Sam Houston Series // Oct. 20-21 // Diddle Arena |
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| Match 22: Sam Houston (7-16) | Fri., Oct. 20 | 6 p.m. CT | Varsity Radio Network // Listen Live | Livestats | ||||
| Match 23: Sam Houston | Sat., Oct. 21 | 1 p.m. CT | Varsity Radio Network // Listen Live | Livestats | ||||
| Tickets | Flexible Ticket Package | FREE admission on Friday. Single game tickets are also available at entrance 2 ($6 adults, $3 youth) |
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| Promotions | Hope for Harlie Match (Friday) + 4 for 4 Promotion Friday: PINK OUT, FREE admission, asking for donations at the door for Hope for Harlie and Friends of Jaclyn Foundation. First 500 fans will receive a pink "Hope for Harlie" volleyball after the match. Sunday: Free Donato's pizza at the door while supplies last. Volleyball 4 for 4: If fans attend both matches in a weekend series, they will be entered into a drawing to win a suite for a Hilltopper Basketball game during the 2023 season. Ticket stubs will be collected at the marketing table and a winner will be drawn at the end of the season. |
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| Game Notes | WKU | Sam Houston | ||||
| Series History | Sam Houston leads, 1-0 | Full history | ||||
| Social Media | @WKUVolleyball | @WKU Volleyball  | Facebook  | YouTube  | Tik Tok |
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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- As the Hilltoppers (18-4) are back in the Top 25 poll, WKU is set to host Sam Houston (7-16) now as members of Conference USA -- a meeting for the first time since 1986. The Tops are still undefeated in CUSA action and on a 13-match win streak as their RPI ranking at 16 is the best the program has seen since 2019.
As is the case for every Hilltopper match this season, all the action will also be available on the Varsity Radio Network with Reily Chestnut on the audio call.
A stellar weekend against another long-tenured head coach, the Hilltoppers swept CUSA second-place NM State in Las Cruces last weekend. Kaylee Cox showcased her skill on the pin with two back-to-back 20-kill matches, averaging a .500 hitting clip through the weekend and earning herself her first CUSA Offensive Player of the Week nod. Redshirt-freshman Logan Grevengoed also stood her ground on the other side of the net, stuffing 10 total blocks including three back-to-back-to-back solo stops in Friday's match to earn the league's Freshman of the Week.
The Bearkats' head coach Brenda Gray has been at the helm in Huntsville since 1984, holding a career win total of 763, only topping Hilltopper head coach Travis Hudson by 23 matches with the second-most wins by an active coach at one institution. A new season from the Southland to Conference USA, the Kats are 1-9 in the league, gaining a sweep over LA Tech. Sam Houston is averaging 11.6 kills/set and 1.7 blocks/set, while leading CUSA in total digs (1346) and digs/set by libero Hannah Baker with 4.92.
PARKING
Fans can park in Parking Structure 2 (located between the football stadium and E.A. Diddle Arena) and enter through the Gate 2 entrance.
TICKETS
Admission is FREE for Friday's match. In lieu of tickets, fans are encouraged to donate to Hope for Harlie and the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation. Single match tickets are available at only entrance 2 on game day. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for kids. Save 20% on single-match tickets when you buy online in advance.
TOP STORYLINES
- WKU has been predicted to win the conference title in the Conference USA Preseason Poll voted by the league's coaches. Callie Bauer, Paige Briggs, Kaylee Cox, and Kenadee Coyle, were all selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Briggs was tabbed Preseason Player of the Year. After a third place finish in 2022, UTEP was predicted to finish second.
- The Tops are a perfect 8-0 in CUSA action after a two-match series wins over UTEP, Liberty, Jax State, and NM State.
- Paige Briggs broke the program record of kills in a single match, with her 35-kill outing against Western Michigan. The fifth-year outside hitter is second the nation of most kills in a single four-set match this season.
- In her second career back-to-back 20+ kill outing, junior Kaylee Cox stuck 43 kills over WKU's two sweeps over NM State in Las Cruces. The Texas native worked with a .500 hitting clip and earned her first career CUSA Offensive Player of the Week nod.
- WKU Volleyball is more accessible than ever with radio broadcasts for every match. The Tops are 1 of just 10 Division I Volleyball programs that currently have live radio for home and away matches.
- Picking up an 18-4 record so far on the year, the Hilltoppers picked up their first win in 2023 with a marquee 3-1 victory over No. 12 Marquette in Dayton, Ohio. It was the first Top-15 win for the Red and White since 2015. WKU is standing at 16 in the latest NCAA RPI report.
- A strong offense to head coach Travis Hudson's Hilltoppers, the Tops lead Conference USA in kills/set (13.58), and opponent hitting percentage (.172).
- WKU head coach Travis Hudson and Sam Houston head coach Brenda Gray have a combined win total of 1,503, as two of the most successful coaches in the game. The Tops and Bearkats have not met since 1986.
How to Follow WKU Volleyball: For complete information on WKU Volleyball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUVolleyball and head coach Travis Hudson at @TravisHudsonWKU. The team is also on Instagram and Facebook.
