Scene Setter
Wichita State volleyball returns home to Charles Koch Arena for a pair of American Athletic Conference matches against the SMU Mustangs and Memphis Tigers Friday, Nov. 8, and Sunday, Nov. 10. The Shockers are slated to face SMU at 7 p.m. Friday, before taking on Memphis Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Promotions
Sunday's match is the annual "Salute to Service" contest. All service men and women in-uniform or with a valid military ID will receive FREE admission...Sunday's match is also Family Day. Get 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 bags of popcorn and 4 drinks for only $32.
 
Quick Hits
• Wichita State enters the weekend with an overall record of 7-17 and an American Athletic Conference mark of 4-8 after splitting two road matches last weekend at Tulane and Houston. WSU swept Tulane Friday, Nov. 1, 3-0, before falling at Houston Sunday, Nov. 3, 3-0.
• Through 24 matches, sophomore outside hitter Megan Taflinger leads the Shockers offensively, averaging 2.81 kills per set. Overall, the Leona Valley, Calif., native has 233 kills on 710 attempts with 96 errors for a .193 attack percentage. Senior defensive specialist Kara Bown has a team-best 18 service aces.
• Junior setter McKayla Wuensch is averaging a team-best 5.84 assists per set, while Bown is averaging a team-high 3.41 digs per set, and junior middle blocker Brooke Smith is averaging a team-best 1.14 blocks per set with five block solos and 35 block assists.
 • Through 24 matches, the Shockers are averaging 11.3 kills, 10.6 assists, 0.9 aces, 14.6 digs and 2.1 blocks per set. Wichita State is hitting .174 with 1,003 kills in 3,038 attempts and 473 errors.
• After 10 conference contests, Smith is hitting a team-best .281 with 45 kills on 114 attempts and 13 errors. Wuensch has a team-best 220 assists (7.86 assists/set) in conference action, while Bown has a team-high 149 digs (3.63 digs/set), and Smith has a team-best 39 blocks (five block solos, 34 block assists).
• Redshirt freshman middle blocker Chinelo Ogogor posted a career-high three block solos in WSU's contest at Houston Nov. 3. That ranks tied for 10th in Wichita State single-match history.
• Redshirt freshman outside hitter Brylee Kelly matched her career-best attack percentage (.333) for the third time this season after tallying 11 kills on 24 attempts with three errors at Houston Nov. 3.
• Both Ogogor (.351) and Kelly (.311) are hitting over .300 in their last four matches.
• In her last four contests, freshman setter Kayce Litzau has 89 assists and is averaging a team-high 6.85 assists per set with zero reception errors.
• Wright (1.86), Smith (1.20) and Ogogor (1.20) are all averaging over one block per set in their last four matches.
• The Shockers hit a season-best .363 with 41 kills on 102 attempts and only four errors in the sweep of USF Oct. 20. WSU had just one attacking error in the first two sets, hitting a blistering .567 (17-0-30) in set one and .281 in set two (10-1-32).
• 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.
• Taflinger and 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.
• 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 9-5 all-time against SMU and Memphis. In The American, the Shockers are 6-3 vs. the two programs.
SMU - 4-4 (2-3 American)
Memphis - 5-1 (4-0 American)
 
About SMU
The SMU Mustangs come into the weekend at 15-7 overall and 8-4 in The American after splitting two matches against Memphis and UCF...SMU defeated Memphis on the road Nov. 1, 3-2, before falling to UCF at home Nov. 3, 3-1...Through 22 matches, the Mustangs are led by sophomore outside hitter Hannah Jacobs (270 kills, 3.55 kills/set, .202 attack pct.), sophomore setter Lily Heim (934 assists, 11.53 assists/set, 17 aces, 238 digs, 2.94 digs/set, three block solos and 32 block assists), senior libero Montana Watts (376 digs, 4.76 digs/set, 63 assists) and junior middle blocker Meryn Kennedy (16 aces, 10 block solos, 71 block assists, 1.12 blocks/set)...Heim currently is fourth in the nation in assists per set...SMU was tabbed fifth in The American preseason poll...The Mustangs are under the direction of 25th season head coach Lisa Seifert.
 
About Memphis
The University of Memphis Tigers enter the weekend at 15-9 overall and 4-8 in The American after splitting two home contests vs. SMU and USF...Memphis fell to SMU Nov. 1, 3-2, before defeating USF Nov. 3, 3-1...The Tigers are slated to play at Tulsa Friday before facing WSU Sunday...Through 24 contests, Memphis is paced by junior right side hitter Hannah Flowers (318 kills, 3.42 kills/ set, .330 attack pct., 43 aces, 47 digs, two block solos, 52 block assists), sophomore setter Sabrina BIanco (963 assists, 10.24 assists/set, 16 aces, 244 digs, 29 block assists), sophomore libero Kaitlyn Gehler (358 digs, 3.93 digs/set, 64 assists, 23 aces) and sophomore middle blocker Andrea O'Connor (128 kills, eight block solos, 52 block assists, 0.71 blocks/set)...Memphis was picked to finish 12th in The American preseason poll...The Tigers are under the leadership of second season head coach Sean Burdette.
 
Last Meeting vs. SMU
The SMU Mustangs used a blistering .375 attack percentage to gallop past the Wichita State volleyball team, 3-0, Sunday afternoon, Oct. 6, in an American Athletic Conference match at Moody Coliseum. The set scores were 25-14, 25-20 and 25-18.
 
After posting a career-high 14 kills in the win at Memphis Friday, redshirt freshman Brylee Kelly continued her standout play Sunday, tying her career-best with a .333 attack percentage, going along with a team-best 13 kills on 30 attempts with only a trio of errors. The Monee, Ill., native also had an ace, and three digs.
 
Junior McKayla Wuensch added a team-high 31 assists and eight digs, and fellow junior Emma Wright had a team-best four blocks, respectively.
 
Rachel Woulfe paced SMU, tallying a match-high 15 kills on 19 attempts with two errors for a .684 attack percentage, while Lily Heim had 42 assists, Montana Watts posted 12 digs, and Meryn Kennedy had eight blocks.
 
Last Meeting vs. Memphis
The Wichita State University volleyball team defeated the Memphis Tigers, 3-2, in an American Athletic Conference match on Friday, Oct. 4, inside Elma Roane Fieldhouse. The set scores were 26-28, 25-18, 27-29, 25-19 and 15-12.
 
Junior Emma Wright tallied a match-best 16 kills on 26 attempts with two errors for a career-best .538 attack percentage, and posted six block assists, leading the Shockers.
 
Redshirt freshman Brylee Kelly added a career-high 14 kills, while junior McKayla Wuensch compiled a career-best 49 assists, and redshirt freshman Chinelo Ogogor and junior Brooke Smith each compiled a career-best seven block assists.
 
Senior Kara Bown had a match-high 23 digs, and sophomore Megan Taflinger tallied 15 kills, respectively.
 
The Shockers outhit the Tigers, .223 to .165, and compiled a season-best 16 blocks. WSU also tallied an 8-6 edge in service aces for the match.
 
Hannah Flowers hit .324 with 16 kills, while Meredith Wallace had a double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs, leading Memphis.
 
Koch Arena to Host USA Volleyball Team
The U.S. Women's National Team has one domestic tournament prior to heading to the 2020 Olympic Games. As the only host in the United States, Wichita, Kan., will be front-and-center on Team USA's journey to Tokyo.
 
The U.S. Women will host Japan, Turkey and Belgium during their FIVB Volleyball Nations League domestic preliminary round matches held June 9-11. The four-team round-robin match format will take place at Charles Koch Arena on the WSU campus. Tickets are currently on sale at GoShockers.com/tickets.
 
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).
 
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.
 
The Chris Lamb Radio Show
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.