Panther volleyball set to open new season in Dayton

UNI volleyball (0-0 / 0-0 MVC) vs. Florida International (0-0 / 0-0 C-USA)

10 a.m. CT | August 30, 2024
Frericks Center
Dayton, Ohio
Panther Sports Radio Network (Chris Kleinhans-Schulz: Play-by-Play / Jay Grassley: Analyst)
LIVE STATS

UNI volleyball (0-0 / 0-0 MVC) vs. No. 22 Dayton (0-0 / 0-0 A-10)

6 p.m. CT | August 30, 2024
Frericks Center
Dayton, Ohio
ESPN+
Panther Sports Radio Network (Chris Kleinhans-Schulz: Play-by-Play / Jay Grassley: Analyst)
LIVE STATS

UNI volleyball (0-0 / 0-0 MVC) vs. RV Ohio State (0-0 / 0-0 Big Ten)

10 a.m. CT | August 31, 2024
Frericks Center
Dayton, Ohio
Panther Sports Radio Network (Chris Kleinhans-Schulz: Play-by-Play / Jay Grassley: Analyst)
LIVE STATS

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- The long awaited 50th anniversary season of UNI volleyball will officially get underway as the Panthers prepare to play in the Dayton Flyer Classic in western Ohio beginning Friday morning at the Frericks Center.

Northern Iowa will open the 2024 season on Friday at 10 a.m. CT against Florida International before taking on the host institution and 22nd ranked Dayton Flyers at 6 p.m. CT. UNI will close the tournament on Saturday at 10 a.m. CT with its first-ever matchup against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Coverage of all three matches will be carried live on the Panther Sports Radio Network online, as well as 106.5 FM Corn Country, the official radio home of UNI women's athletics. UNI's Friday night match against Dayton will be the only contest to feature video streaming online through ESPN+.

The Panthers, who this season will look to capture a third consecutive Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) regular season and tournament championship, enter this year as the preseason favorite to win the league's regular season title once again. UNI is the only school in MVC history to have won three straight regular season and MVC Tournament crowns, accomplishing the feat twice in program history.

Northern Iowa returns a solid core from a 26-win campaign last fall, led by 2023 Second Team All-MVC and 2024 Preseason All-MVC performers in outside hitter Kira Fallert and defensive specialist/libero Erin Powers. Fallert, who will play in her 100th career match on Friday morning, leads all active Panthers with 20 career double-doubles, while Powers posted a team-high 552 digs and 49 aces last year, the most by a UNI player at the service line since 2006.

Middle blocker Olivia Tjernagel also returns for the purple and gold after a team-high 123 blocks in 2023, as does sophomore outside hitter Cassidy Hartman, defender Grace Mikota and junior setter Sydney Golden. UNI added seven new faces to the roster in the offseason, including six freshmen from Iowa and Nebraska, as well as graduate transfer Kacie Rewerts from Drake.

This season's non-conference slate for the Panthers includes five opponents ranked or receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association's (AVCA) preseason top-25 rankings, including No. 6 Louisville, No. 12 Creighton, No. 22 Dayton, RV Ohio State and RV SMU. The entirety of the 2024 UNI schedule also includes five NCAA qualifying teams and three NIVC participants from last year.

SCOUTING FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
In a season-opening match that features Panthers vs. Panthers, UNI will take on an FIU squad that finished last season with a 13-19 record in 2023, with an 8-8 mark in Conference USA play. FIU reached the C-USA Tournament semifinals last season, falling to New Mexico State in four sets.

Florida International was picked sixth in this year's conference preseason poll after graduating its three leading attacks from a year ago, looking to reload with a new roster. Travel Morris steps up to the plate for the Panthers from South Beach after recording 177 kills a year ago, along with a team-high 93 block assists. Gianna Tagoa'i also returns after posting 231 assists last season. At the service line, Mandi Morioka ranked in the top-25 nationally with 0.47 aces per set and 21 total aces on the year, while also digging out 312 balls.

SCOUTING DAYTON
The only team to beat UNI at home in the last two seasons, the Flyers open 2024 as the defending regular season and tournament champions in the Atlantic-10 Conference following a 32-3 season and a second round appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Dayton led the NCAA in total aces (278) and aces per set (2.26) in 2023, while also ranking in the top-20 in hitting percentage (.267), opponent hitting percentage (.147) and team kills (1,683).

The Flyers return much of their core offense from last season, including reigning A-10 Player of the Year Lexi Almodovar, who was top-20 in the nation in kills per set, aces and points. Leading defender Karissa Kaminski also returns after a 547 dig campaign in 2023, as does setter Alyssa Miller after recording 1,277 assists a year ago.

SCOUTING OHIO STATE
It won't be a long journey for the Buckeyes who make the short trip over to Dayton from Columbus as Ohio State looks to improve on an 11-18 season in 2023, and an 8-12 record in Big Ten action.

Picked ninth in the Big Ten's preseason poll, OSU will be led by graduate outside hitter/opposite Emily Londot, who returns for her final collegiate season as a Preseason All-Big Ten performer after ranking fourth nationally last season in attacks and kills per set. She was also sixth in the NCAA with 5.51 points per set and eighth in total kills (546).

Ohio State will also look to replicate its defense after the departure of leading defensive specialist Sarah Sue Morbitzer who helped the Buckeyes rank fourth in the Big Ten with 14.45 digs per frame.

UNI volleyball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Volleyball), X (@UNIVolleyball) and on Instagram (@univolleyball). The full 2024 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.

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