BOWLING GREEN, Ky.-After completing the regular season with a 29-3 overall record and 15-0 league record, the No. 17 Western Kentucky University volleyball team will now have to take it one game at a time, as the Lady Toppers open the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Thursday, November 15 at 5 p.m. against FIU (10-18, 7-8 SBC).
The Lady Toppers look to defend their title on their home court, as WKU is host to the tournament in E.A. Diddle Arena. The team already secured its second-consecutive regular season title, as the team only dropped one set during league play, which came against the Panthers.
WKU has led the conference most of the season, as the Lady Toppers currently rank first in hitting percentage (.298), opponent hitting percentage (.142), assists per set (13.33), kills per set (14.20) and service aces per set (1.40) for the overall season. WKU is also tops in those same categories against league opponents only, as each of those statistics improve with .335 hitting percentage, .102 opponent hitting percentage, 13.63 assists per set, 14.76 kills per set and 1.48 aces per set.
Tickets are available at the WKU ticket office or by calling 1-800-5-BIG RED. An adult three-day pass is available for the tournament for $20 while a single-day ticket is $10. For youth (2-12), a three-day pass is $10 while a single-day pass is $5. All Sun Belt Conference students will be admitted for free with an institution ID.
Game Information
- No. 8 Seed FIU vs. No. 1 Seed WKU; Thursday, November 15 at 5 p.m.; Bowling Green, Ky.
Other Information
- Live stats will be available through SunBeltSports.org
- Live online broadcast available at SunBeltSports.org
Quick Notes
- This year marks the 28th time in school history that the team has made it to the conference tournament. It is the 15th-straight appearance for WKU, which is the longest active streak of SBC Tournament showings.
- The Lady Toppers have a 48-43 record in tourney play, as their wins are the most in the conference. WKU's win total is more than the next two closest schools combined (UALR-24, Arkansas State-22).
- WKU has won the crown four of the past 10 years while playing in nine of the last 11 SBC Finals matches, the most of any SBC school during that time. Overall, the Lady Toppers have appeared in the championship match 12 times in program history.
- The SBC Tournament has been in Bowling Green four times before, but WKU has never taken the crown when hosting. The team went 2-4 in round-robin play in 1983, lost 3-0 in the semifinals in 1985 to VCU, lost 3-0 in the championship match to New Mexico State in 2003 and lost 3-1 in the semifinals to MTSU in 2009.
- WKU received the No. 1 seed of the tournament, as the team takes on No. 8 seed FIU on Thursday. The teams have met four times in tournament play, although never in the opening round. FIU won 3-1 in the championship match in 2001 and 3-1 in the semifinals in 2006. WKU won 3-0 in the semifinals in 2010 and repeated in 2011.
- The Lady Toppers' 2012 squad has two student-athletes that earned all-tournament selections during their careers. Redshirt junior Paige Wessel and senior Jordyn Skinner were both named all-tournament team members in 2010 while Skinner earned MVP honors after WKU's title run in 2011.
- Statistically, WKU as a team and individually are in the top 100 nationally. As a team, the Lady Tops rank in winning percentage (5), hitting percentage (6), assists per set (22), kills per set (27) and aces per set (56). Individually, Wessel (21) and sophomore Heather Boyan (35) rank in hitting percentage and junior Melanie Stutsman (31) ranks in assists per set.
- WKU wrapped up the regular season on a 21-game winning streak, the longest in school history and second-longest active streak in the nation. The team went undefeated in league play for the fourth time in program history, as the Lady Tops won 45 of its 46 sets against SBC opponents. Overall, the team has won 50 of its last 51 sets and has gone 63-5 in sets during its winning streak.
