Wide shot of UCM VB Center Court for 2023 Senior Day vs UNK
Andrew Mather

Women's Volleyball

No. 23 Jennies Volleyball Continues Play at Rockhurst Tuesday, Hosts UCM Challenge Friday and Saturday

Match 8: No. 23 Central Missouri Jennies (3-4, 0-0 MIAA) vs Rockhurst Hawks (5-2, 0-0 GLVC)
Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 6:00 p.m. | Kansas City, Mo. (Mason-Halpin Field House)
Live Stats | Live Video | Hawks Roster
 
Match 9: Drury Panthers (6-2, 0-0 GLVC) vs No. 23 Central Missouri Jennies (3-4, 0-0 MIAA)
Friday, Sept. 20 | 6:00 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center)
Live Stats | Live Video | Panthers Roster
 
2024 Central Missouri Jennies Roster | 2024 UCM Stats | AVCA Top-25 Poll | MIAA Volleyball

Scene Setter
  • No. 23 Central Missouri volleyball continues the 2024 season with a pair of non-conference matches beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 17, against the Rockhurst Hawks (5-2, 0-0 GLVC) at 6:00 p.m. from Mason-Halpin Field House in Kansas City, Mo. before hosting the Drury Panthers (6-2, 0-0 GLVC) on Friday, Sept. 20, at 6:00 p.m. from the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg for the opening match of the UCM Challenge.
  • On Saturday, Sept. 21, the Drury Panthers (6-2, 0-0 GLVC) will take on No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney Lopers (9-0, 0-0 MIAA) with first serve slated for 11:00 a.m. from the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in the final day of the UCM Challenge.
  • UCM is ranked 23rd in the latest AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) poll of the 2024 season. This is the 447th week that Central Missouri has been ranked in the top-25 in the AVCA poll, the most by any program in all of Division II. 
  • The Jens went 1-3 last weekend with a victory over Seattle Pacific by a final score of 3-1 (25-22, 16-25, 25-23, 25-18) in their final match of the Colorado Premier Challenge from Denver, Colo.
  • In the 3-1 (25-22, 16-25, 25-23, 25-18) victory over Seattle Pacific on Saturday night, libero Grace Winkelmann collected her 1,000th career dig as a Jen.
  • 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.
  • The defending MIAA regular season and tournament champions are the top seed in the conference according to the MIAA Preseason Volleyball Coaches' Poll that was released on Friday, Aug. 23, as the Jens received 113 points overall including five first-place votes.
 
How to Watch
  • Tuesday night's matchup with the Rockhurst Hawks will be available for free through the GLVC Network with coverage beginning at 6:00 p.m. inside Mason-Halpin Field House in Kansas City, Mo.        
  • Friday's match against the Drury Panthers will be available on a pay-per-view basis as a Premium Event through the MIAA Network with coverage beginning at 6:00 p.m. inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center.
  • Saturday's coverage of the Drury vs No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney match will also be available on a pay-per-view basis as a Premium Event through the MIAA Network beginning at 11:00 a.m.
 
Meet the Jens  
Series History
  • Rockhurst Hawks: Heading into Tuesday night's matchup with the Hawks, Central Missouri leads the series 15-6 including a record of 6-2 in Kansas City dating back to the 1977 season where the Jens have won three of the previous four matches.
  • Drury Panthers: Friday's contest will be the 15th all-time meeting between the Panthers and UCM with the Jennies having a 4-0 record in Warrensburg with the latest matchup resulting in a 3-1 (25-22, 25-21, 17-25, 25-19) victory during the 2022 regular season.  
 
UCM in the Polls
  • Central Missouri is ranked 23rd in the latest AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches' Association) poll released on Monday, Sept. 16. This is the 447th week that the Jens have been ranked in the top 25, the most by any program in Division II.
  • UCM is one of three teams from the MIAA conference ranked alongside No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney and No. 15 Central Oklahoma while the Washburn Ichabods and Missouri Western Griffons each received votes in the latest poll.
 
Jens By the Numbers
  • Central Missouri averaged 14.3 digs, 13.2 kills, 12.3 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.4 service aces per set through seven matches this season. 
  • Sophomore Maya Fergerson leads the Jens in kills (95) and kills per set (3.39) while ranking second in points (102.5), and fourth in total blocks (14) and blocks per set (0.50) so far this season.
  • Middle Blocker Rachel Ziesman's 28 total blocks and 1.0 blocks per set paces UCM defensively in the front row while posting the third-most kills (65) and points (80) and is fourth on the team in kills per set (2.32) and points per set (2.86). Ziesman is one of two players to start all seven matches for Central Missouri in 2024.
  • Redshirt junior Grace Winkelmann leads the Jens with 125 digs and 4.46 digs pet set on the year while ranking second in service aces (five) and fifth in assists (four). 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 on Saturday, Sept. 14, during the final match of the Colorado Premier Challenge in Denver.
  • Middle blocker Elinor Engel's 104 points is the most by a Jen this season while her 89 kills, 21 total blocks, and 3.71 points per set is second-most. The Shawnee, Kan. native has the third-best kills per set (3.18) and blocks per set (0.75) average for UCM and is one of two players to start all seven matches this year.  
  • Freshman Maddie Wojdyla leads the Jens with 235 assists and 11.19 assists per set while her 33 digs, five total blocks, and four service aces are fifth-most on the team.
 
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
  • The defending MIAA regular season and tournament champion Central Missouri Jennies begin conference play on Friday, Sept. 27, as they host No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney with first serve scheduled for 6:00 p.m. 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
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
Shaye Koski

#19 Shaye Koski

OH
5' 11"
Sophomore

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
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
Shaye Koski

#19 Shaye Koski

5' 11"
Sophomore
OH