TOPEKA, Kan. --- After spending that last three weekends and 11 matches on the road, the Washburn volleyball team returns home to Lee Arena this weekend as it hosts to Central Missouri Friday at 6 p.m., before a 3 p.m. match against Lindenwood on Saturday. This week's matches will be part of a six-match home stand by the Ichabods that will span three weekends.
THEY GOT HISTORY
Friday's match with the Central Missouri with the 67th meeting all-time ... the Jennies lead the series 51-15 but are 9-4 at Lee Arena since 2002 ... Saturday's match with Lindenwood with be just the seventh all-time meeting ... the Ichabods lead the series 6-0.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
The 2017 lineup for the Ichabods features 11 underclassmen including seven true freshmen ... in their match against Western State on Sept. 2, the Ichabods started five freshmen for the first-time ever under head coach Chris Herron ... going into this weekend's slate of games freshman Genna Berg is second on the team in kills per set (2.57) while classmate Faith Rottinghaus is the starting libero and headlines the list of names for digs (258) and digs per set (4.69) ... Allison Maxwell is second in total blocks (43) and blocks per set (0.93) ... Allison Sadler leads the Ichabods in assists (361) and assists per set (8.20) ... Sophomore Erica Montgomery has a team-best in kills (151) and kills per set (2.75).
ACES WILD
The Ichabods began the week third in the MIAA in aces per set (1.36) and total aces (68) while being listed nationally at 177th and 115th, respectively ... Washburn is averaging 4.8 aces per matches and is on track to finish the year with approximately 170 aces ... individually, Jade Hodge tops both the Ichabods' and conference rankings with 18 aces while placing 93rd in Division II ... Hodge's 0.38 aces per set is second-best in the MIAA and 179th in the nation ... also ranked nationally for service aces is Faith Rottinghaus (205th, 15) and Erica Montgomery (260th, 14).
THE MAX(WELLS)
Allison and Makayla Maxwell (no family relation) have a been force and presence on both sides the net for the Ichabods this season ... the duo have accounted for 213 of Washburn's 670 kills (roughly 32 percent) while causing opponents problems as the team's top blockers ... Makayla (junior) leads the team with 69 blocks (13 solo-56 assisted) with Allison (freshman) following with 43 blocks (7 solo-36 assisted) ... the older Maxwell is also second in the MIAA in blocks per set (1.28) while the younger Maxwell is 10th in the conference at 0.93 per set ... the title for this section is a reference to the 'The Maxx' from the TV sitcom "Saved by the Bell".
RECORD WATCH LIST
• Junior Shayla Conner is among the top 25 in Washburn's all-time assists list ... Conner ranks 22nd overall with 562 assists and is 27 assists shy of moving into the top 20 ... Conner has averaged 194 assists over the last two seasons.
• Junior Makayla Maxwell ranks 29th on Washburn's all-time block chart with 190 blocks ... Maxwell has averaged 65 blocks her in last two seasons.
• Senior Carley Swan currently sits at 21st on the Washburn's block per set chart (0.71), 35th in total blocks (164) and is 47th overall in kills per set (0.97).
• Senior Taylor Selk is 31st in hitting percentage (.165), 32nd in blocks per set (0.50) and is 36th in total kills (535).
• Freshman Allison Sadler is listed 31st on Washburn career assists rankings with 317.
WEEKLY WRAP-UP
Washburn went 1-1 last weekend as it fell to No. 5 Nebraska-Kearney in four sets before sweeping Fort Hays State ... the Ichabods then began this week with a tough five-set loss to rival Emporia State.
1,000-WIN CLUB
After starting the 2017 season seven wins shy of 1,000 victories, the Ichabods reached the milestone with a 3-1 victory over Christian Brother (Tenn.) during the Arkansas Tech Invitational on Sept. 15 ... the result made Washburn the 48th program in NCAA volleyball history and 10th Division II member to accomplish the milestone.
AVCA STREAK
The Ichabods began the weekend in the AVCA Coaches' Poll receiving votes categories for the first time since the 2003 season. As a result, Washburn's top 25 streak comes to ends after 178 consecutive polls dating back to the final ranking of 2003. The Ichabods have 200 all-time mentions.
MIAA PRESEASON POLL
The Ichabods were predicted to finish third in the MIAA after earning 101 points and one first-place vote. Last season's champion Nebraska-Kearney topped the poll with 120 points and 10 first-place votes, while Central Oklahoma came in second with 105 points and also garnered one first-place nod ... WU finished the 2016 season with a 16-2 conference record and run to the conference tournament finals.
STRONG START
Washburn is 34-15 in season openers all-time and 22-6 since joining the NCAA and MIAA in 1989 ... Under Chris Herron, the Ichabods have a history of starting the season hot in the first month of play, as it has gone 39-6 over the last three seasons ... All-time under Herron, Washburn is 230-31 in the first month the season ... Since Herron's arrival, the Ichabods have not lost more than four matches in the first month of the season.
HERRON TIDBITS
Ichabod head coach Chris Herron is in his 16th season at the helm and his 19th season in the collegiate ranks ... Herron was inducted into the Kansas Volleyball Association Hall of Fame on June 3, 2017 ... The longtime head coach has gone 457-85 at Washburn ... has gone 211-46 in MIAA matches ... has been named the MIAA Coach of the Year four times ... has led the Ichabods to five MIAA regular-season championships ... has led the program to 13 NCAA postseason berths ... his players have received 32 All-America awards, 63 all-region awards and has had 31 first team All-MIAA selections and 82 overall who have been honored by the conference ... has coached four CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, six CoSIDA Academic All-District selections, six MIAA Academic Excellence award winners (4.00 GPA), 29 MIAA Scholar Athletes (3.50+ GPA and all-MIAA honoree) and 121 MIAA Academic Honor Roll (3.00+ GPA) selections.
TRADITION OF SUCCESS
The Ichabods have made a habit out of appearing in the NCAA tournament, reaching the milestone 13 times in the past 15 seasons under head coach Chris Herron ... Washburn has won five MIAA Championships under Herron and were runners-ups in 2016 ... In the last five seasons, Washburn volleyball has had 12 All-Americans, including three in 2016.
