University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Illinois State
Panther volleyball visits Illinois State, Bradley in key road trip
9/29/2026 1:30:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
UNI clashes with two unbeaten MVC rivals in second week of the conference schedule.
UNI volleyball (8-5 / 2-0 MVC) at Illinois State (11-2 / 2-0 MVC)
- Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026
- 6 p.m. CT
- Normal, Ill. | CEFCU Arena (10,200)
- WATCH (ESPN+)
- LISTEN (Panther Sports Radio Network) [Chris Kleinhans-Schulz: Play-by-Play / Jay Grassley: Analyst]
- LIVE RESULTS
UNI volleyball (8-5 / 2-0 MVC) at Bradley (7-7 / 2-0 MVC)
- Friday, Oct. 2, 2026
- 6 p.m. CT
- Peoria, Ill. | Renaissance Coliseum (4,200)
- WATCH (ESPN+)
- LISTEN (Panther Sports Radio Network) [Chris Kleinhans-Schulz: Play-by-Play / Jay Grassley: Analyst]
- LIVE RESULTS
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI volleyball will clash with two of the Missouri Valley Conference's (MVC) five unbeaten teams from league play on Thursday and Friday and the Panthers open the month of October at Illinois State and Bradley.
First serve against the Redbirds is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT at CEFCU Arena in Normal on Thursday, with a 6 p.m. CT first serve also slated for UNI's match with the Braves on Friday. Live coverage of both matches can be found on ESPN+ and on the Panthers Sports Radio Network (106.5 Corn Country / 93.5 HD-2 / Varsity app) with Chris Kleinhans-Schulz and Jay Grassley on the call.
Northern Iowa holds a 63-30 all-time record against Illinois State with eight straight wins in the series, including its last meeting with the Redbirds in the 2025 MVC Tournament semifinals, a thrilling five-set Panther win. UNI has also won nine in a row against Bradley, holding a 75-12 all-time record against the Braves. The Panthers will look to continue a remarkable streak in league play, having won 54 straight regular season MVC contests, including 62 in a row against conference opponents in the regular season and postseason, the longest active streak in Division I.
UNI returns to the road after a pair of 3-0 sweeps over Drake, and most recently Murray State last Saturday at home, cruising past the Racers in just a 67-minute match. For the first time all season, all active Panther players who dressed for the match saw the court, which included the collegiate debuts of Payton Askelsen and Maggie Michaels, as well as Kamryn Vogt's season debut.
Lily Dykstra led the charge for the Panthers against the Racers with ten kills as Cassidy Hartman added seven terminations and 14 digs. Reese Booth recorded a 31-assist, 11-dig double-double, her eighth in a row along with a career-high five service aces, while MVC Defensive Player of the Week Maryn Bixby posted six blocks.
The Panthers are among the nation's top statistical leaders this season, ranking first in Division I in team attacks per set (38.8), third in digs per set (17.4), 18th in opponent hitting percentage (.159), 31st in total digs (820).
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 ninth in the nation with 11.9 attacks per frame, 14th in kills per set (4.3), 23rd in total attacks (560) and 21st in total kills (204). Dykstra sits just behind Hartman in the MVC with the league's second-most kills per set (4).
Booth sits in the top-50 in the country with ten assists per frame, while defensive specialist/libero Jadyn Petersen is 11th in Division I in digs per set (4.9) and 35th in total digs (232). Middle blocker Grace Hannam is also first in the MVC with 54 total blocks.
Northern Iowa's elite blocking defense has stepped up to the plate through 13 matches this season. The Panthers have posted at least seven blocks in all but one match this year, including seven matches with ten or more blocks. Hannam has notched three or more blocks in 11matches this season, while Bixby has tallied seven matches with three-plus stops at the net.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS STATE
The Redbirds boast the MVC's best overall record at 11-2 as the Panthers head to CEFCU Arena on Thursday evening. Led by fifth year head coach Allie Matters, Illinois State has won its last five matches, including conference opening road wins at UIC and Valparaiso.
Picked sixth in the MVC preseason poll, the Redbirds have been stellar this season at the service line, ranking 11th in Division I with 2.1 aces per set, led by Ruth Ziegler's league-leading 27 total aces. Offensively, Illinois State boasts a league-best .253 hitting percentage with 13.3 kills per frame, second only to the Panthers. Jullian Ferrill leads the Redbird offense with 2.9 kills per set.
SCOUTING BRADLEY
The Braves welcome the Panthers to Renaissance Coliseum on Friday after winning their first two conference matches at Indiana State and Evansville last weekend. Led by fifth year head coach Alicia Williams, Bradley was picked seventh in the MVC preseason poll.
Bradley's offense is led by a pair of Preseason All-MVC Team selections in outside hitter Gracie Furlong and reigning MVC Setter of the Year Maria Drapp. Drapp ranks third in the nation with 569 total assists and 9.9 assists per set, second only in the league to UNI's Booth. Furlong meanwhile leads the conference with 212 total kills, averaging 3.7 terminations per frame.
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.
