Thursday, Nov. 13 – Health & Sports Center – Kearney, Neb.
Northwest Missouri State at No. 5 Nebraska-Kearney, 6 p.m.
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Friday, Nov. 14 – Gross Memorial Coliseum – Hays, Kan.
Northwest Missouri State at Fort Hays State, 6 p.m.
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The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team will look to clinch a spot in the 2025 MIAA Tournament with two road matches this week.
 
Northwest will tangle with No. 5-ranked Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Health & Sports Center in Kearney, Neb.
 
The Bearcats will complete the regular season Friday at Fort Hays State. The Bearcats and Tigers will get underway at 6 p.m. in the Gross Memorial Coliseum.
 
The Bearcats (9-14 overall, 3-11 MIAA) are one game out of eighth place in the MIAA standings. A win over FHSU on Friday could draw the Bearcats even for the final MIAA tournament spot. The top eight teams will qualify for the 2025 MIAA Tournament set for Nov. 20-22 at Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Mo.
 
The No. 5-ranked Lopers are 24-3 overall and 11-3 in the MIAA. The Lopers will play home matches against Northwest and Missouri Western this week with a chance to capture the regular season league crown. Nebraska-Kearney holds a 30-5 lead in the all-time series vs. Northwest. The Lopers have won seven straight matchups with the Bearcats, including a 3-1 win at Northwest on Oct. 4.
 
Fort Hays State is 15-11 overall and 4-10 in the MIAA. The Tigers have lost three straight matches entering this week's slate of action. FHSU will play host to MIAA-leading Missouri Western Thursday before playing host to the Bearcats on Friday. Northwest leads the all-time series, 29-9-1. FHSU snapped a 15-match losing skid against Northwest in Bearcat Arena in a three-game sweep earlier this season on Oct. 3.
 
Senior setter Ella Caffery ranks No. 31 in the nation in assists per set. Caffey ranks fourth in the MIAA with an average of 9.98 assists per set. Caffery moved past the 2,000-career assist mark at Emporia State. Caffery has collected 2,440 assists to become the 12th Bearcat volleyball player with at least 2,000 career assists. Caffery ranks No. 9 on Northwest's all-time assist chart.
 
Bearcats with 2,000+ Assists
1. Jennifer Pittrich (1993-96)          5,428
2. Megan Danek (1999-2002)        5,064
3. Sarah Dannettell (2014-17)       3,949
4. Laira Akin (2009-11)                    3,600
5. Abby Willms (1997-98)               3,104
6. Maddy Ahrens (2017-21)            2,847
7. Alyssa Rezac (2019-22)             2,612
8. Katie Swenson (2007-08)          2,441
9. Ella Caffery (2022-pr.)                 2,440
10. Molly Hankins (2005-06)          2,332
11. Sherri Miller (1982-85)              2,185
12. Jennifer Hepburn (1989-92)    2,159

Caffery was selected to three all-tournament teams this year. Caffery earned spots on the FHSU Tiger Invitational, Drury Invitational and Prairie Star Classic all-tourney teams.
 
Caffery dished out a season-high 54 assists in a four-set win over Cameron (Sept. 13). Caffery posted 53 assists in a four-set win at Missour Southern (Nov. 7). Caffery collected a career-high 23 digs in a 3-0 win over East Central (Sept. 13). Caffery has been credited with 30 or more assists in 15 matches this season. Caffery has tallied at least three kills in 16 of 23 matches and is hitting .326 on the year.
 
Caffery tops the squad with 24 service aces. Caffery ranks second on the team in digs (265) and third in blocks (29). Caffery has posted a team-high 14 double-doubles this season and has generated 31 in her Bearcat career.
 
Northwest's Double-Doubles in 2025 (Career)
Ella Caffery – 14 (31)
Kasidy Mohwinkle – 5 (5)
Elle Heckenlively – 2 (2)
Abby Bulthuis – 2 (2)
 
Kasidy Mohwinkle has produced a team-best 234 kills (3.00 kills/set) and 266.5 points. Mohwinkle notched a career-high 18 kills and added 14 digs for her fifth double-double in a four-set win at Missouri Southern (Nov. 7). Mohwinkle had 17 kills and produced a career-high 20 digs for her third double-double of the year in a five-set match at No. 4 Central Oklahoma (Oct. 10). Mohwindle added her fourth double-double with 13 digs and 10 kills at home vs. Emporia State (Oct. 31). Mohwinkle collected 17 kills and 16 digs for her first career double-double in a four-set win vs. Cameron (Sept. 13). She has tallied 13 double-figure kill matches this year. Mohwinkle has collected 13 or more kills in five of Northwest's MIAA matches in 2025.
 
Abby Bulthuis ranks No. 2 on the team with 157 kills (2.34 kills/set and has scored 181.0 points. She is tied for third on the squad with 16 service aces. Bulthuis has produced nine matches of double-figure kills, which includes back-to-back 14-kill performances at No. 4 Central Oklahoma and Arkansas-Fort Smith. Bulthuis gained her first career double-double with 14 kills and 13 digs at UCO. Bulthuis achieved a career-high 20-kill, 18-dig performance in a four-set win at Missouri Southern (Nov. 7).
 
Kate Frakes is third on the squad in kills (139). She ranks second on the team in blocks (31). Frakes posted her third double-figure kill match this season with 12 kills at Arkansas-Fort Smith. Frakes added three blocks each against Drury, No. 4 Central Oklahoma, Arkansas-Fort Smith, Pittsburg State and Emporia State.
 
Karsen VanScoy has been credited with 10 or more digs in 22 of 23 matches this season. VanScoy has collected 30 career double-figure dig matches. VanScoy leads the team with 316 digs (3.95 digs/set). VanScoy posted a season-best 20 digs at No. 4 Central Oklahoma. She has generated 15 or more digs in 10 matches.
 
Ellery Luhring ranks fourth on the squad with 173 digs. She is tied for third on the team with 16 service aces. Luhring secured a career-high tying 14 digs vs. Maryville (Sept. 19). Luhring has 12 double-figure dig matches in her Bearcat career.
 
Natalie Herrington leads the squad with 58 blocks. Herrington notched six of her blocks in a five-set match at Drury (Sept. 12). She has posted four or more blocks on seven occasions this season. Herrington put down a career-high 12 kills in a four-set win over Cameron (Sept. 13). Herrington landed 11 kills in a five-set match at No. 4 Central Oklahoma. She has tallied at least one block in 10 consecutive matches.
 
For the 12th straight year and 19th 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 3.86 cumulative team grade point average during the 2024-25 season. Northwest produced a 3.82 team GPA in the fall and a 3.91 team GPA in the spring. Northwest is one of 159 NCAA Division II schools to gain the AVCA Team Academic Award this year. Northwest is one of 33 NCAA Div. II schools to have captured the award in each of the past 12 seasons. Northwest is among 16 programs to have been a recipient of the AVCA Team Award 19 times or more and one of two MIAA schools (Emporia State) with 19 or AVCA Team Academic Awards.
 
For the seventh 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, 2024 and 2025. Northwest is one of 12 Div. II programs to have received the Team Academic Honor Roll in each of the past two seasons.
 
Northwest is led by 14th-year head coach Amy Woerth. Woerth has produced a program-record 225 career victories. She holds a .581 winning percentage. In the offseason, coach Woerth represented USA D-2 Volleyball in a tour of Brazil. She brought along seniors Kasidy Mohwinkle and Ella Caffery. The Bearcat trio did not lose any matches in Brazil.
 
Woerth has compiled an overall mark of 225-162 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. 
 
Woerth ranks No. 4 in career wins among active MIAA coaches. Nebraska-Kearney's Rick Squiers (1,034), Washburn's Chris Herron (734) and Central Oklahoma's Edgar Miraku (331) are the only active MIAA coaches with more victories.

Northwest Volleyball Coaching Victories
1. Amy Woerth (2012-current) - 225
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) - .581 (225-162)
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 had its first season of volleyball in 1975. This 2025 season will mark 50 years of Bearcat volleyball action. Northwest went 7-14 for head coach Theresa Hospodarski in 1975. Northwest has had 11 head coaches in program history. Current head coach Amy Woerth is the program's leader in victories with a mark of 225-162 (.581). Sarah Pelster has coached the most matches in school history at 450 as she was leading the program from 1991-2002.