Both matches will be available to watch on ESPN+ from down in Murfreesboro. As is the case for every Hilltopper match this season, all the action will also be available on audio with Reily Chestnut on the Varsity Network App.
Deemed 100 miles of hate, the longtime rivals have met 48 times in program history, the Tops leading the series, 37-11. The two teams last played each other in the first round of the 2022 Conference USA Volleyball Tournament in Bowling Green, where the Red and White swept the Blue Raiders in the first match of the weekend.
The Hilltoppers lead the league in six categories, including total kills (1,294), total aces (190), aces/set (2.00), and opponent hitting percentage (.157). Paige Briggs is top of CUSA with 3.84 kills/set, while now just recently taking over in aces/set with .55. On a national scale, WKU is fifth in the country in hitting percentage (.303) and 12th in total aces (190). Briggs is set at 38th in the country with 426.5 total points, while setter Callie Bauer is 19th in the nation with a total of 997 assists on the season, averaging 10.49 a set for 26th in the country.
A quick turnaround for a Thursday match after Friday and Saturday's showdown in Diddle Arena, the Tops clinch their fifth-straight regular-season title in a sweep against FIU. Now claiming their ninth of a possible 10 CUSA championships, heavy blocking from Logan Grevengoed and .400+ hitting clips from Izzy Van De Wiele marked weekly conference awards for the middle hitters.
As seeds 2-6 are still up in the air based off of this week's results, Middle Tennessee is currently sitting at second-place with a 11-3 mark in conference and their first 20-win season since 2011. They are leading the league in hitting (.312), kills/set (13.81), and assists/set (12.67) led by current assists leader Taylor Eisert with 11.26 a game. On the offensive side of the net, Kaylee Oscarson is leading with a .416 hitting clip and Adri Rhoda is picking up 3.43 kills/set,
THURSDAY
WKU vs Middle Tennessee - 5 p.m. CT
Livestats | ESPN+
Alumni Memorial Gymnasium
FRIDAY
WKU vs Middle Tennessee - 12 p.m. CT
Livestats | ESPN+
Alumni Memorial Gymnasium
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.
- Back in the AVCA top 25 poll, WKU ranks No. 23 as voted by the coaches this week. WKU has been in the poll all season, opening the 2023 campaign at No. 24, climbing as high as No. 22, and still received votes through the season.
- The Tops are a perfect 14-0 in CUSA action, clinching their fifth-straight regular-season conference title on Saturday in a sweep against FIU.
- 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. Briggs also broke the record of most aces in a single match against Sam Houston on Oct. 20. Her 10 from the service line leads the nation.
- 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 a 24-4 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 29 in the latest NCAA RPI report.
- This week will be the 49th and 50th meetings between these two programs.
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.
