The No. 8-ranked Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team will travel to Springfield, Ill., for the 2021 Capital Classic hosted by the University of Illinois-Springfield.
 
Northwest (4-0 overall) will match up against Grand Valley State (Friday, 10 a.m.), Michigan Tech (Friday, 4 p.m.), Purdue University-Northwest (Saturday, 10 a.m.) and Upper Iowa (Saturday, 4 p.m.). Grand Valley State and Michigan Tech are each receiving votes in this week's AVCA Top 25.
 
All four matches will be streamed on the GLVC Sports Network and live stats will be available for each of the contests (UISPrairieStars.com).
 
Friday, Sept. 10
No. 8 Northwest Missouri State vs. Grand Valley State, 10 a.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
No. 8 Northwest Missouri State vs. Michigan Tech, 4 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, Sept. 11
No. 8 Northwest Missouri State vs. Purdue University-Northwest, 10 a.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
No. 8 Northwest Missouri State vs. Upper Iowa, 4 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
Grand Valley State posted a 1-3 start to the season at the Colorado School of Mines tournament. The Lakers scored a 3-1 win over Colorado Mesa for their lone victory. The all-time series between Northwest and Grand Valley State is knotted at 1-1.
 
All-Times Series vs. Grand Valley State
L, 3-1 in Marshall, Minn. (8/27/99)
W, 3-1 in Big Rapids, Mich. (9/1/17)
 
Michigan Tech played its first four matches at home in the Keweenaw Classic. The Huskies also went 1-3 with the victory coming 3-0 in the season-opener with Minnesota Duluth. Michigan Tech holds a 1-0 lead in the all-time series with Northwest.
 
All-Times Series vs. Michigan Tech
L, 3-1 in Omaha, Neb. (8/29/08)
 
Purdue University-Northwest went 0-4 at the Miner Invitational in Rolla, Mo. The Pride dropped results to Missouri S&T, Missouri Western, Upper Iowa and Arkansas-Monticello. Saturday will mark the first meeting between Northwest and Purdue University-Northwest on the volleyball court.
 
All-Times Series vs. Purdue University-Northwest
First Meeting
 
Upper Iowa began the season with a 3-1 mark at the Miner Invitational. The Peacocks picked up wins over Arkansas-Monticello, Missouri S&T and Purdue University-Northwest. Upper Iowa fell 3-0 to Missouri Western. Northwest owns a 4-0-1 all-time record against Upper Iowa. The teams last met in 2013.
 
All-Times Series vs. Upper Iowa
T, 1-1 in Lamoni, Iowa (10/12/79)
W, 3-1 in Boone, Iowa (9/26/05)
W, 3-1 in Maryville, Mo. (9/16/07)
W, 3-1 in Rolla, Mo. (9/7/12)
W, 3-0 in Winona, Minn. (9/17/13)
 
Northwest produced a perfect start to the season at the Courtyard by Marriott Volleyball Classic in Tampa, Fla. Northwest recorded wins against Augustana (W, 3-1), Ashland (W, 3-0), Illinois-Springfield (W, 3-0) and No. 5-ranked Tampa (W, 3-2).
 
With its win over No. 5-ranked Tampa, it is 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 31- victory over No. 7-ranked Northern State.

Northwest has begun a season at least 5-0 on eight previous occasions. Northwest's best start to a campaign came in 1980 when the Bearcats won their first 23 matches.

Best Starts in Northwest Volleyball History
23-0 - 1980
15-0 - 1984
15-0 - 2016
6-0 - 1998
6-0 - 2019
5-0 - 1995
5-0 - 2015
5-0 - 2018
 
Sophomore outside hitter Jaden Ferguson averaged 2.73 kills, 1.00 blocks and 0.53 digs while hitting .291 in helping Northwest to a 4-0 start to the season at the 2021 Courtyard by Marriott Volleyball Classic in Tampa, Fla. Ferguson belted 41 kills and 15 blocks in the four wins. She came up big against No. 5-ranked Tampa with 12 kills, seven blocks and three digs in the five-set triumph. Her seven kills against the Spartans were a career-high. Ferguson tallied at least eight kills in all four matches, and reached double-figure kills in three of the four. Ferguson hit .524 with 11 kills and no errors in a 3-0 win over Ashland. She hit. 273 with 10 kills and four blocks in a 3-1 victory over Augustana.
 
Sophomore setter Alyssa Rezac averaged 8.82 assists per set in leading Northwest to a perfect 4-0 start to the season at the Courtyard by Marriott Volleyball Classic in Tampa, Fla. Rezac posted a pair of career-highs in a 3-2 win over No. 5-ranked Tampa. Rezac tallied 48 assists and 24 digs as the Bearcats rallied from a 14-8 deficit in the final set. She recorded a pair of double-doubles in the tournament, including 36 assists and 10 digs in a four-set triumph over Augustana to start the season.
 
Junior libero Hannah Koechl averaged 4.07 digs per set as Northwest began the season with a 4-0 mark at the 2021 Courtyard by Marriott Classic in Tampa, Fla. Koechl was credited with 18 digs vs. Augustana, seven vs. Ashland, 16 vs. Illinois-Springfield and 20 in a five-set win over No. 5-ranked Tampa.
 
Freshman outside hitter Payton Kirchhoefer has posted a team-high 45 kills (3.00 kills/set). Kirchhoefer posted at least eight kills in all four matches, including a season-high 14 kills in the five-set win over No. 5-ranked Tampa. Kirchhoefer hit .407 with 13 kills and two attack errors in the three-set triumph over Illinois-Springfield.
 
Junior middle hitter/right side Rachel Sturdevant has produced a team-best .429 hitting percentage through the first four matches. Sturdevant hit .478 (13-2-23) vs. Augustana, .429 (8-2-14) vs. Ashland, .615 (8-0-13) vs. Illinois-Springfield and .250 (7-2-20) vs. Tampa.
 
Senior setter Maddy Ahrens (Appleton, Wis.) ranks No. 6 in Northwest history with 2,706 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 – 2,706 (2017-pr.)
 
The Bearcats bolted up nine spots to No. 8 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches' Association Division II Top 25 rankings. It marks the 24th time in program history that Northwest has been ranked in the AVCA Top 25. Northwest's previous highest ranking came at No. 10 in the Sept. 30, 2019, and Oct. 7, 2019, polls.
 
This week's AVCA poll features four MIAA teams ranked in the top 10. Nebraska-Kearney is ranked No. 3 with two first place votes. Washburn is ranked No. 4. Northwest is ranked No. 8, while Central Missouri is ranked No. 10.

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
 
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
 
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
 
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.
 
Tenth-year head coach Amy Woerth ranks No. 3 in Bearcat coaching history with 139 career victories, trailing only Sarah Pelster (1991-2002) with 199 wins and Pam Stanek (1977-1981) with 176 triumphs.
 
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.