, Mo.) is hitting a team-best .302, which ranks No. 9 in the MIAA. Sturdevant has posted seven or more kills in 12 of the last 14 matches. She has posted eight double-figure kill totals this season.
 
Sophomore Jaden Ferguson (Omaha, Neb.) is hitting .268 and ranks No. 2 in the team in kills (225 – 2.53 kills/set). Ferguson notched a season-best 18 kills vs. Grand Valley State (Sept. 10). Ferguson has had at least eight kills in 15 of Northwest's 18 matches this season. Ferguson was credited with a career-high seven blocks in a five-set win over No. 5-ranked Tampa (Sept. 4).
 
Redshirt freshman Abby Brunssen (Atkins, Iowa) leads the Bearcats in blocks (68). Brunssen produced a season-high seven blocks in Northwest's 3-1 win at No. 10-ranked Nebraska-Kearney. She is credited the eighth-best attack percentage in a four-set match in Bearcat history against Missouri Western. Brunssen tallied a .562 attack percentage with 11 kills and two errors on 16 attacks in the four-set win over the Griffons. Brunssen went for back-to-back six-block matches at Newman and at Central Oklahoma. She also produced a career-high 13 kills in the five-set triumph over UCO. She has produced seven double-figure kill matches in 2021.
 
Senior setter Maddy Ahrens (Appleton, Wis.) ranks No. 6 in Northwest history with 2,827 career assists. Ahrens notched first-team all-MIAA honors in 2018 and followed up with second-team all-MIAA status in 2019.
 
Northwest Career Assists
1. Jennifer Pittrich – 5,428 (1993-1996)
2. Megan Danek – 5,064 (1999-2002)
3. Sarah Dannettell – 3,949 (2014-2017)
4. Laira Akin – 3,600 (2009-2011)
5. Abby Wilms – 3,104 (1997-1998)
6. Maddy Ahrens – 2,827 (2017-pr.)
 
Northwest secured its 16th 20-win season in program history in 2019. It marks the third time in four years that Northwest reached 20 wins or more in a season. It is the first back-to-back 20-win seasons for the Bearcats since 1999. Northwest had a stretch of six consecutive 20-win seasons from 1980 to 1985.
 
Northwest's 20-Win Seasons
52 – 1980
51 – 1981
46 – 1984
32 – 1982
30 – 1978
28 – 1979
27 – 1983
26 – 1994
25 – 1985, 1999
22 – 2016, 2018
21 – 1990, 1998
20 – 1996, 2019
 
Northwest's 11-match winning streak ranked as the fourth-longest streak in school history. The Bearcats set the school record for longest winning streak in the 1980 season with a 23-match streak. Northwest had a pair of 15-match winning streaks in the 1984 and 2016 seasons.
 
Northwest's Longest Winning Streaks
1. 23 (Sept. 12, 1980 – Oct. 7, 1980)
2. 15 (Sept. 7, 1984 – Sept. 21, 1984)
    15 (Sept. 2, 2016 – Sept. 30, 2016)
4. 11 (Sept. 18, 2021 – pres.)
5. 9 (Oct. 3, 1984 – Oct. 12, 1984)
    9 (Sept. 16, 1994 – Oct. 1, 1994)
    9 (Sept. 7, 2018 – Sept. 28, 2018)
8. 8 (Oct. 25, 1980 – Nov. 1, 1980)
    8 (Sept. 12, 1981 – Sept. 25, 1981)
    8 (Oct. 3, 1981 – Oct. 16, 1981)
 
For the eighth consecutive year and 15th 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 fifth straight year with a GPA ranked among the top-25 NCAA Division II schools. The Bearcat volleyball team recorded a 3.80 cumulative team grade point average during the 2020-21 season. Northwest is one of 161 NCAA Division II schools to gain the AVCA Team Academic Award this year.

The Bearcats came in at No. 3 in the preseason MIAA coaches' poll. Northwest received a pair of first place votes and was only two points away from second-place Washburn.
 
2021 MIAA Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Nebraska Kearney (7) - 96 points
2. Washburn (2) - 88 points
3. Northwest Missouri (2) - 86 points
4. Central Missouri - 75 points
5. Central Oklahoma - 62 points
6. Missouri Western - 48 points
7. Missouri Southern - 47 points
8. Pittsburg State - 43 points
9. Fort Hays State - 25 points
10. Emporia State - 20 points
11. Newman - 15 points
*First Place Votes Are in Parentheses
*Coaches Are Not Allowed To Vote For Their Own Team
 
Ninth-year head coach Amy Woerth ranks No. 3 in Bearcat coaching history with 154 career victories, trailing only Sarah Pelster (1991-2002) with 199 wins and Pam Stanek (1977-1981) with 176 triumphs. Woerth is 154-113 as the Bearcats' head coach.
 
The Bearcats posted a 14-3 mark this past spring during an abbreviated schedule of MIAA foes.
 
The Bearcats have named Hallie Sidney, Alyssa Rezac and Maddy Ahrens as their team captains for the 2021 season. Sidney will miss the 2021 season as she recovers from an injury.