Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational
Wichita State (0-0) vs. South Dakota (0-0)
Friday, Jan. 22 | 2 p.m. | Springfield, Mo. (Hammons Student Center)
Wichita State (0-0) vs. Oral Roberts (0-0)
Saturday, Jan. 23 | Noon | Springfield, Mo. (Hammons Student Center)
Wichita State (0-0) at Missouri State (0-0)
Sunday, Jan. 24 | 2 p.m. | Springfield, Mo. (Hammons Student Center)
TV: ESPN+
This Week: The Wichita State University volleyball team (0-0) begins its 2021 spring schedule with a trio of matches in the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational Jan. 22-24 at the Hammons Student Center in Springfield, Mo. The Shockers are scheduled to face the South Dakota Coyotes (0-0) for their season opener Friday, Jan. 22, at 2 p.m., before facing the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (0-0) Saturday, Jan. 23, at noon and the host Missouri State Bears (0-0) Sunday, Jan. 24, at 2 p.m.
Spring Schedule: Wichita State is playing a spring schedule after its 2020 fall slate was postponed by the American Athletic Conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic. WSU is tentatively scheduled to play a 19-match spring schedule. The American Athletic Conference tournament will feature the top two teams in the East and West Division final standings, and will occur April 1-3 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Media Coverage: All three matches in the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational will feature live statistics. Links are available at GoShockers.com. In addition, Sunday's contest against Missouri State will air live on ESPN+. Fans can sign up for ESPN+ at WatchESPN.com ($4.99/month subscription required).
Series History: South Dakota -- Friday's match against the Coyotes will be the fourth meeting in the all-time series that dates back to 1983. The Shockers are a perfect 3-0 in the series. The last time the two teams met saw WSU defeat USD, 3-0, in Wichita during the 2013 season. ... Oral Roberts -- Saturday's contest vs. the Golden Eagles marks the 31st meeting in the all-time series going back to 1977. ORU leads the series, 18-12. During the last meeting in 2009, the Shockers defeated Oral Roberts in Wichita, 3-0. ... Missouri State -- Sunday's match against the Bears will be the 74th meeting all-time, dating back to 1975. Missouri State leads the series, 44-29. The last meeting between the two teams was in 2015, with WSU downing the Bears in Springfield, Mo., in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, 3-2.
Previewing the 2020-21 Shockers: The Shockers enter the 2021 spring season with six returning starters and 10 returning letterwinners from the 2019 season ... Returning starters include seniors Emma Wright (110 kills, 1.39 kills/set, 11 BS, 71 BA, 1.04 blocks/set) and McKayla Wuensch (434 assists, 5.64 assists/set, 19 SA, 154 digs, 2.00 digs/set, 10 BA), redshirt junior Megan Taflinger (280 kills, 2.83 kills/set, 10 SA, 108 digs, 7 BS, 37 BA), redshirt sophomore Brylee Kelly (131 kills, 1.98 kills/set, 34 digs, 28 BA), and sophomores Sinalauli'i Uluave (178 kills, 1.87 kills/set, 11 SA, 238 digs, 2.51 digs/set, 18 BA) and Kayce Litzau (358 assists, 5.11 assists/set, 12 SA, 105 digs, 1.50 digs/set, 2 BS, 6 BA) ... Other returners for WSU in 2021 include senior Brooke Smith, redshirt junior Lexi Hogan, sophomores Nicole Anderson, Lily Liekweg and Sophia Rohling, and redshirt freshmen Skylar Goering and Shea Lauria ... Wichita State welcomes 10 newcomers for 2020-21.
On the Wright Track: Senior middle blocker Emma Wright enters the 2021 spring season ranked 12th in career blocks per set at 0.91. The Phoenix, Ariz., native led the Shockers in blocks in 2019 with 82 (11 block solos, 71 block assists).
Leading the Attack: Redshirt junior outside hitter Megan Taflinger ranks 11th in career kills per set (2.91) and 14th in career points per set (3.27) entering the 2021 spring campaign. Taflinger led the Shockers offensively in 2019 with 280 kills, 2.83 kills per set and 3.19 points per set.
New Faces: Wichita State has 10 newcomers to the 2020-21 roster, including nine freshmen and one junior transfer. Freshmen include Sophie Childs (RS/OH), Natalie Foster (MB/RS), Lauren McMahon (MB), Lauren Phillips (S), Morgan Stout (MB), Marriah Buss (OH), Kylie Marneris (L), Morgan Weber (OH) and Hailey Plugge (S). Bryn Stansberry (L) is WSU's junior transfer.
Friendly Confines: The Shockers are an impressive 165-47 (.778) at home since moving to Charles Koch Arena in 2003. WSU's all-time record in Wichita, between the Heskett Center, Levitt Arena and Charles Koch Arena is a stellar 335-175-1 (.657) in 44 years.
Preseason Picks: Wichita State was picked to finish fourth in the 2020 American Athletic Conference West Division Coaches' Preseason Poll. SMU was tabbed the preseason favorite in the division with seven first-place votes and 52 points, while Tulane was voted second with a pair of first-place votes and 45 points. Houston rounded out the top three with the final two first-place vote, going along with 41 points. The Shockers were fourth with 26 points, while Tulsa (21 points) and Memphis (11 points) rounded out the poll in fifth and sixth, respectively.
In the East Division, UCF was tabbed the top team with 10 first-place votes and 46 points, with Cincinnati in second with the final first-place vote and 37 points. Temple was third with 26 points, and East Carolina and USF tied for fourth with 16 points each, rounding out the poll.
The Coach: Chris Lamb is beginning his 21st season as the head volleyball coach at Wichita State University. He has led the Shockers to at least 20 wins in 15 out of the last 17 seasons, and was the National Coach of the Year by Volleyball Magazine in 2017. Lamb's career record stands at an impressive 436-197 following the 2019 season.
Up Next: The Shockers are slated to host North Texas for their home opener Thursday, Jan. 28, and Friday, Jan. 29, at Charles Koch Arena.
