MVC Volleyball Championship Preview

Today's Action:
2018 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Finals
University of Northern Iowa vs. Illinois State University
4 PM, Hammons Student Center, Missouri State University
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Full Game Notes
Redbirds Quick Hits

THE PANTHERS
• The Panthers defeated the Crusaders of Valparaiso in the MVC semifinals Friday night setting up a MVC Championship match with the Redbirds of Illinois State.
• The two teams have faced each other seven times in the MVC Tournament Finals, the Panthers lead the series 4-3.
• Seven First Team All-MVC selections, two Second Team All-MVC selections, and one All-Freshman Team selection will be on the floor in the championship match.
• The Panthers 100 team digs against the Crusaders in the MVC semifinal match makes the MVC record books, coming in as the tenth most in MVC Tournament history.
• 2018's share is Bobbi Petersen's eighth MVC Regular Season Title, the first since 2013.

RADIO COVERAGE
Live radio coverage of the UNI Panther volleyball team can be found on www.UNIPanthers.com and KPTY - AM 1330 and FM 107.3 with Chris Kleinhans-Schulz on the call. All audio this year will be free of charge (no subscription service).

WATCH LIVE
The MVC Tournament will be exclusively broadcast on ESPN+

MVC SEEDS
1 Seed: UNI
2 Seed: Illinois State
3 Seed: Bradley
4 Seed: Valparaiso
5 Seed: Missouri State
6 Seed: Drake

STAR STUDDED FINAL
The Panthers and Redbirds will have some big names on the floor in the MVC Tournament Final. Not only will there be seven First Team All-MVC players on the floor but the MVC Setter of the Year Steff Jankiewics (Ill St.) MVC Libero of the Year Courtney Pence (Ill St.) and MVC Player of the Year Piper Thomas (UNI).

BY THE NUMBERS
Panther MVC Finals Appearances: 24
Redbird MVC Finals Appearances: 15
Panther Runner Ups: 7
Redbird Runner Ups: 4
Panther Championships: 16
Redbird Championships: 10
Panther Tournament MVPs: 14
Redbird Tournament MVPs: 5

REGULAR SEASON TITLES
The Panthers have captured their 18th regular season title, eight more than the next MVC school.

School                                No.
UNI                                       18
Illinois State                        10
Missouri State                     9
Wichita State                      6
Creighton                           1
Southern Illinois                 1

TOURNAMENT VICTORIES

School                                No.
UNI                                       44
Illinois State                        39
Missouri State                     35
Bradley                                4
Drake                                   4
Valparaiso                           0

ILLINOIS STATE REDBIRDS
The Redbirds have had a remarkable 2018 season, going 16-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference and splitting with the Panthers in regular season play. The Redbirds stumbled in their final MVC regular season match with Bradley, dropping a 3-0 match to finish 16-2 in league play. Like the Panthers the Redbirds have multiple players that can score at will, coupled with a star libero and setter, the Redbirds are a dangerous team within the MVC.

The Panthers and Redbirds top the conference in most statistical categories, and are listed as the top two teams in hitting percentage, assists, and kills. Illinois State tops the conference in team hitting percentage with .252 and ranks second behind UNI with 13.41 assists per set and 14.37 kills per set.

The Redbirds Courtney Pence earned MVC Libero of the Year in 2018, a well-deserved award the senior libero who ranks 5th all-time in NCAA history in career digs. The Redbirds also have the MVC Setter of the Year in Steff Jankiewics who averages 11.71 assists per set.

Panthers lead the redbirds 4-3 in head to head competition in MVC Tournament Finals.

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