THE SETUP
For the fourth consecutive season, Washburn volleyball opens the season on its home at Lee Arena as it hosts the 2018 installment of the Washburn Invitational presented by Topeka Capitol Plaza Hotel and Convention Center from Aug. 24-25.
THE SCHEDULE
The Ichabods will begin action with a pair of matches on Friday, Aug. 24 as they face Dallas Baptist at 12 pm and Coorado State-Pueblo at 6 pm. A quick turnaround for Washburn as Day Two features Colorado-Colorado Springs at 11 am before wrapping up the opening weekend at 5 pm against Southeastern Oklahoma State.
WASHBURN INVITATIONAL
The invitational is presented by Topeka Capitol Plaza Hotel with all matches being played at two courts at Lee Arena, located on the campus of Washburn University. Previously known as the Lady Blues Classic, the event is in its 11th year. This year's edition will feature representatives from five conferences - Washburn and Northwest Missouri from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), Colorado Sate-Pueblo and Colorado-Colorado Springs from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), Henderson State and Southeastern Oklahoma from the Great American Conference (GAC), William Jewell from the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) and Dallas Baptist from the Heartland Conference (HC). Washburn's record in the is 39-1 all-time with it's lone loss coming in the first match of the last season. Tickets and stats for the contests are available by visiting wusports.com.
THEY GOT HISTORY
Against the opening weekend slate of opponents, Washburn is a combined 20-2 overall as the Ichabods hold unbeaten records against Dallas Baptist (4-0), Colorado-Colorado Springs (6-0) and Southeastern Oklahoma State (5-0). The lone losses came from Colorado State-Pueblo during the 1990 and 1999 seasons, both on neutral courts.
MIAA RETURNERS
Longtime Washburn head coach Chris Herron brings back all five of his MIAA selections from a season ago including second team honorees Makayla Maxwell, Erica Montgomery, Genna Berg, while Allison Sadler and Faith Rottinghaus are return after collecting honorable mention nods.
THE UPPERCLASSMEN
Among the 11 returners are four upperclassmen including seniors Makayla Maxwell, Shayla Conner and Olivia Powell and junior Erica Montgomery. Also among to the upperclassmen mix is junior Katie Heeter who transferred from Kansas City Kansas CC where she appeared in 42 matches and registered 385 kills and 579 digs for her career with the Blue Devils.
YOUTHFUL EXUBERANCE
Much like last season's roster, the 2018 lineup has as youthful makeup as the squad features 12 underclassmen, including five sophomores, five true freshmen, and two redshirt-freshmen.
HELLO FRESHMEN
Coach Herron welcomes five freshman to the 2018 roster including Emma Palasak, Taylor Antonowich, Sydney Fitzgibbons, Halle Meister and Alaina Dunlavy. Palasak is an outside hitter from Bentonville, Ark., who was a two-time conference selection and won a state title as a freshman ... also an outside hitter, Antonowich hails from Newton, Kan., and led her team to three consecutive KSHAA Class 5A state tournaments and Divsion I Ark Valley league titles ... Fitzgibbons is a middle hitter from Papillion, Neb., and earned three Nebraska Class A all-state honors ... listed simply as a hitter, Meister is from Omaha, Neb., and was a two-time Nebraska Class B all-state selection ... a setter from Hesston, Kan., Dunlavy finished her high school career with 1,109 assists and was a a two-time first team Kansas 3A all-state selection.
TOUGH DEFENSE
When the dust of the 2017 season finally settled, Washburn was among the top defensive teams in the conference, and in some categories, the nation, as the team topped the MIAA chart in blocks per set (2.32) and 22nd in Division II. The Ichabods also racked up 281 blocks, 17.94 digs per set and 2,171 digs, each placing Washburn third among the league leaderboard. On the national landscape, the team's block total was 18th-overall while the dig total earned them 33rd, the digs per set mark fell outside the top-50 as Washburn was listed at 53rd.
Individually, Makayla and Allison Maxwell led the defensive charge at the net as they finished one-two on the team in blocks and blocks per set and at one point during last season were the catalyst to the Ichabods cracking the nation's top 10 in blocks per set. Makayla finished the year ranked 32nd in Division II in blocks per set (1.19) and 17th in blocks (143), while Allison tallied 99 blocks. Faith Rottinghaus, last season's team MVP, anchored the backline as her 579 digs listed her 56th in the nation and sixth-overall among MIAA leaders.
ALL OUT ATTACK
Washburn returns its top four offensive threats from a 2017 team that registered 1,555 and average 12.9 kills per set. Topping the list is sophomore Genna Bergwho finished the year with a team-best 345 kills though posted a .159 hitting percentage. Montgomery's 282 kills was second on the team, but the now junior posted a more formiable .195 hitting percentage. In addition to net presence on defense, the Maxwells were offensive threats as Makayla registered 272 kills, while Allison had 217, both Maxwells finished the year with a .274 hitting percentage.
After falling four assists shy of 1,000 for the season, Allison Sadler returns in 2-18. Sadler's assist total last season saw her finished sixth among the MIAA leaders, while her 9.05 assists per set was also sixth-best.
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 Washburn has a history of starting the season hot as it is 60-1 during the season opening weekend since his start in 2002 ... in the first month of play, as the Ichabods have gone 36-11 over the last three seasons ... all-time under Herron, Washburn is 230-31 in the first month the season.
MIAA PRESEASON POLL
In the annual preseason poll voted on by coaches, Washburn was predicted to finish fifth in the MIAA after earning 72 points and one first-place vote. Last season's champion tournament Nebraska-Kearney topped the poll with 108 points and eight first-place votes, while regular-season co-champion Missouri Western was second after garnering two first-place votes and 94 points. Central Oklahoma was picked third with Central Missouri finished ahead of the Ichabods at fourth.
