K-State Volleyball Set for First Serve in Indiana - Kansas State University Athletics (2024)

MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State officially opens the 2024 volleyball season Friday at the Stacey Clark Classic, as the Wildcats will take on tournament host No. 8 Purdue, UC Davis and UMBC over three days at Holloway Gymnasium in West Lafayette, Ind.

K-State, who is receiving votes in the season's initial AVCA Coaches Poll, earned a straight set victory over in-state rival Wichita State last Saturday in its lone exhibition match of the preseason. In the match, All-American Aliyah Carter logged a double-double with 16 kills and 10 digs, while Izzi Szulczewski paced the offense with 33 assists and newcomer Ella Larkin turned in 15 digs.

The Wildcats are coming off a season where they finished 16-11 and went 10-8 in Big 12 action in the first season under head coach Jason Mansfield. In addition to Carter and Szulczewski, K-State retains aces leader Liz Gregorski and 2023 Big 12 All-Rookie Team Aniya Clinton.

The entire three-day tournament will air on Big Ten Network.

Following the tournament in Indiana, K-State will compete in the Creighton Classic on September 6-7 at D.J. Sokol Arena in Omaha, Neb. The Wildcats will take on No. 21 USC Friday before facing host No. 12 Creighton Saturday to close the tournament.

MATCH #1
K-STATE (0-0, 0-0 BIG 12) at #8 PURDUE (0-0, 0-0 BIG TEN)
Friday, August 30 // 6 PM CT // Holloway Gymnasium // West Lafayette, Ind.
Watch: Big Ten Network
Live Stats

MATCH #2
K-STATE (0-0, 0-0 BIG 12) vs. UC DAVIS (0-0, 0-0 BIG WEST)
Saturday, August 31 // 3:30 PM CT // Holloway Gymnasium // West Lafayette, Ind.
Watch: Big Ten Network
Live Stats

MATCH #3
K-STATE (0-0, 0-0 BIG 12) vs. UMBC (0-0, 0-0 AMERICA EAST)
Sunday, September 1 // 10:30 AM CT // Holloway Gymnasium // West Lafayette, Ind.
Watch: Big Ten Network
Live Stats

K-STATE AT A GLANCE

• K-State is set to enter its 51^st season of volleyball and second under head coach Jason Mansfield Friday at the Stacey Clark Classic hosted by Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind.
• Over three days, the Wildcats will take on No. 8 Purdue Friday followed by the first-ever match against UC Davis on Saturday, before finishing the tournament against UMBC Sunday.
• The Cats retain nine letterwinners and four starters, including AVCA All-American honorable mention Aliyah Carter, while adding three freshmen and three transfers.
• Carter led K-State's offense in 2023, averaging 4.06 kills per set to become the only player in K-State history to average over four kills a set in multiple seasons.
• Izzi Szulczewski, the team leader in assists, and Liz Gregorski, who led in aces, also return to the court after one season with the Cats.
• Aniya Clinton, an All-Big 12 Rookie Team selection, returns for her sophom*ore campaign following her collegiate debut where she averaged 2.84 kills per set with a .237 hitting efficiency.
• In K-State's only exhibition match of the preseason, the Wildcats claimed a straight-set victory over Wichita State on Saturday.
• Carter logged a double-double with 16 kills and 10 digs, while Szulczewski paced the offense with 33 assists and newcomer Ella Larkin turned in 15 digs.
• Shaylee Myers added nine kills and hit .316, while newcomer Jordyn Williams posted a .385 efficiency and a team-high three blocks.

SCOUTING #8 PURDUE

• Purdue, who was ranked eighth in the AVCA Preseason Coaches Top 25 Poll, after finishing 23-9 overall and third in the Big Ten standings at 15-5.
• In its 25^th run in the NCAA Tournament, Purdue made its fourth appearance in the Sweet 16 in the last five years, falling to No. 2 seed Oregon in straight sets.
• Dave Shondell spearheads the Boilermakers volleyball program, leading the squad to an overall 458-226 (.670) record in 21 seasons with 18 postseason appearances.
• The Boilermakers returned three All-Americans with junior Eva Hudson, sophom*ore Chloe Chicoine, and senior Raven Colvin.
• Purdue averaged 13.5 kills per set at a .253 hitting efficiency last season.
• Hudson posted a team-leading 4.48 kills per set (.260) and 4.84 points per set, followed by Chicoine with 3.82 kills per set and a team-best 39 service aces.
• Defensively, Colvin was second in the Big Ten and seventh nationally in total blocks (167).
• Purdue holds a 3-1 edge in the all-time series, that includes a two-match win streak with a win in West Lafayette and Manhattan.

SCOUTING UC DAVIS

• The Aggies went 13-16 (8-10 Big West) last season, and picked up two wins against Power Four programs, the first wins over a Power Four program since 2021 while clinching a berth in the Big West Tournament for the first time in program history.
• Head coach Dan Conners returns for his 11^th season, leading the Aggies to an overall record of 132-134.
• The Aggies finished third in the Big West in total blocks per set (2.29) and second with 198 aces which placed UC Davis inside the nation's top 50 in 2023.
• Senior outside hitter Olivia Utterback was named to the Preseason All-Big West Team following her All-Conference season, where she finished with a team-high 427.0 points, 346 total kills, 3.62 points per set and 2.93 kills per set.
• Utterback's 42 service aces placed her second in the conference and her kills per set was sixth in the league.
• Ally Chandler led the Aggies with 128 blocks, placing her third in the conference and 69^th in the nation while Reese Diersbock finished second on the team in total kills (243), kills per set (2.17), total points (283) and points per set (2.53).
• Saturday marks the first meeting between the Aggies and Wildcats.

SCOUTING UMBC

• UMBC is coming off a 17-8 season, where the Retrievers swept through the conference tournament to claim their fourth consecutive America East Championship and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
• The Retrivers fell in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament to No. 8 USC.
• UMBC was voted as the AEC preseason favorite after finishing the conference season 8-2, with Mia Bilusic and Aysia Miler voted to the Preseason All-America East Team.
• Bilusic is a three-time first team All-Conference selection and the 2021 Rookie of the Year, while Miller is a three-time second team All-Conference selection at multiple positions and was the Spring 2021 Setter of the Year and 2022 Defensive Specialist of the Year.
• A season ago, Bilusic averaged 3.24 kills and 3.81 points a set for the Retrievers with 31 aces while Miller guided the offense with 5.69 assists per set.
• This will be the first time the Retrievers and Wildcats meet on the court.

2023 RECAP

• K-State proudly opened the new home of K-State volleyball, Morgan Family Arena, on Sept. 1, 2023, with a sweep over Omaha.
• Jason Mansfield led the Wildcats to a 16-11 finish, 10-8 in Big 12 play, in his first season at the helm of program.
• The Wildcats achieved a record-breaking five Top 25 wins in 2023, with victories over #3 Texas, #8 BYU (twice), #18 Baylor and #25 Iowa State.
• K-State finished 9-4 at home and 4-7 in true road matches, while going undefeated in neutral action with a perfect 3-0 record.
• Three players were named to the All-Big 12 teams and Aniya Clinton was selected to the All-Rookie Team.
• Three Wildcats earned AVCA All-Midwest Region First Team honors.
• Aliyah Carter received AVCA All-American honorable mention recognition.
• Former Wildcat Mackenzie Morris was named the Big 12 Volleyball Scholar Athlete of the Year

A NEW LOOK BIG 12

• With new league alignments, the Big 12 welcomed four new members to the 2024-25 academic year.
• The Big 12 additions include Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah, turning the league into a 15-member volleyball conference.

RETURNING NUMBERS

• The Wildcats returned over 70% of their offense in 2024 and over 50% of the defense.
• K-State's nine returning players accounted for 62.9% of sets played, 79% of kills, 53.7% of digs, 73.3% of assists, 56.8% of blocks, 59.9% of aces, and 74% of points scored.

SUPER SENIOR

• Carter returns to the court for her fifth and final season with the Wildcat volleyball program.
• Carter owns the 20-kill match rally-scoring era record with 17, while she also stands alone as the rally-scoring era kills average leader with an average of 3.79.
• The Dubuque, Iowa product became the 19th player in program history to achieve 1,000 career kills in 2023 and ranks sixth all-time with 1,384 career kills.

NEW FACES IN MHK

• Kansas State welcomed three Division I transfers in middle blocker Jordyn Williams (Kentucky), opposite hitter/middle blocker Meg Brown (Pepperdine) and defensive specialist/libero Ella Larkin (LSU).
• The Wildcats added three true freshmen to the roster with Tatum Tindall, Alyss Kelly and Emerson Van Lannen.

VS. RANKED OPPONENTS

• K-State received votes in the initial AVCA Coaches Top 25 Poll.
• The Wildcats 2024 campaign features a challenging schedule that features seven nationally ranked opponents – Purdue, USC, Creighton, KU, Arizona State, BYU, and Baylor – with three opponents receiving votes.
• A season ago, K-State finished 5-5 against ranked opponents, that included 12 straight set wins.
• The Wildcats will face a challenging 2024 schedule on their road to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021.
• Twelve of K-State's 2024 opponents competed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
• Overall, the Wildcats will play 14 matches against foes that competed in the postseason.
• Five members of the Big 12 were featured in the AVCA Final Coaches Poll in 2023.
• K-State has nine matches against programs that were featured in the final AVCA Coaches poll last season.

THE MANSFIELD ERA

• Jason Mansfield enters his second season at the helm of the Kansas State volleyball program.
• The Sunnyvale, Calif., native is 16-11 (.539) overall in his first season and 10-8 (.588) in Big 12 action.
• In its initial season under Mansfield, K-State achieved a record-breaking five top-25 wins with victories over No. 3 Texas, No. 8 BYU (twice), No. 18 Baylor, and No. 25 Iowa State.
• K-State handed Texas, the eventual Nation Champion, its only loss in Conference play in its final season in the Big 12.
• Mansfield was appointed as the ninth head coach on Dec. 27, 2022.
• Compiled over 480 victories as an assistant coach with stints at Stanford, Illinois, and Washington
• The 2004 Stanford squad won the national championship, while the Cardinals advanced to the Final Four six times in 14 total NCAA Tournament appearances with Mansfield on staff.

UP NEXT

• Following the tournament in Indiana, K-State will compete in the Creighton Classic on September 6-7 at D.J. Sokol Arena in Omaha, Neb.
• The Wildcats will take on No. 21 USC Friday before facing host No. 12 Creighton Saturday to close the tournament.

– k-statesports.com –

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