Friday, Nov. 15 – Maryville, Mo. (Bearcat Arena)
No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney at Northwest Missouri State, 6 p.m.
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Saturday, Nov. 16 – Maryville, Mo. (Bearcat Arena)
Fort Hays State at Northwest Missouri State, 6 p.m.
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The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball squad will wrap up home play and honor seven members of its senior class this weekend with a pair of MIAA matchups.
 
The Bearcat seniors have produced 79 total victories and 52 MIAA triumphs, which includes the 2022 MIAA regular season championship. This senior class also qualified for two trips to the NCAA Tournament.
 
Bearcat Senior Class
Abby Brunssen (Atkins, Iowa)
Olivia Dir (Sturtevant, Wis.)
Kristen Ford (Gladstone, Mo.)
Avery Kemp (Bourbonnais, Ill.)
Payton Kirchhoefer (Omaha, Neb.)
Natalie Laiolo (Tracy, Calif.)
Kyah Luhring (Grundy Center, Iowa)


 
Northwest has produced nine consecutive winning seasons, which is the longest streak in school history. The Bearcats clinched a winning season with a pair of MIAA wins over Missouri Southern (W, 3-1) and Central Missouri (W, 3-0).
 
Northwest (14-10 overall, 8-6 MIAA) will play host to No. 4-ranked Nebraska-Kearney (26-1 overall, 13-1 MIAA) Friday at 6 p.m. in Bearcat Arena. The Bearcats will play their final home regular season match Saturday at 6 p.m. against Fort Hays State (12-11 overall, 4-10 MIAA).
 
Nebraska-Kearney leads the MIAA and is ranked No. 4 in the country in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll. The Lopers recorded a 3-1 win over the Bearcats in Kearney, Neb., on Oct. 5.
 
Northwest posted a 3-0 sweep of Fort Hays State when the teams met earlier this season in Hays, Kan.
 
The 2024 MIAA Tournament is slated for Nov. 21-23 at Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Mo. Eight MIAA teams will qualify for the 2024 conference tournament. A change to the format this year will have the top eight teams in the KPI qualifying for the tournament as opposed to the final league standings.
 
The league released its updated KPI standings on Nov. 11 with the Bearcats holding down the No. 5 slot in the league.
 
KIP Standings (as of Nov. 11)
1. Nebraska-Kearney            .249
2. Missouri Western              .178
3. Washburn                         .156
4. Central Oklahoma             .125
5. Northwest Missouri State  .094
6. Emporia State                   .073
7. Fort Hays State                 -.052
8. Pittsburg State                  -.066
9. Central Missouri                -.068
10. Arkansas-Fort Smith        -.086
11. Missouri Southern           -.162
12. Newman                         -.245
*KPI STANDINGS will be used for tournament seeding only. Updated KPI standings will be published on Oct. 28, Nov. 4, Nov. 11 and Nov. 16. 
 
MIAA Standings (as of Nov. 12)
1. Nebraska-Kearney            13-1
2. Central Oklahoma             12-2
3. Missouri Western              11-3
4. Washburn                         10-4
5. Northwest Missouri State  8-6
    Emporia State                   8-6
7. Arkansas-Fort Smith 6-8
8. Pittsburg State                  5-9
    Central Missouri                5-9
10. Fort Hays State               4-10
11. Missouri Southern           2-12
12. Newman                         0-14
 
Northwest leads the nation in team attacks per set (41.80). The Bearcats rank No. 6 in the country in digs per set (19.27). Northwest also ranks No. 3 in the MIAA in digs per set.
 
Northwest set a pair of single-match team records in a five-set win over Missouri Western on Oct. 8, 2024. Northwest posted 143 digs and 264 attacks to set the standard in the school record book for both digs and attacks. The 143 digs and 264 attacks also rank as the top figures in NCAA Div. II volleyball this season.
 
Kyah Luhring ranks No. 35 in the nation and No. 4 in the MIAA in total digs (470). Luhring ranks No. 29 in the country and No. 3 in the MIAA in digs per set (5.16).
 
Luhring was honored as the MIAA Volleyball Defensive Athlete of the Week for the second time this season and sixth time in her career as she averaged 7.42 digs per set and 89 digs in 12 sets on Oct. 14. Luhring set a school record with 54 digs in a five-set win over Missouri Western. The 54 digs are the most by any NCAA Div. II student-athlete this year.
 
Northwest Most Digs (Match)
1. 54, Kyah Luhring vs. Missouri Western (10/8/24)
2. 47, Olivia Nowakowski at Arkansas-Fort Smith (9/15/17)
3. 46, Paige Spangenberg vs. Fort Hays State (10/24/08)
4. 42, Hannah Koechl vs. Nebraska-Kearney (11/22/19)
5. 40, Olivia Nowakowski at Nebraska-Kearney (11/3/18)

Luhring has posted 1,318 career digs in 99 career matches and 333 sets played as a Bearcat. She is averaging 3.96 digs per set in her collegiate career. Luhring became the 19th Bearcat in program history to reach 1,000 career digs in Northwest's five-set win over Washburn on Sept. 27 in Bearcat Arena.
 
Luhring leads the Bearcats in digs this season with 470 (5.16 digs/set). Luhring's 5.16 digs per would rank as the fifth-best mark in school history in a single season. Only five Bearcats have ever averaged 5.00 or more digs per set in a season.

Digs Per Set (Single Season)
1. Tori Beckman (2012) – 6.02
2. Olivia Nowakowski (2017) – 5.54
3. Paige Spangenberg (2008) – 5.45
4. Paige Spangenberg (2009) – 5.19
5. Paige Spangenberg (2010) – 5.00
 
Luhring is looking to become the 16th Bearcat to reach 500 or more digs in a season. Luhring has 470 digs entering this weekend's play vs. No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney and Fort Hays State.
 
Northwest Season Digs
1. Tori Beckman (2012) – 716
2. Paige Spangenberg (2009) – 701
3. Paige Spangenberg (2008) – 654
4. Olivia Nowakowski (2017) – 643
5. Jill Quast (1997) – 618
6. Paige Spangenberg (2007) – 593
7. Hannah Koechl (2021) – 580
8. Tori Beckman (2011) – 571
9. Paige Spangenberg (2010) – 550
10. Stacy Hoelscher (1989) – 544
11. Jill Quast (2000) – 543
12. Olivia Nowakowski (2016) – 540
13. Terri Palmer (1989) – 511
14. Sarah Trowbridge (2006) – 509
15. Olivia Nowakowski (2018) – 503
 
Luhring has reached double figures in digs in 23 straight matches. Luhring has notched 20-plus digs 24 times in her career and 19 times this season. Luhring has surpassed 30 digs in a match four times as a Bearcat.
 
Kristen Ford and Luhring have each surpassed the 1,000-dig mark in their Bearcat careers this season. Ford and Luhring are among 19 Bearcats to have reached 1,000 career digs in a Northwest uniform. Ford eclipsed the 1,000-career dig mark at the Augustana Classic. Ford gained back-to-back double figure dig matches against Washburn (18) and Emporia State (13). Ford has posted 1,228 career digs in 114 matches as a Bearcat. Ford is averaging 2.95 digs per set in 416 career sets. Ford leads the team in service aces (19).
 
Northwest's 1,000-Dig Club
1. Paige Spangenberg (2007-10)   2,489
2. Jill Quast (1997-00)                    1,924
3. Olivia Nowakowski (2015-18)     1,763
4. Jennifer Pittrich (1993-96)          1,494
5. Tori Beckman (2010-12)             1,488
6. Megan Danek (1999-02)            1,458
7. Sarah Trowbridge (2003-06)      1,401
8. Kyah Luhring (2021-pres.)          1,318
9. Maddy Bruder (2015-18)            1,306
10. Heather Potts (1993-96)           1,291

11. Jennifer Waldron (1995-97)      1,239
12. Kristen Ford (2021-pres.)         1,228
13. Becky Brown (1990-93)            1,224
14. Bailey Vance (2011-14)            1,178
15. Suzi Fabian (1994-97)              1,170
16. Terri Palmer (1988-90)             1,169
17. Hannah Koechl (2019-21)        1,050
18. Heidi Yurka (1991-93)              1,027
      Miranda Foster (2013-16)         1,027
 
Sophomore setter Ella Caffery leads the team with 725 assists (7.97 assists/set). Caffery ranks second on the squad in blocks (54). Caffery collected a career-high 58 assists in a five-set win over Missouri Western (Oct. 8). Caffery has produced seven double-doubles this season and 16 in her career. She has four 40-plus assist efforts this season.
 
Double-Doubles – Career (Season)
Payton Kirchhoefer      21 (2)
Ella Caffery                  16 (7)
Olivia Dir                      11 (6)
Natalie Laiolo               9 (5)
Abby Brunssen            1 (1)
 
Senior Payton Kirchhoefer ranks second on the team with 237 kills (2.89 kills/set) in 23 matches this season. She is hitting .173 in 82 sets played. Kirchhoefer has reached double figures in kills in 12 matches this season. Kirchhoefer posted a season-high 21 kills and hit .341 in a five-set win over No. 24-ranked Washburn (Sept. 28). Kirchhoefer has recorded seven career 20-plus kill matches. Through 106 career matches, Kirchhoefer has put up 1,240 kills, 900 digs, 156 blocks with 21 double-doubles.
 
Kirchhoefer ranks No. 10 in school history with 1,240 kills.
 
Northwest Career Kills
1. Diann Davis (1994-97) – 1,740
2. Abby Sunderman (1997-00) – 1,715
    Jill Quast (1997-00) – 1,715
4. Maddy Bruder (2015-18) – 1,654
5. MacKenzie Heston (2003-06) – 1,638
6. Nancy Pfeifler (1985-88) – 1,321
    Sarah Trowbridge (2003-06) – 1,321
8. Mary Beth Bishop (1981-84) – 1,299
9. Sara Falcone (2007-10) – 1,297
10. Payton Kirchhoefer (2021-pr.) – 1,240
 
Senior Abby Brunssen has collected a team-best 275 kills (3.09 kills/set) and 96 blocks (1.08 blocks/set) through 24 matches this season. She has accumulated 17 double-figure kill totals this season. Earlier this year, set a career-high with 15 blocks (14 block assists) in a 3-1 win at Upper Iowa (Sept. 20). Brunssen also garnered her first career double-double with 11 kills and 15 blocks against the Peacocks. Brunssen set a career-high with 25 kills (.440) and five blocks in a five-set win over No. 24-ranked Washburn. Brunssen followed it up with 18 kills and four blocks against Emporia State.
 
Brunssen ranks No. 9 all-time in total blocks in Bearcat history. Brunssen has posted 364 career blocks in 108 matches (372 career sets). Brunssen ranks No. 19 among active career leaders in NCAA Div. II with 349 blocks.
 
Northwest Career Blocks
1. 748, Diann Davis (1994-97)
2. 487, Jill Quast (1997-00)
3. 474, Abby Sunderman (1997-00)
4. 416, Jill Tallman (1983-84)
5. 410, Susie Thomas (1983-86)
6. 394, Sara Falcone (2007-10)
7. 385, MacKenzie Heston (2003-06)
8. 364, Abby Brunssen (2021-pres.)
9. 353, Angi Kidwell (1980-82)
10. 341, Amber Ryan (2007-10)
 
Brunssen ranks No. 9 in the MIAA in points scored per set (3.69). She ranks No. 11 in the MIAA in kills per set (3.09) and No. 4 in blocks per set (1.08). Brunssen ranks No. 12 in the MIAA in hitting percentage (.293).
 
Junior Kasidy Mohwinkle ranks third on the team with 230 kills (2.53 kills/set). Mohwinkle has 12 double-figure kill efforts this season. She tied a season-high with 14 kills against Missouri Western (Oct. 8). She secured 14 kills (.300 hitting percentage) in a 3-1 win over Florida Tech (Sept. 13). Mohwinkle added 13 kills and hit .333 in a five-set win over No. 24-ranked Washburn (Sept. 27). In the season opener with Northern State (Sept. 5), Mohwinkle hit .444 with 13 kills. She has hit .300 or better in 10 matches this season.
 
Junior Kate Frakes landed a career-best 14 kills in a 3-0 sweep at Newman (Oct. 18). Frakes's previous career-high of 12 kills came as a freshman vs. Fort Hays State in her first collegiate match on Oct. 1, 2022. Frakes has posted 98 kills and has hit .275 in 68 sets of action this season. She ranks third on the team with 12 service aces.
 
The Bearcats recorded 19 team blocks in a 3-1 win at Upper Iowa (Sept. 20), which ranks as the fourth-highest single-match total in program history. The 19 blocks at Upper Iowa ranks tied for the third-highest single-match total in a four-set match this season among NCAA Div. II programs.
 
Northwest is coming off a 15-14 season and the Bearcats tallied their seventh straight season of securing 10 or more MIAA victories with a 10-10 mark in league play. The 10 wins in MIAA action last season tied for the sixth-most in school history.
 
Northwest's MIAA Wins – Single Season
1. 17 – 2021
    17 – 2022
3. 14 – 2018
4. 13 – 2019
5. 11 – 2017
6. 10 – 1999
    10 – 2010
    10 – 2016
    10 – 2023
10. 8 – 2011
    8 – 2014
    8 – 2015
 
Northwest has reached 20-win seasons in five of the last seven campaigns.
 
Northwest's 20-Win Seasons
52 – 1980
51 – 1981
46 – 1984
32 – 1982
30 – 1978
28 – 1979
27 – 1983
26 – 1994
25 – 1985, 1999
24 – 2021, 2022
22 – 2016, 2018
21 – 1990, 1998
20 – 1996, 2019
 
The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team was selected sixth in the preseason 2024 MIAA Coaches' Poll. Northwest gained 68 points in the balloting to finish behind Central Missouri (113 pts.), Central Oklahoma (110 pts.), Nebraska-Kearney (106 pts.), Washburn (90 pts.) and Missouri Western (81 pts.). Central Missouri tallied five first-place votes, while UCO and UNK each garnered three first-place votes and Washburn gained one.
 
2024 MIAA VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Central Missouri [5] – 113 points
2. Central Oklahoma [3] – 110 points
3. Nebraska Kearney [3] – 106 points
4. Washburn [1] – 90 points
5. Missouri Western – 81 points
6. Northwest Missouri State – 68 points
7. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 62 points
8. Missouri Southern – 49 points
9. Emporia State – 39 points
10. Pittsburg State – 35 points
11. Fort Hays State – 28 points
12. Newman – 11 points 
[#] - Number of First-Place Votes
 
Head coach Amy Woerth has compiled an overall mark of 214-146 and has taken over as the program's all-time winningest coach. Woerth captured her 200th career win in a 3-0 victory at home vs. Fort Hays State to close out the 2023 regular season. Woerth moved past Sarah Pelster, who had collected a mark of 199-226 from 1991 to 2002. 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 five 20-win seasons in her tenure. 

Northwest Volleyball Coaching Victories
1. Amy Woerth (2012-current) - 214
2. Sarah Pelster (1991-2002) - 199
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) - .594 (214-146)
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)
 
Woerth added assistant coach Nick Sepulveda in the offseason after former assistant coach Jacquie Cason accepted the head women's volleyball coaching job at Missouri S&T in Rolla, Mo.
 
For the 11th straight year and 18th time overall, the Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team has been honored as a recipient of AVCA Team Academic Award sponsored by INTENT. 
 
The Bearcat volleyball team recorded a 3.87 cumulative team grade point average during the 2023-24 season. Northwest produced a 3.82 team GPA in the fall and a 3.92 team GPA in the spring. Northwest is one of 147 NCAA Division II schools to gain the AVCA Team Academic Award this year. Northwest is one of 31 NCAA Div. II schools to have captured the award in each of the past 11 seasons. Northwest is among 17 programs to have been a recipient of the AVCA Team Award 18 times or more and one of two MIAA schools (Emporia State) with 18 or AVCA Team Academic Awards.
 
For the sixth time in program history, Northwest also gained the AVCA Team Academic Honor Roll Award. The additional distinction of Team Academic Honor Roll celebrates programs in the top 20% of GPAs for their division. Northwest has gained the Team Academic Honor Roll in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2024.