Panther volleyball set to take on Belmont, Southern Illinois

UNI volleyball (17-5 / 10-0 MVC) vs. Belmont (14-7 / 5-5 MVC)

Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025
6 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

UNI volleyball (17-5 / 10-0 MVC) at Southern Illinois (10-14 / 4-6 MVC)

Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025
5 p.m. CT
Carbondale, Ill | Davies Gym (1,250)
WATCH (ESPN+)
LISTEN (Panther Sports Radio Network) [Chris Kleinhans-Schulz: Play-by-Play)
LIVE RESULTS

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- The UNI volleyball closes out the month of October and kicks off the final month of the regular season this week as the Panthers host the Belmont Bruins on Thursday night before a Saturday road trip to Southern Illinois in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) action

First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on Thursday 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 Thursday's match, 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. Kids tickets will also be available for $5 for in-person purchases on the day of the match.

Fans are encouraged to join the Panthers for their "Volloween" celebration with a Halloween themed match. Miniature TC building block sets will also be distributed to fans. To see a full list of this season's promotions, click HERE.

UNI is riding a season-long 13-match winning streak heading into the week, tied for the third-longest active streak in Division I, including wins in its eight league contests. The Panthers hold a 4-0 lead in the all-time series against the Bruins, as well as a 69-13 advantage all-time against the Salukis.

The Panthers continue league play following a pair of 3-0 home sweeps over Illinois State and Indiana State last weekend. Northern Iowa has hit .300 or better in four consecutive matches and notably racked up a season-high nine service aces against the Sycamores last Saturday, while outside hitter Cassidy Hartman recorded a double-double against Indiana State and extended her double-digit kills streak to eight straight matches.

Maryn Bixby was named the MVC's Freshman of the Week for a third consecutive week after racking up nine total blocks last week, including a career-high 14 kills against Illinois State last weekend. Northern Iowa has now won seven 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 seven blocks in its last ten outings, including a season-high 13 blocks at Drake at the end of September.

The Panthers are in the midst of a 46-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 52consecutive matches against MVC opponents overall (regular season and postseason), the nation's longest active streak.

Additionally, UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen is seven 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) - 626 victories
Ryan Jacobs (Softball) - 529 victories

Petersen will also look for her 900th win associated with the UNI volleyball program, having racked up 899 victories as the Panther head coach, an assistant coach, graduate assistant and player.

UNI ranks third in all of Division I volleyball with 14.6 kills and opponent hitting percentage (.143), fourth in assists (13.5) and attacks per frame (38.4) and 21st in digs per set (16.3). Hartman leads the MVC in kills per set (4) and has posted 17 matches with ten or more kills in 2025. Outside hitter Lily Dykstra has recorded eight or more kills in 21 of 22 matches this year. She currently ranks fourth in the MVC with 3.53 kills per frame.

Reese Booth, who alongside fellow setter Sydney Golden surpassed 1,000 career assists last Saturday, lead Northern Iowa with 6.11 assists per set, while Jadyn Petersen anchors the Panther backrow with 4.44 digs per frame and a team-high 21 service aces. At the net, Bixby has posted a team-high 78 blocks on the year, as Lindsay Oldendorf has recorded 45 total blocks.

SCOUTING BELMONT
The Bruins make the trip to Cedar Falls having split their ten MVC contests, most recently falling to Bradley at home on Saturday in five sets.

Led by first year head coach Fritz Rosenberg, Belmont ranks 11th in Division I with 2.08 aces per set and leads the league with a .262 team hitting percentage. Brook Gilleland leads the MVC with 42 total aces while also anchoring the Bruin offense with 3.48 kills per set, as Lilly Lutz leads the backrow defense with 4.35 digs per frame. At the net, Bella Mathis leads Belmont with 61 total blocks.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
The Salukis enter Saturday's matchup with UNI tied with Bradley for sixth in the MVC standings with a 4-6 record in conference play at the midway point of the league schedule. Southern Illinois returns to Davies Gym having lost their last two matches on the road, a pair of 3-0 losses at UIC and Valparaiso last weekend.

Led by first year head coach Brittany Harry, SIU boasts a strong offense, ranking seventh in Division I in both total kills (1,205) and total attacks (3,413). Kelly Franklin leads the charge for the Saluki offense with 2.98 kills per set, while Larissa Seger leads SIU with 91 total blocks and 34 aces. In the backrow, Jillian Shaneyfelt has averaged 4.14 digs per set.

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.

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