Hilltoppers Take on the UTEP Miners

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- A showdown between the two remaining unbeaten teams in CUSA will take place over the weekend as WKU Volleyball hosts the UTEP Miners.

AT THE MATCH

WKU Match Tickets
Friday, 10/24 vs. UTEP (6 p.m. CT)
- 2000s Night
  - Wear neon!
- Trading Card Giveaway: Kaira Knox
Saturday, 10.25 vs. UTEP (12 p.m. CT)
- Iconic Duo's Day
  - Twins (or Iconic duos) will receive a BOGO, buy one get one free, deal on tickets. (In-person deal only).
- Trading Card Giveaway: Alivia Skidmore

GAME INFO

Location: E.A. Diddle Arena
Time: 6 p.m. CT & 1 p.m. CT
Watch: Friday, 10/24 | Saturday, 10/25
Follow: LiveStats
Listen: The Varsity Network
Parking: With the KEMA marching competition on Saturday, fans MUST inform parking attendants they are attending WKU Volleyball. In addition, fans can only enter either parking structure by turning right off of University Blvd.

ABOUT THE TOPS

WKU Volleyball earned their 100th-straight regular season conference win on Saturday and cemented their position in the NCAA record book with the third-longest regular season conference match win streak in all of DI volleyball.
WKU Head Coach Travis Hudson is currently three wins away from 800 career wins.
Outside hitter Alivia Skidmore, libero Tayler Baron, and setter Callie Bauer were named Offensive Player of the Week, Defensive Player of the Week, and Setter of the Week on Monday.
Bauer led the Hilltoppers to their 100th-straight regular season conference match win and earned her third-straight Setter of the Week and fifth on the season, as she finished with 96 assists and an average of 12.00 assists per set. She also grabbed seven kills, two blocks--including one solo block—and a service ace. She's ranked second in CUSA in assists per set at 9.56 and second in total assists with 631. Monday's announcement marks the third-straight Setter of the Week award for Bauer and the fifth in eight weeks of conference play.
Baron earned her first Defensive Player of the Week award thanks to an average of 5.25 digs per set across eight sets and she finished the weekend with a total of 42 digs and seven assists. She had two 20+ dig performances with 20 on Friday and 22 on Saturday, and Baron is currently ranked fifth in CUSA in digs per set (3.73) and sixth in total digs (250).
Skidmore earned her first Offensive Player of the Week after erupting over the weekend for a total of 35 kills, including a career-high 20 on Friday against the Bearkats. Her 35 total kills also produced a staggering .406 hitting percentage with her match-best coming on Friday with a .425. She also collected three blocks and 11 digs and is currently ranked fifth in kills per set at 3.51 and eighth in total kills at 259.
The Tops rank in the top 50 nationally in five different statistical categories: hitting percentage (5th, .303), assists per set (6th, 13.44), blocks per set (41st, 2.54), kills per set (6th, 14.44), and opponent hitting percentage (30th, .172).
Since WKU's match against Indiana on Sept. 19, Alivia Skidmore has led the Hilltopper offense. She's collected a total of 239 kills, an average of 3.51 kills per set, and a .290 hitting percentage.
Underclassmen are a large makeup of the Hilltoppers this season, and they're responsible for more than 57% of WKU's kills so far. The top three hitters, Alivia Skidmore, Kaira Knox, and Faith Young are credited with 562 of WKU's 983 kills.
In CUSA, the Hilltoppers are at the top of the statistical standings in assists and kills and are the best serve receive team in the conference with an opponent service ace rate of 1.03 per set.

QUOTABLE
"The biggest difference between UTEP and ourselves is experience," said WKU Volleyball head coach, Travis Hudson. "UTEP is filled with fourth and fifth-year seniors that have been in all of these battles over the last two or three years, and I've got a locker room full of kids that have just heard about it from players that came before them. I think that's the biggest difference this weekend. If you're looking for something that could separate the two of us, you'd rather have the experienced group. UTEP is having a phenomenal year. They're very firmly in a position to get to the NCAA tournament and they've had a great year."

Travis Hudson Press Conference

SERIES INFORMATION

UTEP
- WKU leads the all-time series against the Miners, 17-0. The Hilltoppers are 5-0 when playing UTEP at E.A. Diddle Arena.

SCOUTING

UTEP (18-2 overall, 8-0 CUSA)
- UTEP is currently 18-2 overall and 8-0 in conference play. Wins for UTEP include victories over Arizona, Texas State, and Pepperdine.
- Kaya Weaver, the 2025 CUSA Preseason Player of the Year, leads both the conference and the Miners in hitting percentage at .420. Torrance Lovesee leads in total kills with 197 and posts a .247 hitting percentage.
- At the net, Danika Washington leads the way with 71 blocks and an average of 1.06 blocks per set. Anchoring the back row is Fuka Sekita with 240 digs and 3.64 digs per set.
- Pacing the Miners in serving is Kalia Kohler with 23 service aces. Kohler and Mattie Gant split setter duties with UTEP running a 6-2. Kohler leads the pair in assists with 354.
- UTEP leads the conference in opponent hitting percentage (.147) and blocks per set (2.61).
- The Miners are also ranked in the top 50 nationally in hitting percentage (9th, 0.292), aces per set (35th, 1.82), blocks per set (31st, 2.61), and opponent hitting percentage (8th, 0.147).
- In 2024, UTEP finished the 2024 season ranked 38th in RPI.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Tayler Baron

Callie Bauer

Kaira Knox

Alivia Skidmore

Faith Young