UCM Jennies defensive specialist/outside hitter Brenna Kelly (13) during an MIAA women’s college volleyball match against the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (UAFS) Lady Lions on the Dr. Peggy Martin Court at the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg, Missouri on October 4, 2024.
Andrew Mather | University Photographer

Women's Volleyball

Jennies Volleyball Hosts Emporia State Friday, Washburn Saturday

Match 17: Emporia State Hornets (12-5, 4-3 MIAA) vs Central Missouri Jennies (7-9, 3-4 MIAA)
Friday, Oct. 18 | 6:00 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center)
Live Stats | Live Video | Hornets Roster | Series History
 
Match 18: Washburn Ichabods (13-4, 4-3 MIAA) vs Central Missouri Jennies (7-9, 3-4 MIAA)
Saturday, Oct. 19 | 2:00 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center - Breast Cancer Awareness Match)
Live Stats | Live Video | Ichabods Roster | Series History

2024 Central Missouri Jennies Roster | 2024 UCM Stats | MIAA Volleyball
 

Scene Setter
  • Central Missouri volleyball continues the 2024 season with a pair of conference matches at home beginning Friday, Oct. 18, against the Emporia State Hornets (6:00 p.m.) before taking on the Washburn Ichabods Saturday afternoon (2:00 p.m.) from Dr. Peggy Martin Court inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg.    
  • Saturday's match against the Ichabods will be the second annual Breast Cancer Awareness Match benefiting Totes of Hope, a non-profit organization that provides essential personal care items to cancer patients at nine cancer centers throughout the state of Nebraska.   
  • The Jens split a pair of MIAA matches on the road last week falling to Pittsburg State (Friday, Oct. 11) by a final score of 3-1 (26-28, 25-23, 17-25, 18-25) before sweeping the Newman Jets (Saturday, Oct. 12) 3-0 (25-15, 25-13, 25-12). 
  • Central Missouri announced the signing of 10-year-old Morgan Steeby during a NLI (National Letter of Intent) ceremony on Monday, Sept. 9, inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in partnership with Team Impact.
 
How to Watch
  • Both matches will be available on a pay-per-view basis through the MIAA Network with coverage beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Friday night while Saturday's coverage against the Ichabods will begin at 2:00 p.m.   
 
Meet the Jens  
Series History
  • Emporia State: Heading into Friday night's contest with the Hornets, Central Missouri has a 63-7 advantage in the all-time series dating back to the 1983 season including a record of 24-3 in Warrensburg. Last season, the Jens won all three meetings including a sweep in the quarterfinals of the 2023 MIAA Volleyball Tournament (Nov. 16) in St. Joseph.       
  • Washburn: Saturday will be the 82nd all-time meeting between the Jens and Washburn dating back to the 1978 campaign as Central Missouri has won 24 of 34 contests at home including last season's sweep (Sept. 23) highlighted by setter Olivia Olson's double-double (match-high 34 assists and 11 digs) performance.  
 
Jens By the Numbers
  • Central Missouri is averaging 15.9 digs, 13.4 kills, 12.6 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 service aces per set through 13 matches this season. 
  • Middle blocker Elinor Engel's 245.5 points (fifth in the conference) and 210 kills (fifth in the MIAA) is the most by a Jen this season while her 49 total blocks are second-most. The Shawnee, Kan. native recorded her 500th career kill in the opening set of a 3-0 sweep of the Newman Jets (Oct. 12) and is one of two players to start all 16 matches this year. 
  • Junior Rachel Ziesman's 65 total blocks (sixth in the MIAA) and 1.07 blocks per set (seventh in the conference) paces UCM defensively in the front row while posting the third-most points (201) and kills (166) on the team. Ziesman had a career-best 20 kills against Pittsburg State (Oct. 11) and is one of two players to start all 16 matches for Central Missouri in 2024.
  • Libero Grace Winkelmann leads the Jens defensively in the back row with 302 digs (seventh best in the conference), averaging 4.87 digs pet set (fourth most in the MIAA) while adding a UCM best 20 service aces on the year including a career-high five against Newman (Oct. 12). The Rhineland, Mo. native collected her 1,000th career dig in the 3-1 (25-22, 16-25, 25-23, 25-18) victory over Seattle Pacific in Denver, Colo and has tallied double-digit digs in all 16 matches this year including a season-best 27 against No. 13 Central Oklahoma (Oct. 5).  
  • Junior Kayla Baer leads UCM with 478 assists, averaging 11.38 assists per set (second-best in the MIAA) so far this season. The Wesley Chapel, Fla. native had a career-high 59 assists against Arkansas-Fort Smith (Oct. 4) while posting 30 or more assists in all 11 matches played. Baer recorded a career-high four block assists in the sweep of Newman (Oct. 12).   
  • Outside hitter / Middle blocker Maya Fergerson paces the team averaging 3.48 kills per set (fourth in the MIAA) while having the second-most kills (188) and points (201) for UCM. The Independence, Mo. native has double-digit kills in 13 matches this season including two matches with 20 or more highlighted by a career-high 21 against Wheeling (Sept. 14).
  • Senior Tiffany Little's 122 digs rank second on the team adding 95 kills (fourth), 14 blocks, and nine service aces (fourth). The Parker, Colo. native had a double-double performance against the Fort Hays State Tigers (Sept. 28) with 17 kills on 32 swings (.469 hitting percentage) and 12 digs for good measure.
 
UCM in the Postseason
  • The Jens made their 37th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history last season and the first under 2023 MIAA Coach of the Year Caitlin Peterson as the Jens have a 41-41 overall record including eight NCAA Regional Championships.
 
Up Next
  • Central Missouri continues MIAA play on Friday, Oct. 25, as they host the Missouri Southern Lions (3-15, 1-6 MIAA) beginning at 6:00 p.m. for Homecoming Weekend 2024, from Dr. Peggy Martin Court inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg.   
 
 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Olivia Olson

#8 Olivia Olson

S
6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
Elinor Engel

#6 Elinor Engel

MB
6' 0"
Sophomore
Rachel Ziesman

#11 Rachel Ziesman

MB
6' 0"
Junior
Maya Fergerson

#5 Maya Fergerson

OH
6' 0"
Sophomore
Tiffany Little

#17 Tiffany Little

OH
5' 10"
Senior
Grace Winkelmann

#1 Grace Winkelmann

DS/L
5' 9"
Redshirt Junior
Lauren Blake

#2 Lauren Blake

OPP
6' 0"
Sophomore
Kayla Baer

#8 Kayla Baer

S
5' 10"
Junior
Brenna Kelly

#13 Brenna Kelly

DS/OH
5' 7"
Freshman
Bree Messenger

#14 Bree Messenger

OH
5' 9"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Olivia Olson

#8 Olivia Olson

6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
S
Elinor Engel

#6 Elinor Engel

6' 0"
Sophomore
MB
Rachel Ziesman

#11 Rachel Ziesman

6' 0"
Junior
MB
Maya Fergerson

#5 Maya Fergerson

6' 0"
Sophomore
OH
Tiffany Little

#17 Tiffany Little

5' 10"
Senior
OH
Grace Winkelmann

#1 Grace Winkelmann

5' 9"
Redshirt Junior
DS/L
Lauren Blake

#2 Lauren Blake

6' 0"
Sophomore
OPP
Kayla Baer

#8 Kayla Baer

5' 10"
Junior
S
Brenna Kelly

#13 Brenna Kelly

5' 7"
Freshman
DS/OH
Bree Messenger

#14 Bree Messenger

5' 9"
Freshman
OH