WICHITA STATE (2-1, 0-0 American)
Wednesday, Sep. 4 (6:30 p.m. CT) vs. #13 Kansas (3-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Lawrence, Kan. (Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena)
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Following a 2-1 showing at the Kennesaw State Invitational over the weekend, Wichita State returns to action with an in-state battle with #13 Kansas on Wednesday.
The match will be streamed on ESPN+. Live stats can be found at shockerstats.com.
SCENE SETTERS:
- Wichita State makes the short trip to Lawrence for a ranked road matchup against #13 Kansas on Wednesday evening at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.
- The Shockers are searching for their first win against ranked opposition since 2017 on Wednesday. Wichita State defeated #8 Creighton on September 15, 2017 (also the program's highest-ever win) and have since lost 18 straight against teams in the AVCA Top 25. WSU played just one ranked opponent in 2023 (#23 Kansas) but have five 2024 opponents currently ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA poll, not including the home exhibition match against RV Kansas State.
- Wichita State went 2-1 to open the season at the Kennesaw State Invitational. WSU defeated the host Owls 3-1 on Friday to open the season, then split a pair of five-set matches on Saturday. The Shockers led Indiana two sets to one and 6-3 early in the fifth set, but could not hold off the Hoosier rally. Wichita State then fell behind two sets to none against Kennesaw State a few hours later, but rallied for a 3-2 victory.
- The Shockers were picked second in the American Athletic Conference preseason poll announced last Monday. Rice was tabbed as the conference's 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 510-237, good for a .683 winning percentage and the most wins in the American Athletic Conference.
LOOKING BACK:
- Wichita State finished 2-1 at the Kennesaw State Invitational, defeating host Kennesaw State on Friday and Saturday (21-25, 25-17, 25-16, 25-19 and 20-25, 24-26, 25-17, 25-17, 15-12) sandwiched around a five-set loss to Indiana (25-14, 18-25, 25-21, 12-25, 13-15).
- In the season opener, offense ruled the day. The Shockers hit .436 against Kennesaw State and committed one or zero attack errors in three of the four sets. That .436 mark is better than Wichita State hit in any single match in 2023.
- It took a set before the Shockers found their footing defensively. Kennesaw State hit a blistering .533 in the opening frame but did not crack .200 in any of the three sets the rest of the way.
- Emerson Wilford had a stellar match, tying her career high with 15 kills on 32 swings without committing an error (.469).
- Wichita State let an opportunity for a quality win slip through their fingers in the first match of Saturday's doubleheader. Facing an Indiana team receiving votes in the AVCA top 25 poll, the Shockers dominated the opening set 25-14 and later led two sets to one, but were undone as the Hoosiers potent offense kicked into gear. A crucial 6-0 Indiana run in the fifth set erased a 6-3 Wichita State lead and proved to be the difference.
- WSU avoided a 1-2 start thanks to a reverse sweep of Kennesaw State in the finale. This time it was Wichita State with the fifth set comeback, scoring five of the final six points to secure the win.
- Libero Annalie Heliste capped off a strong weekend with a career-best match against the Owls. Heliste set personal bests with 18 digs and seven assists, four more than her previous career high.
WSU-KANSAS SERIES:
- The Shockers and Jayhawks have met 58 times in program history, with Kansas holding a 45-13 lead in the all-time series. The two teams have played each of the last four seasons (counting the 2020 campaign that was played in the spring of 2021) after an eight-year hiatus.
- Kansas has won 12 of the last 13 matchups, though the one Wichita State victory was arguably one of the most significant in Shocker volleyball history. In 2012, the Shockers rallied from an early deficit to knock off #20 ranked Kansas and advance to the first Sweet Sixteen in program history.
- Last season, Kansas defeated Wichita State 3-1 at the Shocker Volleyball Classic in Wichita. Reagan Cooper and Ayah Elnady combined for 39 kills to pace the Jayhawks, while the Shockers got 14 terminations from Sophia Rohling.
SCOUTING THE JAYHAWKS:
- Kansas brings a 3-0 record into their regular season home opener against the Shockers following a perfect weekend at Duke's season-opening tournament. The Jayhawks bested South Carolina, Duke and Colgate, losing just one set in the process.
- The Jayhawks hit a combined .377 over the course of those three matches, good for the second-best mark in the nation through the opening weekend of play.
- Kansas is ranked #13 in the latest AVCA top 25 poll. The Jayhawks were also picked as the favorite in the 2024 Big 12 Preseason Poll, pacing the circuit with six first place votes and 173 total points.
- Individually, setter Camryn Turner, outside hitter Ayah Elnady and opposite London Davis were tapped to the All-Big 12 Preseason Team and Zoey Burgess was named Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year.
- Turner is one of the nation's top setters. The native of Topeka, Kansas was named Big 12 Setter of the Year and an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American last season, averaging 10.67 assists per set to lead the league.
- The Jayhawks finished 2023 with a 24-6 record, including a 14-4 mark in conference play that was good for second in the Big 12. Kansas advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament, sweeping Omaha before falling in five sets against Penn State.
- Ray Bechard is in his 27th season at the helm of the Jayhawks. Bechard has led Kansas to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, highlighted by a run of six consecutive trips from 2012-2017. A five-time Big 12 Coach of the Year, Bechard owns a career record of 474-308.
UP NEXT:
- The Shockers head down to Arkansas for the Wooo Pig Invitational, where Wichita State will battle the host Razorbacks on Friday night and Little Rock the following afternoon.
