Friday, Sept. 22
Newman at No. 24 Northwest Missouri State, 6 p.m. | MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS
 
The No. 24-ranked Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team (6-5 overall, 1-2 MIAA) will celebrate Family Weekend with a home match Friday at 6 p.m. against the Newman Jets.
 
Northwest began the week Tuesday with a three-set win at Missouri Western. The Bearcats snapped a three-match losing streak in the victory.
 
The Jets are 0-9 overall and 0-2 in MIAA play. Newman will play at Missouri Western on Thursday prior to their trip to Maryville, Mo., on Friday.
 
The Bearcats are a perfect 13-0 all-time against the Jets. Northwest had dropped one set in the six matches the two have played since Newman joined the MIAA in 2019.
 
Northwest has played 11 matches this season. Five have gone to five sets and the Bearcats are 2-3 in those matches. Northwest has played five matches that have resulted in a sweep with the Bearcats going 4-1 in three-set matches. Northwest has played one four-set match and it resulted in a 3-1 loss to No. 25-ranked Harding.
 
Northwest is averaging 13.02 kills per set in 44 sets this season. The Bearcats are averaging 1.52 service aces per set and 1.50 blocks per set. Northwest is averaging 16.05 points per set in 11 matches.
 
Bearcat 13th-year head coach Amy Woerth captured her second MIAA Coach of the Year award in 2022. Woerth first earned MIAA Coach of the Year honors in 2018 and landed the award again in 2022 after guiding the Bearcats to the first MIAA regular season crown in program history. Woerth has led the Bearcats to four consecutive 20-win seasons. It is the fifth 20-win season in her tenure. Woerth has compiled an overall mark of 191-127. Woerth ranks No. 2 in coaching victories in program history with 188 – trailing only Sarah Pelster (199 wins from 1991-2002).
 
Northwest Volleyball Coaching Victories
1. Sarah Pelster (1991-2002) - 199
2. Amy Woerth (2012-current) – 191
3. Pam Stanek (1977-81) - 176
4. Susie Homan (1982-84) - 105
5. Peggy Voisin (1987-90) - 64
6. Anna Tool (2006-09) - 56
7. Cathie Schulte (1985-86) - 37
8. Lori Slight (2003-05) - 35
9. Jessica Reinhart (2010-11) - 29
10. Theresa Hospodarski (1975-76) – 12
 
Northwest Volleyball Coaching Win Percentage
1. Pam Stanek (1977-81) - .655 (174-93-7)
2. Susie Homan (1982-84) - .642 (105-58-2)
3. Amy Woerth (2012-current) - .601 (191-127)
4. Jessica Reinhart (2010-11) - .475 (29-32)
5. Sarah Pelster (1991-2002) - .468 (199-226)
6. Anna Tool (2006-09) - .415 (51-72)
7. Cathie Schulte (1985-86) - .411 (37-53)
8. Peggy Voisin (1987-90) - .349 (64-114)
9. Lori Slight (2003-05) - .354 (35-64)
10. Theresa Hospodarski (1975-76) - .237 (12-43-4)


Northwest is ranked No. 24 in this week's AVCA/Taraflex Top 25 Coaches' Poll. Northwest has been ranked 52 times in its program history. 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 16 times.

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
Nov. 8, 2021 – No. 5
Nov. 15, 2021 – No. 4
Nov. 22, 2021 – No. 4
Dec. 18, 2021 – No. 12
2022 Preseason – No. 12
Aug. 29, 2022 – No. 10
Sept. 5, 2022 – No. 12
Sept. 12, 2022 – No. 13
Sept. 19, 2022 – No. 11
Sept. 26, 2022 – No. 10
Oct. 3, 2022 – No. 10
Oct. 10, 2022 – No. 15
Oct. 17, 2022 – No. 13
Oct. 24, 2022 – No. 12
Oct. 31, 2022 – No. 10
Nov. 7, 2022 – No. 10
Nov. 14, 2022 – No. 12
Final 2022 – No. 13
2023 Preseason – No. 13
Sept. 4, 2023 – No. 15
Sept. 11, 2023 – No. 18
Sept. 18, 2023 – No. 24
 
Redshirt freshman Ella Caffery is tops in the team in service aces (21) and assists (323). She is averaging 0.68 aces per set. She also leads the team in assists (192). She set a season-high for assists with 48 at William Jewell. Caffery served up a season-high six aces against Kentucky Wesleyan in the season opener. Caffery leads the MIAA in aces per set (0.68) and ranks No. 25 in the nation. Caffery dished out 50 assists, tallied four kills, added one back and had 17 digs in a five-set match with Missouri Southern. Caffery added 50 more assists, five kills, three blocks and 16 digs in another five-set dual with Central Missouri. She leads the Bearcats with five double-doubles this season.
 
Active Career Double-Doubles
Payton Kirchhoefer     16
Ella Caffery                  5
Olivia Dir                       4
Natalie Laiolo              1
 
Junior Kristen Ford ranks No. 2 on the team in total digs (100). She tallied a career-high 33 digs in a 3-2 loss to Central Missouri. She has posted four double-figure dig totals this year including a current streak of three straight matches of 10 or more.

Junior Kyah Luhring has recorded a team-high 189 digs (4.30 digs/set). Luhring ranks No. 2 in the MIAA in total digs. She ranks No. 4 in the MIAA in digs per set. She posted a season-best 25 digs against No. 25-ranked Harding.
 
Junior middle hitter Abby Brunssen leads the squad with 101 kills and 27 blocks. Brunssen has six double-figure kill matches, including a season-high 17 in a five-set match with Missouri Southern.
 
Junior Avery Kemp ranks second on the team with 93 kills in nine matches played. She has totaled six double-figure kill matches, including a season-high 18 in a five-set victory at William Jewell.
 
Junior Payton Kirchhoefer has totaled 885 kills in 67 matches in her Bearcat career. Kirchhoefer is a two-time AVCA All-America selection and a two-time first-team all-MIAA pick. She was the MIAA Freshman of the Year in 2021.
 
Junior Olivia Dir is third on the squad with 82 kills. She has seen action in all 11 matches. Dir has notched four double-figure kill matches. She tallied a season-high 15 kills in a five-set match with Central Missouri. Dir has posted four career double-doubles and has one this year with a 14-kill, 15-dig effort in a 3-0 win over Midwestern State.
 
Graduate transfer Lauren Casey ranks fourth on the team in kills (73). She has seen action in 10 matches. She secured a season-high 12 kills in a five-set triumph at William Jewell.