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Match Week Nebraska Classic

Volleyball Preview: Nebraska Classic

9/10/2024 4:09:00 PM

WICHITA STATE (3-3, 0-0 American)

Thursday, Sept. 12 (6:00 p.m. CT) vs. #14 Arizona State (6-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Lincoln, Neb. (Bob Devaney Sports Center)
Live Stats

Friday, Sept. 13 (3:00 p.m. CT) vs. Long Beach State (2-2, 0-0 Big West)
Lincoln, Neb. (Bob Devaney Sports Center)
Live Stats

Saturday, Sept. 14 (6:00 p.m. CT) vs. #5 Nebraska (5-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
Lincoln, Neb. (Bob Devaney Sports Center)
Live Stats // Watch
 

Wichita State travels to one of the premier atmospheres in college volleyball for the Nebraska Classic, where the Shockers will take on #14 Arizona State, Long Beach State and #5 Nebraska.

Only the Nebraska match will be streamed on Big Ten Plus. Live stats for all matches can be found at shockerstats.com.

SCENE SETTERS:
  • The Shockers wrap up the non-conference portion of the 2024 schedule with the Nebraska Classic in Lincoln, Nebraska, taking on #14 Arizona State, Long Beach State and #5 Nebraska.
  • First serve for Friday's match against Long Beach State has been moved up 30 minutes from the originally scheduled time to a 3:00 pm CT start.
  • Wichita State brings a 3-3 record into play on Thursday, with all three losses coming against teams either ranked in the AVCA Top 25 or receiving votes. WSU went 2-1 at the Kennesaw State Invitational, dropped a standalone match on the road at Kansas, then finished 1-1 at the Wooo Pig Invitational this past week.
  • The Shockers are searching for their first win against ranked opposition since 2017. Wichita State defeated #8 Creighton on September 15, 2017 (also the program's highest-ever win) and have since lost 20 straight against teams in the AVCA Top 25. WSU played just one ranked opponent in 2023 but have six 2024 opponents currently ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA poll, not including an exhibition match against RV Kansas State.
  • The Shockers were picked second in the American Athletic Conference preseason poll. Rice was tabbed as preseason favorite, garnering eight first place votes to Wichita State's four. South Florida was picked third and received the final first place vote. Middle blocker Morgan Stout and setter Izzi Strand were both named preseason all-conference.
  • Head coach Chris Lamb is in his 25th season at the helm of the Shockers. Known affectionately as "Lambo," the veteran head coach owns a career record of 511-239, good for a .681 winning percentage and the most wins in the American Athletic Conference.
LOOKING BACK:
  • Wichita State split a pair of matches at the Wooo Pig Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas, dropping three straight sets to host Arkansas on Friday night before bouncing back with a four-set win over previously undefeated Little Rock on Saturday.
  • The Shockers struggled to find consistent scoring against the Razorbacks outside of Morgan Stout, who hit .407 with 12 terminations on 27 attempts. No other WSU player with more than five swings hit better than .143 against the physical Arkansas block.
  • The Razorbacks Sania Petties was the star, scoring 12 times on 16 attempts without committing an error.
  • WSU freshman Gracie Morrow made her collegiate debut against Arkansas, registering six kills and a block assist.
  • Wichita State found their offensive rhythm against Little Rock, raising their hitting percentage 112 points from the day prior. Outside hitters Brooklyn Leggett (15 kills, .300) and Alyssa Gonzales (13 kills, .216) powered the WSU attack with help from another strong Stout performance (12 kills, .333).
  • Sarah Barham delivered a stellar defensive outing in the middle, recording a match-high eight block assists. With WSU leading 21-19 in the first set, she notched four consecutive blocks to help secure the frame.
  • The Shockers did damage at the service line in both matches, recording a positive ace:error ratio. Against Arkansas the Shockers finished with four aces and three errors, followed by nine and eight against Little Rock. Annalie Heliste and Grace Hett both piled up a trio of aces while Izzi Strand added two.
  • Heliste set a new career high with 23 digs against Little Rock.
WSU-ARIZONA STATE SERIES:
  • The Shockers and Sun Devils have just two previous meetings, both resulting in Arizona State sweeps.
  • Both matches took place in season-opening tournaments. In 1989, Arizona State bested the Shockers at the Texas Tech Red Raider Classic in Lubbock, Texas and in 2013, ASU defeated Wichita State at the La Quinta Inn & Suites Invitational in Orem, Utah.
SCOUTING THE SUN DEVILS:
  • Arizona State brings a flawless 6-0 record to Lincoln after rolling through the LUV Invitational at Lipscomb and the Jack Talmadge Volleyball Classic at San Diego. The Sun Devils have lost just three sets over the course of their six victories.
  • ASU climbed two spots in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll on Monday, inching up to #14 in the rankings.
  • The Sun Devils advanced to the Sweet 16 last season, reaching the milestone for the first time since 1995 and the third time in program history. Arizona State toppled Georgia and BYU in Provo before suffering a sweep at the hands of Stanford to end their season at 28-7.
  • In their first season in the Big 12, ASU was picked third in the Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Poll. Middle blocker Claire Jeter and setter Argentina Ung were selected to the preseason all-conference team.
  • JJ Van Niel is in his second season as Arizona State head coach. He was named the AVCA Pacific South Region Coach of the Year and Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2023, his first as a head coach after five seasons on the coaching staff at USC.
WSU-LONG BEACH STATE SERIES:
  • The Shockers and The Beach have never played.
SCOUTING THE BEACH:
  • Long Beach State currently owns a 2-2 record with losses against top-10 foes Pittsburgh and Oregon and a pair of wins over Northwestern. The Beach play host to Omaha on Wednesday night.
  • LBSU is coming off a 2023 season in which the Beach finished the year with a 21-10 overall record and a 13-5 Big West mark. The highlight of the campaign came in the season opener when Long Beach State toppled defending national champion and #1-ranked Texas.
  • Long Beach State was picked third in The Big West Preseason Poll behind second place Hawaii and future Shocker opponent Cal Poly.
  • Setter Zayna Meyer and outside hitter Natalie Glenn earned spots on the preseason all-conference team.
  • Natalie Reagan is in her second season with The Beach and first at the helm after she was named Interim Head Coach in February.  Reagan has ties to Nebraska, where she helped the Huskers to the 2015 National Championship as the team's technical coordinator.
WSU-NEBRASKA SERIES:
  • Nebraska leads the all-time series with the Shockers 14-1, only one of which has taken place in Wichita. All 14 of the Nebraska victories have been sweeps, including 13 in a row in the series.
  • Wichita State's only victory over the Huskers came in 1976, a 2-1 decision in Ames, Iowa.
  • The Shockers and Huskers have three NCAA tournament matchups: 2004, 2007 and 2015. All three were second round matches.
  • The last meeting between the two programs took place in 2019, a 3-0 Nebraska decision. The Huskers were ranked #1 at the time of the match.
SCOUTING THE CORNHUSKERS:
  • The Huskers are 5-1 in 2024 heading into a Tuesday night showdown against in-state foe Creighton. Nebraska opened the season with a win over #9 Kentucky and have swept a pair of two-match invitationals in Lincoln sandwiched around a road loss at SMU.
  • Nebraska ended the 2023 season with an overall record of 33-2 and reached the NCAA Championship match, falling 3-0 to Texas. The Huskers went 19-1 in Big Ten play to claim their first Big Ten championship since 2017.
  • The Huskers return every starter from the 2023 club, highlighted by AVCA All-Americans Merritt Beason, Lexi Rodriguez, Bergen Reilly and Harper Murray.
  • In addition to the returners, 2022 Big Ten Player of the Year Taylor Landfair transferred to the Huskers from Minnesota.
  • Head coach John Cook is in his 25th season leading the Huskers. Cook boasts a career record of 855-174 (.831) including seven seasons at Wisconsin, and has guided the Huskers to four national championships, 11 final fours and 13 conference championships.
UP NEXT:
  • The Shockers prepare for their home opener at the Shocker Volleyball Classic against Cal Poly, Northern Colorado and Omaha.
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