UNI volleyball hosts Redbirds and Sycamores to open three-match homestand

UNI volleyball (15-5 / 8-0 MVC) vs. Illinois State (8-12 / 3-5 MVC)

Friday, Oct. 24, 2025
6 p.m. CT
Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center (6,650)
WATCH (ESPN+) [Brad Wells: Play-by-Play / Jay Grassley: Analyst)
LISTEN (Panther Sports Radio Network) [Chris Kleinhans-Schulz: Play-by-Play)
LIVE RESULTS
TICKETS

UNI volleyball (15-5 / 8-0 MVC) vs. Indiana State (8-12 / 3-5 MVC)

Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025
5 p.m. CT
Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center (6,650)
WATCH (ESPN+) [Brad Wells: Play-by-Play / Beth West: Analyst)
LISTEN (Panther Sports Radio Network) [Chris Kleinhans-Schulz: Play-by-Play)
LIVE RESULTS
TICKETS

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI volleyball returns to the McLeod Center for its second three-match homestand of the season beginning Friday night as the Panthers host the Illinois State Redbirds, as well as the Indiana State Sycamores on Saturday in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) action.

First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on Friday and 5 p.m. CT on Saturday. Live coverage of both matches can be found on ESPN+, as well as the Panther Sports Radio Network (106.5 FM Corn Country / 93.5 HD-2) with Chris Kleinhans-Schulz on the call.

Tickets for this weekend's matches, as well as single-match and season tickets for the 2025 volleyball season can be purchased online through the UNI Ticket Office, by calling 319-273-4849 or through email at tickets@uni.edu.

Fans are encouraged to wear white on Friday for the team's annual White Out match. The first 500 fans through the gates can also receive a white UNI volleyball t-shirt on the south concourse if they bring another university or college shirt from any school in Iowa to trade in.

Saturday's match will celebrate Educator Appreciation Night with any educator receiving free admission to the match by showing their employee ID. Saturday will also be the Panthers' School Supply Drive with free admission for fans who donate $5 or more worth of school supplies. A full list of UNI's upcoming promotions can be found HERE.

UNI is riding a season-long 11-match winning streak heading into the weekend, tied for the third-longest active streak in Division I, including wins in its first eight league contests. The Panthers hold a 61-30 lead in the all-time series against the Redbirds with six straight wins over Indiana State. Northern Iowa, who matched up with the Sycamores last Friday in Terre Haute, also hold a dominating 70-7 record all-time against Indiana State.

The Panthers swept both Indiana State and Evansville in straight sets last weekend on the road. Cassidy Hartman posted double-digit kills in both matches to extend her streak to six straight contests, while UNI as a team hit .317 or better in both outings.

Maryn Bixby was named the MVC's Freshman of the Week for a second consecutive week after racking up nine total blocks last week, including a career-high 11 kills against Indiana State last weekend. Northern Iowa has now won six conference weekly awards this season with Hartman earning MVC Player of the Week twice and Jaydn Petersen being selected as MVC Defensive Player of the Week twice.

UNI's blocking defense has been a key factor to its success in its last several matches. The Panthers have recorded at least nine blocks in six of their last seven outings, including a season-high 13 blocks at Drake at the end of September.

The Panthers are in the midst of a 44-match winning streak against MVC opponents in the regular season dating back to the start of the 2023 MVC schedule, the third-longest stretch in team history. UNI's last loss to an MVC opponent came in the 2022 regular season finale at Drake. The Panthers have also won 50 consecutive matches against MVC opponents overall (regular season and postseason), the nation's longest active streak.

Additionally, UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen is nine wins away from passing former Panther softball coach Meredith Bakley as the university's all-time winningest female coach, and becoming Northern Iowa's second-winningest coach ever in any sport:

Peter Mazula (Men's & Women's Tennis) - 725 victories
Meredith Bakley (Softball) - 632 victories
Bobbi Petersen (Volleyball) - 624 victories
Ryan Jacobs (Softball) - 529 victories

UNI ranks second in all of Division I volleyball with 14.5 kills, fifth in assists (13.5), 18th in digs (16.7) per set and sixth in opponent hitting percentage (.146). The Panthers are also the conference leaders in kills and assists per set, as well as attacks per set.

Hartman leads the MVC in kills per set (3.85) and posted 15 matches with ten or more kills in 2025. Meanwhile, outside hitter Lily Dykstra has recorded eight or more kills in all 20 matches this year, including 21 straight contests dating back to the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Reese Booth anchors Northern Iowa with 6.08 assists per set with Petersen leading the Panther defense with 4.5 digs per set. At the net, Bixby has posted a team-high 69 blocks on the year, as Lindsay Oldendorf has recorded 42 total blocks.

SCOUTING ILLINOIS STATE
The Redbirds come to town amidst a three-match skid, tied with Indiana State for seventh in MVC standings with a 3-5 league record. Illinois State's last three losses have included a five-set defeat at Murray State, as well as a pair of 3-0 losses at home last weekend to Drake and Southern Illinois.

Led by fourth year head coach Allie Matters, the Redbirds boast the MVC's top blocking defense with 2.39 blocks per set, anchored by Khenedi Guest, who leads the league with 86 total blocks on the year. Caitlyn Little has led the Illinois State offense with 2.78 kills per frame, while Preseason All-MVC performer Aida Shadewald has notched 2.51 kills a set after returning from injury.

Five Redbirds have notched double-digit service aces, including Arianna Rossi and Little. Rossi also leads the Illinois State backrow with 4.32 digs per set.

SCOUTING INDIANA STATE
Eight days after matching up with the Panthers at ISU Arena, the Sycamores make the trip to the McLeod Center looking to make a leap into the top-six of the MVC standings with a month to go in the regular season. Indiana State will visit Drake on Friday night in Des Moines before its rematch with UNI on Saturday.

Led by fourth year head coach Ashlee Pritchard, the Sycamores rank in the top-40 in Division I with 15.7 per set. Kira Holland leads the league with 11.5 attack attempts per frame and in total kills (864), while Ella Scott ranks first on the roster with 26 service aces.

In the backrow, Chloe Gilley has tallied 3.5 digs per set for the Sycamores, with Kimora Whetstone and Scott both producing 50+ blocks on the year for Indiana State.

UNI volleyball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Volleyball), X (@UNIVolleyball) and on Instagram (@univolleyball). The full 2025 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.

Calendar

Upcoming Events