McLean County Times

The Illinois State volleyball team, currently undefeated, will travel to Coralville, Iowa, for the Kwik Star Klassic tournament hosted by the Iowa Hawkeyes. The Redbirds are scheduled to play Loyola Chicago on September 4 at 3 p.m., face Iowa on September 5 at 6 p.m., and take on Butler on September 6 at 11 a.m.

Illinois State has been strong defensively this season, averaging 3.56 blocks per set over nine matches. This mark is the fourth-highest in the nation so far. Their upcoming opponent, Iowa, follows closely with an average of 3.55 blocks per set.

So far this season, the Redbirds have swept all three of their matches, winning each by a score of 3-0. Illinois State is among only fourteen schools nationally to start the year at 3-0 while dropping no sets across those wins.

A player from Illinois State recently earned her second career MVC Player of the Week award after recording 29 kills over nine sets during the opening weekend. She averages 3.22 kills per set with a .278 hitting percentage and stands out as one of two players in the Missouri Valley Conference averaging at least three kills and digs per set. She also ranks in the top fifteen for kills per set, hitting percentage, aces per set, and digs per set in the conference. "The Prairie du Sac, Wiconsin, native, led the Redbirds in kills during two of her three matches on the week, knocking down a season-high 12 in the opener against 2024 NIVC qualifier DePaul, and 11 more against Oakland in the weekend finale."

With their recent performance, Illinois State has won nine consecutive sets to begin this season—the fourth-longest such streak in program history behind only seasons starting in 1992 (13), and both 1979 and 1980 (11 each).

At the Western Michigan Tournament that opened their season, Aida Shadewald was named Most Valuable Player while teammates Arianna Rossi and Ruth Ziegler joined her on the All-Tournament Team.

In preseason expectations within their conference, Illinois State returned eight athletes who started at least nine matches last year and added what is described as its best recruiting class ever. The team was picked to finish third according to Missouri Valley Coaches Polls. Two players—Aida Shadewald and Khenedi Guest—were selected for preseason All-MVC honors.

Historically against this weekend’s opponents: Illinois State leads Loyola Chicago with a record of 29-4; holds a slight edge over Iowa at 3-2; and is ahead against Butler with four wins to one loss.