University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Murray State
UNI volleyball hosts Murray State for Saturday’s Lavender Out Match
9/24/2026 10:38:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Panthers open home conference schedule against Racers. Tickets now available for purchase.
UNI volleyball (7-5 / 1-0 MVC) vs. Murray State (2-10 / 0-0 MVC)
- Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026
- 1 p.m. CT
- Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center (6,650)
- LISTEN (Panther Sports Radio Network) [Chris Kleinhans-Schulz: Play-by-Play]
- LIVE RESULTS
- TICKETS
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- Coming off a road win to open Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play on Tuesday, the UNI volleyball team returns to the McLeod Center on Saturday afternoon for its conference home opener against the Murray State Racers on Family Weekend.
First serve against the Racers is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT at the Knapp Center with live radio coverage on the Panthers Sports Radio Network (106.5 Corn Country / 93.5 HD-2 / Varsity app) with Chris Kleinhans-Schulz on the call. Due to crossover with home football, no ESPN+ or streaming broadcasts will be available.
Tickets can be purchased through the UNI Ticket Office or by calling 319-273-4849. The ticket office in the Hall of Fame Connector, located between the UNI-Dome and McLeod Center, will open one hour prior to first serve. Fans attending the Panthers' home football game against Illinois State on Saturday can use their football ticket for admission to the volleyball match (Volleyball ticket will NOT grant admission to football).
Fans are encouraged to wear lavender for Saturday's match for its first-ever Lavender Out Match, as lavender is the color that represents support for those battling all forms of cancer. Free lavender t-shirts and pom-poms will be given out to fans while supplies last in the McLeod Center's southeast corner. Click HERE to see all upcoming Panther Promotions.
UNI holds a perfect 7-0 record all-time against Murray State and 6-0 record since the Racers joined the MVC in 2022. The Panthers will look to continue a remarkable streak in league play, having won 53 straight regular season MVC contests, including 61 in a row against conference opponents in the regular season and postseason, the longest active streak in Division I.
The Panthers open home conference play after a 3-0 sweep at in-state rival Drake on Tuesday in Des Moines. Reigning MVC Player of the Week Lily Dykstra finished the night with a match-high 15 kills on .238 hitting and two blocks, with Cassidy Hartman notching 13 kills and 11 digs, along with three blocks. Isabelle Elliott notched six terminations and three blocks, with both Grace Hannam and Bixby notching five blocks each. Reese Booth tallied a 31-assist, 12-dig double-double, as Jadyn Petersen tallied 18 digs and nine digs.
The Panthers are among the nation's top statistical leaders early in the season, ranking first in Division I in team attacks per set (39.4), third in digs per set (17.4), 12th in total digs (767) and 28th in total attacks (1,736).
The dynamic offensive duo of Dykstra and reigning MVC Player of the Year Hartman has been the heartbeat of the Panther attack this season. UNI is 6-2 this year when both hitters record ten or more kills in a match, and 24-5 when doing so since both arrived on campus in 2023. Hartman ranks fifth in the nation with 12.3 attacks per frame, tenth in kills per set (4.4), seventh in total attacks (543) and eighth in total kills (197). Dykstra sits just behind Hartman in the MVC with the league's second-most kills per set (4.1).
Booth sits in the top-20 in the country in total assists (440) having recorded a double-double in seven straight matches, while Petersen is 17th in Division I in digs per set (4.7) and 23rd in total digs (210).
Northern Iowa's elite blocking defense has stepped up to the plate through 12 matches this season. The Panthers have posted at least seven blocks in all but one match this year, including six matches with ten or more blocks. Middle blocker Grace Hannam has notched three or more blocks in ten matches this season, while Maryn Bixby has tallied six matches with three-plus stops at the net.
SCOUTING MURRAY STATE
The Racers are out to a rough 2-10 start to the 2026 season, slated to open league play on Friday night at Drake. Murray State's two wins on the year came on the road at Northern Illinois, and a neutral site victory over the Citadel.
Tristyn Krzos takes over as interim head coach for the Racers following the retirement of longtime coach Dave Schwepker over the summer. MSU was picked to finish 11th in the MVC's preseason poll.
Anne Makowski leads the Racers with 3.2 kills and 9.3 attacks per set, while also posting a team-high 401 total attacks. Defensively Ada Tamturk leads Murray State in the backrow with 144 total digs.
UNI volleyball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Volleyball), X (@UNIVolleyball) and on Instagram (@univolleyball). The full 2026 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
