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Women's Volleyball

Jennies Volleyball Continues MIAA Play with Trio of Road Matchups

Match 14: Central Missouri Jennies (5-8, 1-3 MIAA) vs Missouri Southern Lions (2-13, 0-4 MIAA)
Tuesday, Oct. 8 | 6:00 p.m. | Joplin, Mo. (Leggett & Platt Athletic Center)
Live Stats | Live Video | Lions Roster
 
Match 15: Central Missouri Jennies (5-8, 1-3 MIAA) vs Pittsburg State Gorillas (6-8, 1-3 MIAA)
Friday, Oct. 11 | 6:00 p.m. | Pittsburg, Kan. (John Lance Arena / Whetzel Court)
Live Stats | Live Video | Gorillas Roster
 
Match 16: Central Missouri Jennies (5-8, 1-3 MIAA) vs Newman Jets (3-15, 0-4 MIAA)
Saturday, Oct. 12 | 3:00 p.m. | Wichita, Kan. (Fugate Gymnasium)
Live Stats | Live Video | Jets Roster

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

Scene Setter
  • Central Missouri volleyball continues the 2024 season with a trio of conference matches on the road beginning Tuesday, Oct. 8, against the Missouri Southern Lions (6:00 p.m.) before taking on the Pittsburg State Gorillas Friday night (6:00 p.m.) and the Newman Jets (3:00 p.m.) Saturday afternoon.   
  • The Jens dropped a pair of matches last week falling to the Arkansas-Fort Smith Lady Lions (Friday, Oct. 4) by a final score of 3-1 and No. 13 Central Oklahoma (Saturday, Oct. 5) in five sets.  
  • Setter Kayla Baer collected her 1,000th career assist on Saturday, Oct. 5, against No. 13 Central Oklahoma with a kill by sophomore Maya Fergerson in the opening set.
  • 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
  • All three matches will be available on a pay-per-view basis through the MIAA Network with coverage beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday from Joplin and Friday in Pittsburg, while Saturday's coverage against the Jets will begin at 3:00 p.m. in Wichita.  
 
Meet the Jens  
Series History
  • Missouri Southern: Heading into Tuesday night's contest with the Lions, Central Missouri has won 76 of the 79 matchups all-time dating back to the 1979 season. The Jens have won 11 of the past 12 meetings in Joplin, including a 3-1 (25-15, 21-25, 25-16, 25-15) victory on Oct. 31st of last season highlighted by a match-high 18 kills from outside hitter Kersti Nix.     
  • Pittsburg State: Friday night will be the 79th all-time meeting between the Gorillas and UCM as the Jens have a 71-6-1 advantage including a record of 26-2 in Pittsburg. Central Missouri has won 24 of the last 25 contests winning both matchups during the 2023 season posting victories in six of seven sets played.
  • Newman: Ahead of Saturday afternoon's match, the Jens are a perfect 13-0 against Newman including a 5-0 record in Wichita. Last season UCM swept the Jets 3-0 (25-10, 25-14, 25-14) on Saturday, Nov. 4, inside Fugate Gymnasium led offensively by middle blocker Rachel Ziesman's match-high eight kills adding a match-best five blocks while redshirt sophomore Grace Winkelmann had a team-high 11 digs pacing the back row defensively.    
 
Jens By the Numbers
  • Central Missouri is averaging 15.8 digs, 13.3 kills, 12.5 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 service aces per set through 13 matches this season. 
  • Middle blocker Elinor Engel's 206.5 points (fifth in the conference), 180 kills (fifth in the MIAA), and 3.46 kills per set (fourth in the conference) is the most by a Jen this season while her 39 total blocks are third-most. The Shawnee, Kan. native recorded a career-high 22 kills in the 3-1 victory over the Drury Panthers (Sept. 20) and is one of two players to start all 13 matches this year. 
  • Junior Rachel Ziesman's 57 total blocks (sixth in the MIAA) and 1.10 blocks per set (sixth in the conference) paces UCM defensively in the front row while posting the third-most points (163) and kills (132) on the team. Ziesman had a season-best 16 kills against Wheeling (Sept. 14) and is one of two players to start all 13 matches for Central Missouri in 2024.
  • Libero Grace Winkelmann leads the Jens defensively in the back row with 244 digs (sixth best in the conference), averaging 4.69 digs pet set (sixth most in the MIAA), adding a UCM best 13 service aces on the year. 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 while tallying double-digit digs in all 13 matches this year including a season-best 27 against No. 13 Central Oklahoma (Oct. 5).  
  • Setter Kayla Baer paces UCM with 362 assists, averaging 11.31 assists per set through eight matches 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 eight matches played in 2024. Baer recorded her 1,000th career assist on Saturday, Oct. 5, against No. 13 Central Oklahoma in the opening set of the match.   
  • Sophomore Maya Fergerson is second on the team in kills (152), kills per set (3.45), and points (164) while posting the fourth-most blocks (22) on the year. The Independence, Mo. native has double-digit kills in 10 matches this season including two matches with 20 or more highlighted by a career-high 21 against Wheeling (Sept. 14).
  • Senior Tiffany Little's 111 digs and 2.71 digs per set rank second on the team adding 72 kills (fourth), 11 blocks, and six service aces. 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. 18, as they host the Emporia State Hornets (11-3, 3-1 MIAA) beginning at 6:00 p.m. from Dr. Peggy Martin Court inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg.   

 
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Players Mentioned

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
Maddie Wojdyla

#16 Maddie Wojdyla

S
5' 9"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

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
Maddie Wojdyla

#16 Maddie Wojdyla

5' 9"
Freshman
S