WKU Finishes Four-Match Road Trip in Louisiana

RUSTON, La. -- After taking two matches at Missouri State, WKU Volleyball heads to LA Tech to continue their CUSA schedule

GAME INFO

Location: Thomas Assembly Center
Date & Time: Oct. 10, 6:30 p.m. CT & Oct. 11, 1p.m. CT
Watch:
- Friday
- Saturday
Live Stats:
- Friday LiveStats
- Saturday LiveStats

ABOUT THE TOPS

WKU Volleyball improved its conference match win streak to 94 with two wins against Missouri State.
WKU posted a season-high .489 hitting percentage to Missouri State's .213 in Saturday's match that also featured a season-high single set .581 hitting percentage in Set Two.
Callie Bauer earned CUSA Setter of the Week for the third time this season after she led the Hilltoppers to a .382 hitting percentage across both matches against Missouri State. She finished the weekend with 75 assists and averaged 10.71 assists per set. Also playing the front row, she posted two blocks and seven kills while collecting 19 digs. She ranks fourth in CUSA in total assists (469) and is second in assists per set (9.02).
Sonja Laaksonen earned her first CUSA Freshman of the Week honors after recording 18 kills on a .447 hitting clip across both matches against Missouri State. She also had four blocks on the weekend, including two solo efforts and averaged 0.57 blocks per set.
The Tops rank in the top 50 nationally in five different statistical categories: hitting percentage (21st, .279), assists per set (14th, 13.13), blocks per set (25th, 2.69), kills per set (17th, 14.11), and opponent hitting percentage (45th .173).
In CUSA, the Hilltoppers are at the top of the statistical standings in assists, kills, blocks, and are the best serve receive team in the conference with an opponent service ace rate of 1.07 per set.
Individual Statistical Leaders:
- Kills: Alivia Skidmore, 179
- Assists: Callie Bauer, 468
- Service Aces: Faith Young, 18
- Blocks: Izzy Van De Wiele, 46
- Digs: Tayler Baron, 190
Since WKU's match against Indiana on Sept. 19, Alivia Skidmore has led the Hilltopper offense. She's collected a total of 64 kills, an average of 3.37 kills per set, and a .224 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 438 of WKU's 762 kills.
WKU Head Coach Travis Hudson is currently seven wins away from 800 career wins, and his Hilltoppers are four wins away from a 100-match win streak in conference play.

QUOTABLE
"New coaching staff. I'm very impressed with their coaching staff," said Head Coach Travis Hudson. "Again, they're in that transitional year in their first year but I've watched how he trains and things like that and there's no doubt about the direction that Louisiana Tech is going. I haven't really dug deep into how they're performing right now...but it's another road weekend in Conference USA. Ruston's a hard place to get to and get in and out of and all of those things. Hopefully we can continue to play well. They're just a program in transition right now. They've got a bunch of talented kids and a new coaching staff trying to put it all together."

Travis Hudson Press Conference

SERIES INFORMATION

Louisiana Tech
- WKU leads the all-time series against the Bulldogs, 19-7. The two squads have been playing each other since 1992.
- The Hilltoppers have a 7-3 record when playing in Ruston and look to extend their win streak against the Bulldogs to at least 14 matches.

SCOUTING

LA Tech (7-11 overall, 0-4 CUSA)
- In the 2025 CUSA Preseason Coaches' Poll, Louisiana Tech was picked to finish 12th.
- The Bulldogs are currently 7-11 overall and 0-4 in conference play. Their seven wins feature wins over Jackson State and Grambling State.
- Jailen Hurley leads LA Tech's offense with 149 kills. Hurley is averaging 2.33 kills per set and has a .262 hitting percentage.
- Giulia Bonifacio is second in the the Bulldogs' offense with 110 kills and an average of 1.93 kills per set. She's also working with a .189 hitting percentage through 57 sets played.
- At the tape, Charlize Williams leads with 50 blocks. On the back row, LA Tech is led by Riley Steubing with 262 total digs and an average of 3.91 digs per set.
- In 2024, Louisiana Tech finished the 2024 season ranked 305th.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Tayler Baron

Callie Bauer

Kaira Knox

Sonja Laaksonen

Alivia Skidmore

Izzy Van De Wiele

Faith Young