Friday, Nov. 6, 6 p.m.
Northwest Missouri State at Emporia State | WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
 
Saturday, Nov. 7, 6:30 p.m.
Northwest Missouri State at Pittsburg State | WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS

The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team will wrap up its 2026 MIAA regular season with road matches against Emporia State and Pittsburg State.
 
Northwest (9-14 overall, 6-4 MIAA) will travel to Emporia, Kan., to take on the Emporia State Hornets (23-3 overall, 8-2 MIAA) Friday at 6 p.m. Northwest will close the regular season Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in Pittsburg, Kan., against the Pittsburg State Gorillas (20-8 overall, 5-5 MIAA).
 
Northwest and Emporia State met earlier this year in the MIAA In-Season Tournament in Bearcat Arena. The Hornets recorded a 3-0 sweep of the Bearcats. ESU holds a 48-24 lead in the all-time series. The Hornets have won five straight against the Bearcats. Head coach Amy Woerth is 13-9 in 22 matches against Emporia State.
 
The Bearcats own a 41-28-1 lead in the all-time series with the Gorillas. Northwest has won 13 of the last 14 matchups with Pitt State. Head coach Amy Woerth is 15-3 vs. Pitt State.
 
The Bearcats enter the week in a tie for fifth place in the MIAA standings with Central Oklahoma. Should Northwest and UCO tie for a placement in the MIAA standings, Northwest would win the tiebreaker with a head-to-head advantage over the Bronchos.
 
Northwest has clinched a spot in the 2026 MIAA Tournament. The top eight teams will qualify for the 2026 MIAA Tournament set for Nov. 12-14 at Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Mo.

Northwest has played the second-toughest schedule in the nation heading into this week's matches against Emporia State and Pittsburg State. Northwest's opponent winning percentage is .621 - tied with Rockhurst for second-toughest in the country.

NCAA Div. II Toughest Schedules
1. Florida Southern.   .639
2. Northwest Mo. St.  .621
    Rockhurst              .621
4. Mo.-St. Louis         .620
5. Minnesota St.        .610
 
Northwest's 125 digs in a five-set win against Arkansas-Fort Smith are the most by a team in the MIAA this season. The 125 digs rank as the sixth-most by an NCAA Div. II program this season.

NCAA Div. II Most Digs Match - 2026 Season 
1. 136, Shorter vs. Emmanuel (9/9/26)
2. 134, East Central vs. Henderson State (10/9/26)
3. 132, Emmanuel vs. Shorter (9/9/26)
4. 128, Henderson State vs. East Central (10/9/26)
5. 127, Cal Poly Pomona vs. Cal State LA (10/3/26)
6. 125, Northwest Missouri State vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith (10/31/26)
 
In MIAA matches only, Northwest leads the league in digs per set (18.78). Northwest ranks No. 2 service aces (1.62) in MIAA matches only.
 
Ellery Luhring is a two-time MIAA Defensive Player of the Week honoree. She is the league leader in digs per set (6.33) in MIAA matches only. Luhring also ranks fourth in the league in service aces per set (0.39) in MIAA matches only. Luhring leads the Bearcats in digs (428 – 5.56 digs/set). Luhring set a career-high with 39 digs in a five-set match with Arkansas-Fort Smith (Oct. 31). The 39 digs rank tied for the sixth-most in a match in program history.
 
Single Match Most Digs
1. 54, Kyah Luhring vs. Missouri Western (10/8/24)
2. 47, Olivia Nowakowski vs. Ark.-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 vs. Nebraska-Kearney (11/3/18)
6. 39, Ellery Luhring vs. Ark.-Fort Smith (10/31/26)
    39, Paige Spangenberg vs. Tarleton State (10/2/09
 
Luhring's 34 digs vs. No. 11-ranked Missouri Western bested the previous mark of 31 set by her sister, Kyah, against Newman on Sept. 22, 2023. The 34 digs by Luhring are the most by an NCAA Div. II player this season. She had 14 digs in the first set, five in the second and 15 in the third against the Griffons on Oct. 20 in Bearcat Arena.

Most Digs 3-Set Match
1. 34, Ellery Luhring vs. Missouri Western (Oct. 20, 2026)
2. 31, Kyah Luhring vs. Newman (Sept. 22, 2023)
3. 28, Paige Spangenberg vs. Washburn (Nov. 18, 2010)
    28, Kyah Luhring vs. Central Oklahoma (Nov. 2, 2022)
5. 27, Becky Brown vs. Missouri Western (Oct. 27, 1993)
    27, Kyah Luhring vs. Fort Hays State (Nov. 4, 2023)
 
Luhring's 5.56 digs per set average would rank as the second-best single season in Bearcat history.
 
Northwest Digs Per Set (Single Season)
1. Tori Beckman (2012)         6.02 (716-119)
2. Ellery Luhring (2026)         5.56 (428-77)
3. Olivia Nowakowski (2017) 5.54 (643-116)
4. Paige Spangenberg (2008) 5.45 (654-120)
5. Kyah Luhring (2024)          5.25 (562-107)
 
Luhring has tallied 10 20+ dig matches this season. She has three 30-plus dig matches this season against Ouachita Baptist (31), Missouri Western (34) and Arkansas-Fort Smith (39). Luhring has tallied 708 digs in 58 career matches (3.58 digs/set).
 
Gabrielle Gartner leads the team with 213 kills (2.63 kills per set). Gartner ranks No. 2 on the team in blocks (37). Gartner has produced 12 double-figure kill matches this season. Gartner tied her career-high with 16 kills and set a new personal best with 16 digs in a five-set match with Oklahoma Christian (Sept. 5). Gartner collected her first career double-double with 16 kills and 16 digs against OCU. Gartner has earned all-tournament team honors at the McKendree Invitational and the Griffon Classic.
 
Sophia Gartner ranks No. 2 on the team with 195 kills (3.25 kills/set). Gartner blasted a career-high 23 kills in a five-set win over No. 22-ranked Central Oklahoma. She landed 21 kills in a five-set triumph vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith. Gartner added 16 kills in a four-set victory vs. Newman and 17 kills in a four-set loss to No. 15-ranked Washburn. Gartner set a career-high with seven blocks vs. Newman. She has 10 double-figure kill matches this season and has reached 10 or more kills in six of her last nine matches.
 
Mya Karrick leads Northwest in assists and ranks No. 5 in the MIAA with 691 (8.43 assists per set). Karrick ranks No. 6 in the MIAA in service aces per set (0.38). She ranks second on the team in digs (244 – 2.98 digs/set). Karrick has produced a team-high 15 double-doubles. She notched a career-high 17 digs vs. at Missouri Southern (Oct. 2). She also landed a season-best five service aces vs. Ouachita Baptist. She has dished out a season-high 51 assists vs. Ouachita Baptist (Aug. 28) and vs. Oklahoma Christian (Sept. 5). Karrick gained all-tournament team status at the McKendree Invitational. Karrick was named the MIAA Setter of the Week after she led the Bearcats to a 2-0 start to MIAA with victories over No. 22-ranked Central Oklahoma and Newman. Karrick had 40 assists, two blocks, a kill and a service ace in the five-set win over No. 22 Central Oklahoma. Karrick contributed with 44 assists, four kills, a block and a service ace in a four-set triumph over Newman.
 
Freshman setter Londyn Smith collected a career-high 25 assists in a four-set match vs. No. 5-ranked Nebraska-Kearney (Oct. 9). Smith has seen action in 11 matches this season.
 
Abby Bulthuis ranks third on the squad in kills (144 – 2.12 kills/set). Bulthuis broke out with a season-high 19 kills (one off her career high) against No. 5-ranked Nebraska-Kearney (Oct. 9). Bulthuis has notched five matches of 10 or more kills this season. Bulthuis recorded a double-double with 10 kills and 17 digs at Fort Hays State (Oct. 10). She powered down 13 kills and hit .367 in a 3-0 sweep of Northeastern State.
 
Maddie Roenfeld is first on the team in blocks (40.0 – 0.69 blocks/set). Roenfeld ranks fourth on the team in kills (100). Roenfeld notched a season-high 12 kills and seven digs vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith (Oct. 31). Roenfeld gained a season-high eight blocks in a four-set triumph vs. Newman (Sept. 18).
 
Junior Chloee Hayes posted a career-high 13 kills in a five-set win vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith (Oct. 31). Hayes hit .367 and totaled five blocks vs. the Lions.
 
Freshman Lily Zimmerman gained a career-high 19 digs in a five-set victory against Arkansas-Fort Smith (Oct. 31). Zimmerman has registered eight matches of 10 or more digs this season.
 
Northwest was selected to finish ninth in the 2026 MIAA volleyball preseason coaches poll. The MIAA regular season champion will be crowned with each league member playing 12 conference matches in 2026.
 
2026 MIAA VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
T1. Washburn [5] – 134 points
T1. Nebraska Kearney [4] – 134 points
3. Missouri Western [2] – 123 points
4. Emporia State [2] – 107 points 
5. Central Oklahoma – 104 points
6. Central Missouri – 90 points
7. Pittsburg State – 81 points
8. Fort Hays State – 63 points
9. Northwest Missouri – 57 points
10. Missouri Southern – 46 points
11. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 40 points
12. Newman – 23 points
13. Northeastern State – 12 points 
[#] - First Place Votes
 
Northwest is 1-7 this season against nationally-ranked opponents. Northwest will play a pair of ranked foes this week in Missouri Western and Washburn.
 
Northwest vs. Ranked Foes in 20216
L, 3-0 vs. No. 10 Southwest Minnesota State (Sept. 4)
W, 3-2 vs. No. 22 Central Oklahoma (Sept. 17)
L, 3-1 vs. No. 15 Washburn (Sept. 22)
L, 3-0 at No. 8 Missouri Western (Sept. 25)
L, 3-1 vs. No. 5 Nebraska-Kearney (Oct. 9)
L, 3-0 vs. No. 18 Emporia State (Oct. 16)
L, 3-0 vs. No. 11 Missouri Western (Oct. 23)
L, 3-0 at No. 15 Washburn (Oct. 24)
 
Head coach Amy Woerth is in her 15th season at the helm of the Bearcat volleyball program. She is Northwest's all-time volleyball coaching wins leader with 234 victories. She has a career mark of 234-179 and 140-113 in MIAA play. She is a two-time MIAA Coach of Year (2018, 2022). Northwest captured the 2022 MIAA regular season title – the first conference crown in program history. Woerth has led the Bearcats to five 20-win seasons in her tenure. 
 
For the 13th straight year and 20th 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 2025-26 season. Northwest produced a 3.82 team GPA in the fall and a 3.91 team GPA in the spring. For the eighth 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, 2025 and 2026.