Fairfield Inn & Suites Griffon Volleyball Classic – St. Joseph, Mo.
Sept. 4, 4:30 p.m.
Northwest Missouri State vs. Southwest Minnesota State | WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
 
Sept. 5, 9 a.m.
Northwest Missouri State vs. Northern State | WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
 
Sept. 5, 4 p.m.
Northwest Missouri State at Oklahoma Christian | WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
 
The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team will look to continue its winning ways Friday and Saturday at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Griffon Volleyball Classic in St. Joseph, Mo.
 
The Bearcats (3-1 overall) will play three matches in two days. Northwest will take on No. 10-ranked Southwest Minnesota State Friday at 4:30 p.m. Northwest will wrap up play Saturday with two matches against Northern State at 9 a.m. and vs. Oklahoma Christian at 4 p.m.
 
All-Tournament passes and All-Day passes for the tournament are available for purchase in advance on the Missouri Western athletics website (Home Town Ticketing)
 
Northwest and Southwest Minnesota State have not met since the 2012 season. The Mustangs scored a 3-0 win over the Bearcats Sept. 8, 2012, in Rolla, Mo. Southwest Minnesota State is 3-0 this season with victories over Wheeling (W, 3-0; W, 3-0) and Spring Hill (W, 3-0).
 
Northern State and Northwest last met on Sept. 5, 2024, with the Wolves posting a 3-0 triumph in Sioux Falls, S.D. Northern State is 3-1 on the year with wins over Flagler (W, 3-0), UC-Colorado Springs (W, 3-1) and CSU Dominguez Hills (W, 3-0). The Wolves dropped a five-set match to Colorado Christian at the Oredigger Classic in Golden, Colo.
 
This will be the first meeting between Northwest and Oklahoma Christian on the volleyball court. Oklahoma Christian went 3-1 at the Washburn Invitational. The Eagles fell to No. 8-ranked Washburn in four sets. The Eagles tallied victories over William Jewell (W, 3-0), Westminster (W, 3-0 and Arkansas Tech (W, 3-1).
 
Northwest went 3-1 at the McKendree Invitational in Lebonon, Ill. The Bearcats began the tournament with three straights wins over Maryville (W, 3-0), Ouachita Baptist (W, 3-2) and McKendree (W, 3-0). The Bearcats suffered a four-set loss to Harding to close out the tournament. Gabrielle Gartner and Mya Karrick each gained spots on the McKendree Invitational All-Tournament team.
 
Gabrielle Gartner leads the team with 47 kills (3.13 kills per set). Gartner produced a 15-kill effort as she hit .433 in a 3-0 win over Maryville (Aug. 27). She added 13 kills and hit .545 in a 3-0 victory over McKendree (Aug. 28).
 
Mya Karrick delivered two double-doubles and average 10.07 assists per set in guiding Northwest to a 3-1 mark at the McKendree Invitational. Karrick gained a season-best 51 assists in a 3-2 victory over Ouachita Baptist (Aug. 28). She added six kills, 15 digs and five service aces against Ouachita Baptist. Karrick leads the squad with 10 service aces.
 
Jada Smith pounded out a career-high 16 kills and hit .364 in a five-set win over Ouachita Baptist (Aug. 28). Smith ranks No. 2 on the squad with 34 kills (2.62 kills/set).
 
Ellery Luhring was credited with a career-high 31 digs in a five-set victory over Ouachita Baptist (Aug. 28). Luhring leads the team with 79 digs (5.27 digs/set).
 
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
 
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 228. She has a career mark of 228-165 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.