WAYNE, Neb. - The Winona State University volleyball team hits the highway in an uncommon mid-week road trip, traveling west to Wayne State College, currently the No. 1 ranked team in NCAA Division II volleyball. The WSU opportunity for the upset will see first serve at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. in Rice Auditorium.
Winona State has earned an 11-3 regular season record and 4-2 NSIC slate while Wayne State enters play on Tuesday with a 14-1 overall ledger and unbeaten 5-0 NSIC mark.
Winona State earned a road split over the past weekend, falling at Northern State 3-0 on Friday but rebounding for a 3-0 win over MSU Moorhead on Saturday. Wayne State knocked off #6 St. Cloud State and #10 Minnesota Duluth in the Wildcats' most recent action, taking both matches in 3-0 sweeps.
GAME & FAN INFORMATION
- Live stats and live video are available at the links above.
WINONA STATE STORYLINES
- Winona State is 4-2 in the NSIC and 11-3 overall.
- WSU has a 3-3 record in the last six meetings between the two schools.
- Winona State last beat the Wildcats on Oct. 23, 2021. WSC took both matchups in 2022.
- Rylee Vaughn, Gianna Vollrath, Sidney Paulson and Jaci Winchell all earned All-Tournament honors during the Warriors early season contests at Northern Michigan and Wisconsin Parkside, respectively.
- WSU was picked ninth in the 2023 NSIC Volleyball Coaches Poll.
- WSU narrowly missed out on an NSIC postseason bid last fall, finishing ninth with a 12-15 overall mark and 8-12 NSIC record.
- The Warriors played their first eight matches on the road, racking up a 7-1 record.
- WSU will feature seniors Rylee Vaughn, Lydia Lange, Sidney Paulson, and Taylor Pagel this season.
- Sidney Paulson was selected as 2023 WSU's Player to Watch by the NSIC.
- Two seasons ago, the Warriors qualified for the 2021 NSIC Tournament and the 2021 NCAA Division II postseason, finishing 28-5 overall and 17-3 in league play.
- Winona State features five freshmen: Sophia Armstrong, Ashlyn Steding, Quinn Robak, Kenna Kornely, and Jayda Berg. WSU also added transfer Leah Mach, a junior from Emporia State University.
- In his tenth year at Winona State, Getzin had previous stops at Embry Riddle (AZ), Portland and Ole Miss.
- Heading into 2023, Getzin is No. 1 all-time at Winona State in winning percentage (.682) and second all-time in seasons at the school (9).
- WSU returns assistant coaches Kristine Fisch, Jackie Kiecker, and Mara Quam to the Warrior sideline this fall.
Wayne State STORYLINES
- The Wildcats enter play on the weekend with a 11-1 mark and 5-0 NSIC slate.
- Wayne State has featured in the AVCA national poll all season and moved to No. 1 in Week 4.
- WSC has won three of the last four meetings between the schools.
- The Wildcats have beat five nationally-ranked opponents this season.
- Wayne State's only loss was to then-No. 2 ranked Concordia St. Paul in a non-NSIC match.
- The Wolves were picked to finish eighth in the 2023 NSIC Coaches Poll.
- Scott Kneifl is in his 19th year at Wayne State College.
WARRIOR NOTABLES:
- Earlier this summer, Winona State earned its 17th consecutive AVCA Team Academic Award.
- WSU's 7-1 start fell just one win short of matching the 8-0 opening run of the 2021 NCAA Tournament Warrior team.
- Gianna Vollrath is currently 11th in the NSIC in hitting percentage (.327).
- Sidney Paulson is 9th in the league in kills per set (3.33).
- Jaci Winchell is 8th in the NSIC in assists per set (9.64).
- Rylee Vaughn is 9th in the NSIC in digs-per-set (4.31).
- Paulson is 10th in total points across the league with 198 on the year.
- Head coach Joe Getzin coached assistant coach Jackie Kiecker when Kiecker was a student-athlete at Ole Miss.
For the most up to date news in Warrior Athletics, please visit:
www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and
@WinonaStateATH.
About Winona State University Athletics:
The Winona State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, as an integral part of the educational mission of the institution, is committed to offering opportunities to experience academic and athletic excellence for our student-athletes through two simple words:
Graduate Champions.
Fourteen Warrior programs compete at the NCAA Division II level within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Winona State University competes as an affiliate member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in the sport of women's gymnastics.
