Panther volleyball to host Evansville, Bradley

UNI volleyball (11-5 / 4-0 MVC) vs. Evansville (5-11 / 1-3 MVC)

Friday, Oct. 10, 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 (11-5 / 4-0 MVC) vs. Bradley (8-8 / 2-2 MVC)

Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025
5 p.m. CT
Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center (6,650)
WATCH (ESPN+) [Eric Braley: 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's three-match homestand rolls on this weekend as the Panthers play host to the Evansville Purple Aces on Friday night, as well as the Bradley Braves on Saturday afternoon in weekend Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) action.

First serve on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and Saturday at 5 p.m. CT inside the McLeod Center. 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 pink for the Panthers' annual Pink Out Game, with free pink shirts available for the first 500 fans through the gates. Northern Iowa's pink jersey's worn against Evansville will be auctioned off during the match with a 7:30 p.m. CT deadline. To bid on the jerseys, click HERE.

UNI fans will also be treated to post-match autographs by the team on the McLeod Center's north concourse following Saturday's match with free posters available while supplies last.

Northern Iowa holds a commanding lead in both series against the Purple Aces and Braves, leading Evansville 60-3 all-time with six consecutive wins, while posting a 74-12 all-time record against Bradley with eight straight victories.

The Panthers continue their longest homestand of the year after a three-set home sweep of Murray State last Saturday during homecoming weekend. UNI racked up 46 team kills with a .363 hitting percentage while recording double-digit blocks for a third straight contest. Cassidy Hartman, who was named the MVC's Player of the Week for a second time this season on Monday, led the way with a 14 kill, 11 dig double-double performance, with Lily Dykstra posting nine terminations. Molly Shafer added five blocks in the UNI win, while Kaitlyn Sellner tallied a team-high seven blocks.

The Panthers have won 40 consecutive matches against MVC opponents in the regular season (46 in a row including the MVC postseason), tied for the third-longest regular season conference winning streak in team history and the third-longest active regular season conference winning streak in Division I. Northern Iowa's last loss to an MVC opponent came in the 2022 regular season finale at Drake.

UNI ranks third in all of Division I volleyball with 39 attacks per set, as well as fifth in kills (14.4), eighth in assists (13.3) and 23rd in digs per set (16.4). The Panthers also lead the MVC in kills and assists per set, as well as opponent hitting percentage (.162), while ranking second in the league in digs per frame.

Hartman is second in the MVC in kills per set (3.87) and has posted 11 matches with ten or more kills in 2025. Dykstra has recorded eight or more kills in all 16 matches this year, including 17 straight contests dating back to the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. She currently ranks third in the MVC with 3.67 kills per frame.

Reese Booth anchors Northern Iowa with 6.04 assists per set with redshirt freshman defensive specialist/libero Jadyn Petersen leading the Panther defense with 4.46 digs per set. At the net, redshirt freshman Maryn Bixby has posted a team-high 50 blocks on the year, as Lindsay Oldendorf has recorded 42 total blocks.

SCOUTING EVANSVILLE
The Purple Aces come to Cedar Falls with a 5-11 record and a 1-3 mark in MVC play, one match ahead of last place Murray State. Evansville snapped a six-match skid last Saturday at home with a 3-1 victory over Indiana State for its first conference win of the year.

Led by first year head coach Zach Weinberg, the Purple Aces boast a talented backrow defense, led by Ainoah Cruz, who ranks 14th in Division I and second in the MVC with 4.98 digs per set. Additionally, Kora Ruff ranks second in the league with 8.02 assists per frame. As a team, Evansville is top-25 in the nation in total attacks (2,408) and 40th in attacks per set (36.48).

SCOUTING BRADLEY
The highly competitive Braves come to the McLeod Center this weekend with an 8-8 record and 2-2 mark in conference play and will face Drake on Friday night in Des Moines before facing UNI on Saturday. Bradley has dropped its last two matches at home in straight sets to UIC and in a five-set battle last weekend to Valparaiso.

Under the leadership of fourth year head coach Alicia Williams, the Braves have proven to be among the MVC's top serving teams with 1.47 aces per set. Maria Drapp, who ranks in the top-25 nationally with 572 total assists, leads the league with 9.23 assists per frame, while Irene Mostardini is second in the MVC with 28 total aces.

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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