McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University women's volleyball team, ranked sixth nationally, is set to compete in the Blugold Alumni Weekend Invitational at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire on October 17-18. The event will feature three matches for the Titans, starting with a matchup against the seventh-ranked UW-Eau Claire Blugolds on Friday at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Illinois Wesleyan will play against Cornell College at 10 a.m. and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point at noon.

The Titans arrive at the tournament after securing a significant win over North Central College on October 15, which allowed them to maintain an undefeated record (5-0) in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. Senior Kannyn Boyd led the team defensively with 20 digs, while senior Hannah Tellor contributed four blocks. Taylor French, also a senior, recorded 12 kills, three aces, and 11 digs in that match.

Taylor French is currently leading Illinois Wesleyan’s offense with 217 kills this season, averaging 3.88 kills per set and maintaining a .245 hitting percentage. She is approaching the program's all-time kills record, trailing by 90 kills behind current assistant coach Tyler Brown’s record of 1,777. Sophomore Alex Bardouniotis is second on the team with 167 kills, while Tellor is third with 110 kills and a .300 hitting percentage. French also leads in service aces with 48, ranking seventh nationally with an average of 0.85 per set. Freshman Lauren O'Brien has contributed 33 aces, and Bardouniotis has added 27.

The team’s offense is coordinated by junior setter Sophia Feeney and freshman Lauren O'Brien, who together average 12.25 assists per set, ranking 19th nationally. Feeney leads with 314 assists, while O'Brien has tallied 278.

On defense, Boyd leads with 245 digs (4.71 per set), followed by Bardouniotis with 181 and French with 155. Tellor is the top blocker with 39 blocks, supported by junior Eleanor Palmer with 35 and junior Cailin Shannon with 24.

Illinois Wesleyan will face UW-Eau Claire for the 12th time, with UWEC leading the series 8-3 since 1997. The Titans won their most recent encounter in four sets on October 28, 2023, when French had 24 kills and Jordan Pierce provided 41 assists. UW-Eau Claire enters the weekend with a 20-2 record after a sweep of UW-River Falls.

The Titans have a 4-2 all-time record against Cornell College, including a five-set win last season. In that match, French led with 17 kills and three aces, Feeney had 24 assists, and Alysa Lawton led defensively with 21 digs. Cornell recently defeated Beloit in straight sets.

Against UW-Stevens Point, Illinois Wesleyan trails 9-5 in their series history. Last season, the Titans lost in four sets despite strong performances from French and Tellor. Feeney had 21 assists and Boyd led with 16 digs. UW-Stevens Point currently holds a 13-9 record following a recent loss to UW-Stout.

Live streaming and statistics for the Blugold Alumni Weekend Invitational will be available through UW-Eau Claire’s official channels.