McKendree Invitational – Lebanon, Ill.
Aug. 27, 5 p.m.
Northwest Missouri State vs. Maryville | WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
Aug. 28, 2 p.m.
Northwest Missouri State vs. Ouachita Baptist | WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
Aug. 28, 7 p.m.
Northwest Missouri State at McKendree | WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
Aug. 29, 2 p.m.
Northwest Missouri State vs. Harding | WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team will begin its 2026 season with four matches Thursday-Saturday at the McKendree Invitational in the Melvin Price Convocation Center (MPCC) in Lebanon, Ill.
 
The Bearcats will take on Maryville University in their first match of the season Thursday at 5 p.m. Northwest will play two matches on Friday against Ouachita Baptist University (2 p.m.) and against the host McKendree University (7 p.m.). Northwest will wrap up tourney action Saturday at 2 p.m. against Harding University.
 
All of the tournament's matches will be streamed on the GLVC Sports Network via a subscription service ($15 – per game; $32 – monthly; $145 – annually).
 
Northwest dropped a 3-0 decision to Maryville last season when the teams met in Springfield, Ill. Northwest's last matchup with Ouachita Baptist came Sept. 7, 2018, as Northwest tallied a 3-0 sweep of OBU in Wichita, Kan. McKendree recorded a 3-0 triumph over Northwest in their last meeting on Sept. 8, 2017, in Quincy, Ill. Harding posted a 3-1 win over Northwest on Sept. 8, 2023, in Topeka, Kan.
 
Northwest has been 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
 
Junior Abby Bulthuis is the team's leading returning in kills (162). Bulthuis played in 23 matches and averaged 2.31 kills per set.
 
Junior Ellery Luhring returns as the top dig leader from 2025. Luhring tallied 200 digs (2.33 digs/set) in 25 matches.
 
Sophomore Natalie Herrington posted a team-best 68 blocks in 2025. She averaged 0.93 blocks per set in 16 matches.
 
Head coach Amy Woerth is in her 15th season at the helm of the Bearcat volleyball program. She is the Northwest's all-time volleyball coaching wins leader with 225. She has a career mark of 225-164 and 134-107 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.