Friday, Oct. 3 – Bearcat Arena – Maryville, Mo.
Fort Hays State at Northwest Missouri State, 6 p.m.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
 
Saturday, Oct. 4 – Bearcat Arena – Maryville, Mo.
No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney at Northwest Missouri State, 3 p.m.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
 
For the first time this season the Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team will play home matches in Bearcat Arena this weekend.
 
Northwest (6-5 overall, 0-2 MIAA) will square off against Fort Hays State (12-2 overall, 1-1 MIAA) Friday at 6 p.m., followed by a Saturday matinee at 3 p.m. vs. No. 3-ranked Nebraska-Kearney (15-0 overall, 2-0 MIAA).
 
The Bearcats began MIAA play last weekend by dropping road contests against No. 7 Washburn (L, 3-1) and Emporia State (L, 3-0).
 
The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball squad (6-3 overall) will begin MIAA play this week with road matches against No. 7-ranked Washburn (11-0 overall) and Emporia State (9-2 overall).
 
Northwest has won 15 consecutive matchups with Fort Hays State. Northwest leads the all-time series, 29-8-1. Northwest is 16-2 vs. FHSU in Bearcat Arena. FHSU opened MIAA play with a win over Missouri Southern (W, 3-2) and a loss to Central Missouri (L, 3-0). The setback to the Jennies snapped a nine-match win streak for the Tigers. FHSU is 1-0 this season on the road having picked up a 3-1 triumph at Oklahoma Baptist on Sept. 20.
 
Nebraska-Kearney holds a 29-5 lead in the all-time series vs. Northwest. The Lopers have won six straight matchups with the Bearcats. UNK is 9-2 all-time in Bearcat Arena. The Lopers have dropped only two sets all season – with both occurring this past weekend in MIAA play against Central Missouri (W, 3-1) and vs. Missouri Southern (W, 3-1).

Senior setter Ella Caffery ranks No. 32 in the nation in assists per set. Caffey ranks fourth in the MIAA by averaging 9.81 assists per set. Caffery moved past the 2,000-career assist mark at Emporia State. Caffery has collected 2,005 assists to become the 12th Bearcat volleyball player with at least 2,000 career assists.
 
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. Molly Hankins (2005-06)            2,332
10. Sherri Miller (1982-85)              2,185
11. Jennifer Hepburn (1989-92)     2,159
12. Ella Caffery (2022-pr.)              2,005
 
Caffery was selected to three all-tournament teams prior to MIAA play. Caffery earned spots on the FHSU Tiger Invitational, Drury Invitational, Prairie Star Classic all-tourney teams.
Caffery dished out a season-high 54 assists in a four-set win over Cameron (Sept. 13). 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 seven of Northwest's 11 matches this season. Caffery has tallied at least three kills in 10 of 11 matches and is hitting .336 on the year. Caffery ranks second on the team in digs (124) and blocks (11). Caffery has posted a team-high five double-doubles this season and has generated 22 in her Bearcat career.
 
Northwest's Double-Doubles in 2025 (Career)
Ella Caffery – 5 (22)
Elle Heckenlively – 2 (2)
Kasidy Mohwinkle – 1 (1)
 
Kasidy Mohwinkle has produced a team-best 105 kills (3.00 kills/set) and 116.0 points. Mohwinkle collected a career-high 17 kills and 16 digs for her first career double-double in a four-set win vs. Cameron (Sept. 13). She has tallied six double-figure kill matches this year,
 
Kate Frakes is second on the squad in kills (76) and blocks (11). Frakes has reached double figures in kills twice with 13 vs. Arkansas Tech (Sept. 5) and 11 vs. Cameron (Sept. 13). Frakes posted a season-high three blocks at Drury (Sept. 12).
 
Abby Bulthuis ranks No. 3 on the team with 74 kills (2.31 kills/set and has scored 86.5 points. She is third on the squad with nine service aces. Bulthuis has produced four matches of double-figure kills, including a pair of season-high 13 kill-efforts against Cameron (Sept. 6 & Sept. 13). Bulthuis has tallied three matches of nine digs this season.
 
Karsen VanScoy has been credited with 10 or more digs in all 11 matches this season. VanScoy has collected 21 career double-figure dig matches. VanScoy leads the team with 143 digs (3.86 digs/set). VanScoy has generated three 16-dig matches this year.
 
Ellery Luhring has had double-figure dig totals in four of the last five matches. Luhring secured a career-high tying 14 digs vs. Maryville (Sept. 19). She ranks third on the team with 90 digs. Luhring has nine double-figure dig matches in her Bearcat career. Luhring ranks No. 2 on the team in service aces (10).
 
Natalie Herrington leads the squad with 24 blocks. Herrington has had four blocks in three of the last four matches. Herrington notched six of her blocks in a five-set match at Drury (Sept. 12). Herrington put down a career-high 12 kills in a four-set win over Cameron (Sept. 13).
 
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 222 career victories. She holds a .592 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 222-153 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 (1,025), Washburn's Chris Herron (724) and Central Oklahoma's Edgar Miraku (322) are the only active MIAA coaches with more victories.

Northwest Volleyball Coaching Victories
1. Amy Woerth (2012-current) - 222
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) - .592 (222-153)
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 216-148 (.593). Sarah Pelster has coached the most matches in school history at 450 as she was leading the program from 1991-2002.