McLean County Times

Illinois State University's volleyball team is preparing for a challenging weekend on the road. The Redbirds will face off against the UIC Flames in Chicago, Illinois, on Friday and then travel to Valparaiso, Indiana, to play against the Valparaiso Beacons on Saturday. The match against UIC is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT, while the game at Valparaiso will start at 5 p.m. CT.

Junior Aida Shadewald of Illinois State recently achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 1,000 career kills during a match against Drake on October 19. She joins an elite group as the 23rd player in Illinois State history to reach this mark. Currently, Shadewald ranks among the top players in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) with over 300 kills and is tied for 19th nationally with a total of 318 kills.

Senior setter Mekaila Aupiu has made a notable impact since joining the Redbirds before the 2024 season. Aupiu leads the nation with 880 assists and is one of only seven setters nationwide with more than 800 assists this season. She averages 9.67 assists per set.

Shadewald also stands out in other areas; she ranks within the top-20 nationally in total points with 361 and has delivered 37 aces this season, tying her for 18th place nationally.

The Redbirds lead the Missouri Valley Conference in team kills and assists, totaling 1,144 and 1,065 respectively. They share the lead in assists with Valparaiso, both ranking second nationally.

Freshman Khenedi Guest has made an impressive debut season with Illinois State, earning MVC Freshman of the Week honors three times. In conference play, Guest boasts a .432 hitting percentage with 90 kills across 33 sets.

For updates on Illinois State volleyball, fans can visit GoRedbirds.com or follow their social media channels.