University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Panther volleyball tops 2025 MVC preseason poll
8/25/2025 10:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Cassidy Hartman named to Preseason All-MVC Team as UNI seeks four-peat this fall.
ST. LOUIS --- The UNI volleyball team has been picked as the favorite to capture its fourth consecutive Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) regular season title, as announced in the release of the league's annual preseason coaches poll on Monday morning.
Northern Iowa received ten out of 11 first-place votes and 120 total points to top the preseason poll for the third straight year, with the UIC Flames picked second with 107 points and one first-place vote. Drake and Illinois followed in a tie for third with 95 points.
The conference also announced its six-member Preseason MVC All-Conference Team with junior outside hitter Cassidy Hartman being selected after earning Second Team All-MVC honors last season.
UNI will look to add to its historic legacy this fall as Panthers seek to complete just the second MVC regular season and tournament title sweep in league history. The purple and gold won five straight regular season conference titles from 1998 to 2002, and also won the MVC Tournament in six consecutive seasons from 1998 to 2003. Illinois State is the only other program in league history other than UNI to win four straight conference tournament crowns (1982-85 in the former Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference).
Northern Iowa, who enters the 2025 campaign receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)/Taraflex Preseason Coaches Poll, return 11 players from last season's roster, including a pair of All-MVC outside hitters in Lily Dykstra and Cassidy Hartman. Northern Iowa also returns the setter duo of senior Sydney Golden and sophomore Reese Booth, with redshirt sophomore defensive specialist/libero Taryn Rice also back.
UNI added seven new faces to the roster in the offseason with the signing of six high school prospects in Payton Askelsen, Sophie Buysse, Grace Hannam, Kiana Landers and Kate Shafer and Molly Shafer. The Panthers also signed middle blocker Lindsay Oldendorf via the transfer portal from San Francisco.
The Panthers will open the 2025 season on Friday night as they host the 13th ranked and reigning Big 12 Conference champion Arizona State Sun Devils inside the McLeod Center at 6 p.m. CT, before taking on defending Summit League champion South Dakota State on Saturday at 5 p.m. CT.
Spectators for Saturday's match against the Jackrabbits can use their tickets for that day's UNI football game against Butler for admission to volleyball, with the first 500 fans through the doors also receiving a special 2024 MVC championship replica ring.
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.
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2025 PRESEASON ALL-MVCÂ TEAM
- Macy Daufeldt, Outside Hitter (Drake)
- Cleo Lorenzo, Outside Hitter (UIC)
- Khenedi Guest, Middle Blocker (Illinois State)
- Aida Shadewald, Outside Hitter (Illinois State)
- Ella Vogel, Outside Hitter (Murray State)
- Cassidy Hartman, Outside Hitter (UNI)
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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.
