WICHITA STATE (2-4, 0-0 American) vs. Florida Gulf Coast (2-3, 0-0 ASUN)
Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 | 4:00 p.m.
Columbia, Mo. | Hearnes Center
TV: None
 
WICHITA STATE (2-4, 0-0 American) vs. Arkansas State (3-3, 0-0 Sun Belt)
Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.
Columbia, Mo. | Hearnes Center
TV: None
 
WICHITA STATE (2-4, 0-0 American) vs. Missouri (3-2, 0-0 SEC)
Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026 | 4:00 p.m.
Columbia, Mo. | Hearnes Center
TV: SECN+

SCENE SETTERS
The Shockers continue a six-match road stretch, heading to Columbia, Mo. for three matches at the Mizzou Tournament.
Wichita State's non-conference schedule features six 2025 NCAA Tournament teams: Stephen F. Austin, Colorado, Northern Colorado, Kansas (x2), Arkansas State and Northern Iowa (x2).
Two of the Shockers' early losses have come to AVCA Top-25 teams, falling in three sets to No. 23 Colorado and No. 22 Kansas.
Wichita State leads the all-time series, 4-2, against Arkansas State, and Missouri leads the all-time series against the Shockers, 7-5-1, while Wichita State and Florida Gulf Coast will meet for the first time.
Wichita State leads the American Conference in team attacks per set with 36.4.
Jordan Heatherly leads the American in service aces with 10, averaging 0.5 per set.
McKenzie Jones is leading the Shockers in kills per set with 3.05, good for No. 10 in the conference.
The Shocker offense is orchestrated by setters Heatherly and Addie Oeth, who are averaging 6.00 and 4.35 assists per set, respectively, through the first six matches.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State dropped a 3-0 decision to No. 22-ranked Kansas Tuesday evening at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena, falling 25-9, 25-21, 25-14. Wichita State was led offensively by sophomore outside hitter McKenzie Jones, who recorded eight kills on 25 attacks. Olivia Cohee added three kills, while Allie Paulsen and Maddie Wilson each contributed four kills. Jordan Heatherly paced the Shocker offense with 12 assists. After Kansas controlled the opening set, 25-9, Wichita State settled in during the second. The Shockers battled back from an early deficit and pulled even at 8-8 following an ace from Heatherly. Wichita State later took a 20-17 lead before Kansas answered with a late run to claim the set, 25-21. Wichita State recorded all three of its service aces in the second frame, courtesy of Cohee, Cubbage and Heatherly. Kansas came out strong in the third set, building a 13-8 advantage before extending its lead to 20-11. A pair of KU errors and a Jones kill brought the Shocker total to 14 before the Jayhawks closed out the sweep. Kansas hit .417 for the match compared to Wichita State's .065 and held a 44-22 advantage in kills. The Jayhawks also recorded 10 team blocks to Wichita State's one.
 
RELYING ON YOUNG HITTERS
Between Sydney Dunning (injury), Brooklyn Leggett (graduation) and Emerson Wilford (graduation), the Shockers lost 64.5 percent of their kills from 2025. The trio accounted for 1,011 of Wichita State's 1,567 kills last season, making Maddie Wilson the team's returning kills leader with 202 in 2025. While the Shockers bring back a veteran back row, as well as preseason all-conference setter Jordan Heatherly, they look to a group of young hitters to help carry the offense.
 
Sophomores McKenzie Jones, Jenna Cubbage and Olivia Cohee have stepped into prominent roles early. Jones, who appeared in 16 matches and recorded 67 total kills in 2025, leads the Shockers with 61 kills, averaging 3.05 kills per set through six matches. Cubbage appeared in just eight matches in 2025, recording 30 kills during the whole season and has already surpassed that mark with 44. Cohee appeared in six matches in 2025 and recorded 16 kills and has recorded the fourth-most kills on the team this season with 41.
 
SHOCKER VOLLEYBALL CLASSIC
The Shockers won two of their first three matches on opening weekend, sweeping Southland Conference reigning champion and preseason favorite, Stephen F. Austin, and Missouri State and falling to Idaho State in four sets. McKenzie Jones and Maddie Wilson were named to the Shocker Volleyball Classic All-Tournament Team, combining for 60 kills.
 
HEATHERLY NAMED PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE
Wichita State senior setter, Jordan Heatherly snagged a spot on the preseason all-conference team after finishing third in the conference in total assists with 1,020 and fourth in assists per set with 8.95 last season. The Western Springs, Ill. native started all 30 matches for the Shockers in 2025, appearing in all 114 sets, and recorded 33 service aces, good for second on the team. In the American Conference semifinal against Rice, Heatherly recorded a season-high 57 assists and 15 digs.
The Shockers were picked fourth in the American Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, while reigning regular season champion, Rice, was unanimously picked to win the conference.
 
THE COACH
Chris Lamb, WSU's all-time wins leader (547-264, .674), is in his 27^th season on the sideline.
The 2017 national coach of the year has guided the Shockers to 12 NCAA tournaments, highlighted by a run to the 2012 Sweet 16.
WSU has captured seven conference regular-season titles under Lamb's watch, most recently in 2017 when the Shockers finished conference play with a perfect 20-0 mark.
In 2023, Lamb led Wichita State to its first national postseason championship with a dominant run to the NIVC title.
Lamb recently guided the Shockers to a complete sweep of the 2024 American Conference Championship.