SCHEDULE
Friday, August 27 – 10 a.m. CT | No. 16 WKU vs. Oakland | Stats | WKU Radio (ESPN 102.7 FM)
Friday, August 27 – 6 p.m. CT | at No. 25 Notre Dame | Stats | Watch | WKU Radio (100.7 SAM FM)
Saturday, August 28 – noon CT | No. 16 WKU vs. Loyola | Stats | WKU Radio (ESPN 102.7 FM)
No. 16 WKU will play its first match against Oakland on Friday morning on August 27. This will be the first time in program history that the Tops will face Oakland. In last year's abbreviated season, Oakland finished 7-9.Â
WKU faces off against No. 25 Notre Dame on Friday night, August 27 at 6 p.m. CT. The Hilltoppers and Fighting Irish have met twice before, both matches ending in a victory for WKU. They played in back-to-back years in 2017 and 2018. They first met in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament, which saw the Hilltoppers move on to the second round with a 3-0 sweep. The following season, WKU hosted Notre Dame, where the Hilltoppers held the 3-2 advantage after five sets. Notre Dame posted a 15-4 record this past spring and advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament
The Red and White's final match of the weekend comes against Loyola on Saturday, August 28. This is the third time these programs would cross paths. The last time was the season opener of 2019, where the Tops took the win in five sets at the Toledo Blue & Gold Tournament. Loyola completed its 2020-21 season with an 11-9 record.Â
WKU Volleyball is coming off a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament in their 2020-21 campaign. They finished 23-1 on the season with their only loss coming in the NCAA Tournament to the eventual national champion No. 2 seed Kentucky. Â
TOP STORYLINES
- WKU has been predicted to win the East Division in the Conference USA Preseason Poll voted by the league's coaches. Paige Briggs, Nadia Dieudonne, and Lauren Matthews were all selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team. After meeting in last year's tournament championship Rice was predicted to win the West Division again this season.
- WKU Volleyball has earned the highest AVCA Preseason Coaches Poll ranking in program history, coming in at No. 16 in the first rankings. The Hilltoppers have now ranked in the top 25 in 10 of the last 11 seasons and received votes for 12 consecutive campaigns.
- WKU will open a season ranked for just the fourth time in program history during the 2021 fall campaign, also marking the first time the team will do so in back-to-back campaigns. The Hilltoppers came in at No. 25 to begin the 2020-21 spring season. In 2013, WKU was ranked in the AVCA Preseason poll for the first time, coming in at No. 21 before owning the 22nd slot prior to the 2016 season.
- Due to last season being moved to the spring, this will mark the shortest offseason in program history at 124 days from the Tops' Sweet 16 match on April 18 to their season opener on Aug. 27.
- Last season, WKU owned a 23-1 overall record after earning the Conference USA East Division title and C-USA Tournament Championship before suffering its only loss to eventual national champions, Kentucky. The Hilltoppers opened play in the NCAA Bubble with a 3-0 sweep of Jackson State before upsetting No. 15 seed Washington State the next evening to earn the program's first-ever Sweet 16 appearance.
- WKU President Dr. Timothy C. Caboni welcomed faculty and staff for a convocation to kick off the 2021-22 school year on August 16 where he would award head coach Travis Hudson the Spirit of WKU Award. The Spirit of WKU Award is presented to an individual representing enthusiasm for WKU, loyalty to the institution and principles of the WKU Experience and its motto "The Spirit Makes the Master."
