WICHITA STATE (3-7, 0-0 American) at NORTHERN IOWA (4-5, 0-0 Missouri Valley)
Friday, Sept. 18, 2026 | 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026 | 1:00 p.m.
Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center
TV: ESPN+

SCENE SETTERS
The Shockers look to get back in the win column after a home loss to No. 22 Kansas on Tuesday and are set to travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa to face Northern Iowa on Friday and Saturday.
Wichita State and UNI meet for the 72^nd time in program history with the Panthers leading the series, 53-17-1. The teams face off for the first time since the Shockers joined the American Conference in 2017.
Three of the Shockers' early losses have come to AVCA Top-25 teams, falling in three sets once to No. 23 Colorado and twice to No. 22 Kansas.
Wichita State ranks second the American Conference in team attacks per set with 35.21 and fourth in digs with 475 total, averaging 13.97 per set.
Allie Paulsen and Maddie Wilson have been the Shockers' most efficient attackers, hitting .354 and .317, respectively. Wilson ranks fifth in the conference in blocks with 36, averaging 1.06 per set, including a career-high tying 10 in the win over Florida Gulf Coast.
McKenzie Jones is leading the Shockers in kills per set with 2.79.
The Shocker offense is orchestrated by setters Heatherly and Addie Oeth, who are averaging 5.97 and 4.03 assists per set, respectively, through the first 10 matches.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State volleyball dropped a three-set decision to No. 22 Kansas Tuesday night at Charles Koch Arena, falling 25-17, 25-17, 25-12. Jenna Cubbage led Wichita State with five kills and added four digs, while Danielle Moore finished with four kills. Addie Oeth dished nine assists, while Jordan Heatherly had eight, and Gabi Maas posted a team-high 11 digs. Grace Hett added eight digs, and Oeth contributed seven digs.
 
BATTLE-TESTED FROM DAY ONE
Wichita State's non-conference schedule was ranked the 28^th-toughest in the NCAA by supervolley.org, featuring six 2025 NCAA Tournament teams: Stephen F. Austin, Colorado, Northern Colorado, Kansas (x2), Arkansas State and Northern Iowa (x2).
 
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 92 kills, averaging 2.79 kills per set. Cubbage appeared in just eight matches in 2025, recording 30 kills during the whole season and has recorded the third-most kills on the team this season with 72. Cohee appeared in six matches in 2025 and recorded 16 kills and already reached 70.
 
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 (548-268, .671), 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.