Scene Setter
Wichita State volleyball begins a four-match homestand with a pair of conference tilts Friday, Oct. 11, and Sunday, Oct. 13 against the Houston Cougars and Tulane Green Wave at Charles Koch Arena. First serve Friday vs. the Cougars is scheduled for 7 p.m., with Sunday's match vs. the Green Wave slated for a 1 p.m. start time.
 
Promotions
Friday's match vs. Houston is Farmer's Appreciation Night. A mobile milking truck and themed WuShock photo booth will be onsite for fans...Sunday's contest against Tulane is Teacher Appreciation Day, with all area teachers receiving $5 admission.  
 
Quick Hits
• The Shockers enter the weekend at 4-12 overall and 1-3 in The American after splitting road matches at Memphis and SMU last weekend. WSU downed Memphis Friday, Oct. 4, 3-2, before falling to SMU Sunday, Oct. 6, 3-0.
• Through 16 matches, sophomore outside hitter Megan Taflinger leads the Shockers offensively, averaging 2.63 kills per set. Overall, the Leona Valley, Calif., native has 158 kills on 483 attempts with 69 errors for a .184 attack percentage. Junior setter McKayla Wuensch and senior libero/DS Kara Bown both have a team-high 12 service aces.
• Wuensch is averaging a team-best 5.33 assists per set, while senior libero/DS Kara Bown is averaging a team-high 3.33 digs per set. Junior middle blocker Emma Wright leads Wichita State in blocking with nine block solos, 49 block assists and 1.04 blocks per set.
• Through 16 matches, the Shockers are averaging 10.8 kills, 10.2 assists, 0.9 aces, 13.8 digs and 2.0 blocks per set. Wichita State is hitting .171 with 646 kills in 1,971 attempts and 308 errors.
• After four conference contests, Wright is hitting a team-best .403 with 35 kills on 67 attempts and eight errors, and has a team-high 14 blocks (one block solo, 13 block assists). Wuensch had a team-best 122 assists (7.62 assists/set) in conference action, and Bown leads the team with 58 digs (3.87 digs/set) in four conference contests.
• Wright hit a career-best .538 with 16 kills on 26 attempts and only two errors in the Shockers' five-set triumph at Memphis Oct. 4.
• Redshirt freshman Brylee Kelly posted a career-high 14 kills at Memphis Oct. 4, before tying her career-best with a .333 (13-3-30) attack percentage at SMU Oct. 6.
• Wuensch compiled a career-high 49 assists at Memphis Oct. 4.
• Freshman libero/DS Arianna Arjomand tallied a career-best three service aces at Memphis Oct. 4.
• Redshirt freshman Chinelo Ogogor and junior Brooke Smith posted a career-high seven block assists against Memphis Oct. 4.
• In her first match back from an injury suffered against San Jose State Sept. 5, senior middle blocker Damadj Johnson tied her career-best with a match-high 10 blocks (two block solos, eight block assists) at Tulsa Sept. 27.
• Bown posted a career-high 25 digs at Tulsa Sept. 27.
• Bown was named to the Creighton Classic All-Tournament Team. The Lincoln, Neb., native posted 23 digs and three aces in WSU's match vs. Wyoming Sept. 20 in Omaha.
• Kelly hit a career-high .333 with 10 kills on 21 attempts and three errors vs. Wyoming Sept. 20. She also had a career-high seven block assists in that contest.
• Wright tallied a career-best eight block assists vs. Wyoming Sept. 20.
• Taflinger and freshman outside hitter Sinalauli'i Uluave were named to the Shocker Volleyball Classic Presented by Ashley HomeStore All-Tournament Team.
• Wichita State faced five AVCA top-15 teams (Nebraska, Texas, Penn State, BYU, Creighton) in its non-conference schedule.
• Third-ranked Texas marked the highest-ranked opponent to ever visit Charles Koch Arena. The previous highest-ranked team to come to the arena was No. 6 Washington in 2004.
• Head Coach Chris Lamb is in his 20th season with the Shockers
• WSU returns two starters from last season in junior middle blocker Emma Wright and sophomore outside hitter Megan Taflinger. Junior libero Giorgia Civita also returns, but will miss the 2019 season due to injury.
• Wichita State welcomes 11 newcomers this season, including eight freshmen and three transfers.
• The Shockers are picked seventh in the American Athletic Conference preseason poll.
• WSU led The American and ranked 18th in the country in overall attendance last season, averaging 2,177 fans over their 10 home matches. The Shockers have been ranked in the top-25 for attendance for 14 straight seasons.
• WSU has won four conference tournament titles (2004, 2013, 2015, 2016).
• The Shockers have won seven conference regular-season championships (2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2017).
• Giorgia Civita was named The American Libero of the Year last season. She was also voted first team all-conference and AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region.
 
Series History
Wichita State is 5-5 all-time against Houston and Tulane. In The American, the Shockers are 3-2 vs. the two programs.
Houston - 3-4 (1-2 American)
Tulane - 2-1 (2-0 American)
 
About Houston
The University of Houston Cougars enter the weekend at 10-9 overall and a perfect 4-0 in The American after winning a pair of five-set matches at Tulane and Temple Oct. 4 and 6...Houston has won five consecutive matches -- all in five sets -- and played five sets in seven of its last nine contests...Through 19 matches, the Cougars are led by freshman outside hitter Abbie Jackson (237 kills, 3.43 kills/set, 24 aces, one block solo, 13 block assists), junior setter Abby Irvine (657 assists, 8.01 assists/set, 18 aces, 193 digs, 2.35 digs/set, 15 block assists), senior DS/libero Katie Karbo (425 digs, 5.31 digs/set, 11 aces, 78 assists) and freshman middle blocker Rachel Tullos (35 block solos, 54 block assists, 76 kills)...Karbo ranks second in the conference in digs per set and is second in the nation in total digs...The Cougars rank second in the country in total attacks (3,011), third in assists (897) and digs (1,230), and fourth in kills (962)...Houston was picked to finish 10th in The American preseason poll...The Cougars are led by first season head coach David Rehr.
 
About Tulane
The Tulane University Green Wave enter the weekend at 13-4 overall and 3-1 in The American after winning at UConn Oct. 6, 3-0, and falling at home to Houston Oct. 4, 3-2...The Green Wave are slated to play at Tulsa Friday before taking on the Shockers Sunday...Through 17 matches, Tulane is paced by junior outside hitter Lexie Douglas (176 kills, 2.63 kills/set, 23 aces, 171 digs, 2.55 digs/set, two block solos, 35 block assists), sophomore setter Amanda Giardina (330 assists, 5.08 assists/set, 11 aces, 114 digs), senior libero Kaylie McHugh (303 digs, 4.59 digs/set, 19 aces, 86 assists) and sophomore middle hitter Kayla Dinkins (seven block solos, 89 block assists, 1.52 blocks/set, 136 kills, 2.16 kills/set, .279 attack pct.)...Dinkins leads the conference in blocks per set, and ranks fourth in the nation in total blocks (96)...The Green Wave were picked third in The American preseason poll...Tulane is under the direction of fourth season head coach Jim Barnes.
 
Last Meeting vs. Houston
The Wichita State University volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to the Houston Cougars Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, inside Charles Koch Arena. The Shockers fell by set scores of 19-25, 22-25, 25-22 and 23-25. Senior Tabitha Brown posted her team-high seventh double-double of the season with 11 kills and 19 digs, while junior Alex Koon also had 11 kills to go along with four blocks, leading WSU. In her first match since Sept. 21, sophomore Emma Wright compiled eight kills and three blocks. Redshirt freshman Kora Kauling added a team-high 25 assists, while sophomore Giorgia Civita posted a match-best 30 digs.
 
Last Meeting vs. Tulane
Behind a career-high in kills and digs from freshman Megan Taflinger, Wichita State opened up American Athletic Conference play with a 3-2 win over Tulane at Charles Koch Arena on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The set scores were 25-18, 17-25, 25-17, 19-25 and 15-12.  Taflinger recorded her first double-double of the season, coming up with 17 kills and 13 digs. Senior Kali Eaken led the Shockers with 29 assists while sophomore Giorgia Civita came up with 27 digs.
 
New-Look
Wichita State returns just two starters in 2019 in junior middle blocker Emma Wright and sophomore outside hitter Megan Taflinger. WSU has 11 newcomers this season, including freshmen Skylar Goering (outside hitter), Kayce Litzau (setter), Nicole Anderson (outside hitter), Arianna Arjomand (libero/DS), Sinalauli'i Uluave (outside hitter), Sophia Rohling (opposite), Shea Lauria (libero/DS) and Lily Liekweg (libero/DS), and transfers Lexi Hogan (outside hitter), McKayla Wuensch (setter) and Damadj Johnson (middle blocker).
 
International History
Junior libero Giorgia Civita returns to the team in 2019. Civita is from Milan, Italy and is just the seventh international player to play for the Shockers. Others include Kim Henry (1989-92) from Canada, Swee Ng (1992) from Malaysia, Marsha Van Cedar (1994-95) from Canada, Tomoko Matsuda (1996) from Japan, Lucia Zhanje (2000) from Zimbabwe and Shimen Fayad (2014-15) from Canada. One other international player was on the roster in 1992, but never played in a match (Tamie Bearup, Italy).
 
Lamb Returns for 20th Season
Head coach Chris Lamb, five-time conference Coach of the Year and 2017 National Coach of the Year, returns for his 20th season after guiding the Shockers to at least 20 wins in 15 of the last 16 seasons. In 2011, he became the winningest coach in Shocker volleyball history and in 2017 he won his 400th career match.
 
Practice Schedule
(*schedule subject to change)
The Shockers will practice in the Aetna Multi-Purpose Center Tuesday-Thursday from 1:30-4:30 p.m. On the day before a home match, the team will practice on Devlin Court.
 
The Chris Lamb Radio Show
(*schedule subject to change)
The Chris Lamb Radio Show will take place Monday's throughout the season live from AJ's Sports Grill at The Alley in Wichita. The show will air on 97.5 FM and 1240 AM KFH radio. Mike Kennedy will host the show. A full show schedule is available at GoShockers.com.
 
On the Horizon
The Shockers close out their homestand with conference matches vs. UCF and USF Friday, Oct. 18, and Sunday, Oct. 20.
 
2018 Review
Wichita State advanced to the postseason for the fourth consecutive season, qualifying for the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC). WSU finished the 2018 season with a 14-18 overall record and went 8-10 in American Athletic Conference play. The Shockers played the fourth-toughest schedule in all of NCAA Division I volleyball, including five matches against AVCA Top-25 opponents. Sophomore libero Giorgia Civita was voted American Libero of the Year, first team all-conference and AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region. A native of Milan, Italy, Civita rewrote the Wichita State volleyball record books in 2018, compiling single-season records for both digs (728) and digs per set (5.78).