TOPEKA, Kan. -- No. 15 Washburn volleyball continues its season-long four-match road swing facing No. 8 Missouri Western and Fort Hays State in a pair of non-conference matches both played at the MWSU Fieldhouse in St. Joseph, Mo.
SCHEDULE SETUP
>> No. 15 Washburn stays on the road for the first annual mid-season tournament week with matches against No. 8 Missouri Western and Fort Hays State.
>> The Ichabods will face the Griffons at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15 in MWSU Fieldhouse before facing the Tigers at 6 p.m. on Friday also in St. Joseph, Mo. in a pair of non-conference matches.
>> Washburn is 18-4 on the year overall and 6-2 in the MIAA after sweeping Newman 3-0 last time out in Wichita on Oct. 10.
>> Missouri Western enters the match with a 16-2 record while Fort Hays State heads into the tournament weekend at 14-8 so far in 2026.
FOLLOW ALONG
>> Fans wanting to follow along can do so through live stats, live video on the MIAA Network or on social media on the official X account of Ichabod Volleyball, @IchabodVB.
SERVING UP FACTS
>> Washburn is 10-3 on the year playing at home inside of Lee Arena, they are 6-1 in true road contests and 2-0 in neutral court meetings.
>> The Ichabods were picked to finish in a tie for first at the top of the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll. They received a league-high five first place votes and 134 total points, tied with Nebraska Kearney for the top spot.
>> Washburn moved to No. 15 in the latest AVCA poll released on Monday, Oct. 12 with 475 total points in the poll.
>> The Ichabods delivered a 24th straight winning season going 27-5 in 2025 with a 13-3 record inside the MIAA, securing a share of the MIAA Regular Season Championship.
>> Last season Washburn went 5-5 against AVCA top-25 opponents including 3-3 against opponents ranked inside the top-10. They are 1-1 against AVCA opponents this season.
>> The 2026 roster is balanced by class once again. It is the third time in the Chris Herron era, and the third straight year, with at least four players from each class freshman through senior.
>> Washburn has played 13 home matches this season, tied for the most in all of DII.
THE BLUE BUNCH
>> Brynne Topolski has played in 21 matches while making 19 starts and leads the offense with 233 kills (3.15 per set) while also hitting a team-high .289. She has added 106 digs (1.43 per set) along with making 42 blocks, second most on the team. The Lincoln, Neb. native has recorded double-figure kills in 13 matches with one double-double. She is 6th in the MIAA while ranking 10th in the conference in points per set. She is also 10th in the MIAA in hitting percentage.
>> Emma Siron is second on the Ichabod offense with 222 kills (3.08 per set) while hitting .207 on the outside. She has started in 19 matches and played in 20 while serving a team-high 25 aces and also scooping 186 digs (2.58 per set) and making 25 blocks. She ranks 3rd on the team with 121 assists (1.68 per set) as well. The Sedalia, Mo. native has tallied ten double-digit kill matches with nine double-doubles. She is 5th in the MIAA with 3.63 points per set while ranking 7th in the MIAA in kills per set.
>> Shannon Frakes leads the Washburn passing attack with team-high 539 assists (10.37 per set). The junior has played in 15 matches while starting in 14. She is second on the team in digs with 152 (2.92 per set) while also recording 46 kills, 22 blocks and serving 17 aces. The Overland Park, Kan. native has four matches with 40+ assists and has recorded seven double-doubles.
>> Taylor Rottinghaus has played in 20 matches, starting each one at libero. She has recorded a team-high 342 digs (4.82 per set) and has seven matches with 20+ digs. The Berryton, Kan. native has also added 59 assists with 19 aces served. The senior ranks 5th in the MIAA and 44th in the nation in digs per set.
>> Brooklyn Morrissey has played in 20 matches while making 19 starts and is second on the team hitting .282. She has slashed 139 kills (1.90 per set) and leads the team with 74 blocks (1.01 per set). The Lenexa, Kan. native has recorded five double-digit kill matches and has six or more blocks in five matches. She ranks 9th in the MIAA and 63rd nationally in blocks per set while ranking 12th in the conference in hitting percentage.
>> Natalie Hedlund has played in all 22 matches making 13 starts. She is third on the team having slashed 178 kills (2.54 per set) and is hitting .264 on the year. The senior has also added 42 digs and 32 blocks. She has eight double-digit kill matches.
>> Autumn Gibbs has played in 21 matches making nine starts. She is 2nd on the team with 187 digs (2.46 per set). The Columbus, Neb. native has served 19 aces and added 49 assists. She has nine matches with double-digit digs.
>> Hayden Meats has played in 17 matches and made eight starts. She has delivered 120 kills (2.61 per set) and is hitting .225 on the year. She had added 87 digs and ten blocks defensively as well. She has six double-digit kill matches and two double-doubles.
>> Kennedy Derks has played in 16 matches making 13 starts. She has slashed 58 kills (1.23 per set) while hitting .196. She also has made 32 blocks on the defensive end, tied for second most on the team and has three matches with five or more blocks.
>> Avery Willey has appeared in all 20 matches making one start and suited up at libero in another. The freshman has 70 digs while adding 14 aces and and ten assists. She has two matches with double-figure dig efforts.
>> Lauren Tyler is second on the team with 214 assists (5.22 per set) while playing in 15 matches and making three starts. She has also made served six aces and scooped 93 digs. The senior has two 30+ assist matches and six double-doubles.
>> Morgan Sears has played in 13 matches while making six starts during her freshman season. She has 45 kills on the year (1.45 per set) while hitting .398 and has made 29 blocks. She has four matches with at least five blocks.
>> Brooklyn Benoit has come off the bench in 14 matches. She has delivered two kills with four aces and scooped 17 digs.
>> Chloe Traffas has appeared in 16 matches off the bench for the Ichabods. She has scooped up 33 digs along with dishing out six assists and serving eight aces.
>> Chloe Carlgren has played in ten matches and made four starts on the year. She has five kills while hitting .067 and has added 11 blocks and three digs on the defensive end.
>> Keilah Rivers has played in nine matches off the bench making 14 kills while swinging at a .146 clip. She has added seven digs and two blocks.
HEAD COACH CHRIS HERRON
>> Herron is in his 25th season at the helm of the Ichabod volleyball program with a career record of 669-149 at Washburn.
>> Was inducted into the Washburn Athletics Hall of Fame in 2025.
>> He has led the Ichabod to 19 NCAA Tournament appearances and seven combined MIAA titles (six regular season and one tournament).
>> Has been named MIAA Coach of the Year four times (2002, 2005, 2007 and 2011).
>> Led the Ichabods to the NCAA National Championship match in 2021.
>> Has seen his players earn 54 All-American awards, 95 All-Region/District awards and 49 All-MIAA first team selections.
>> Spent 14 years as a high school coach at Tonganoxie HS and Golden City HS.
>> Is a 1980 graduate of the College of the Ozarks where he earned his bachelor's of science in physical education.
ASSISTANT COACHES
>> Shayla Conner enters her sixth season as an assistant coach for the Ichabods.
>> The former All-American setter has helped guide Washburn to a 138-42 record during her time on the sidelines.
>> In her first season she helped the Ichabods to the National Championship match. In 2022, Washburn won its first-ever MIAA Tournament Championship.
>> She has coached ten total All-Americans and 12 All-MIAA first team selections.
>> Student assistants and former Ichabod student-athletes Heather Schemper and Katie Borough round out the coaching staff. Schemper is in her 2nd season on the sideline while 2026 is Borough's first.
LAST TIME OUT
Washburn 3, Newman 0 (October 10, 2026)
WICHITA, Kan. -- No. 13 Washburn closed its week on the road sweeping Newman 3-0 on Saturday afternoon. They will stay on the road but exit MIAA play as they head to St. Joseph, Mo. next to face Missouri Western on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 6 p.m.
The Ichabods (18-4, 6-2 MIAA) worked three consistent sets to defeat the Jets (6-15, 1-5 MIAA), 25-17 in the first, 25-19 in the second and closing out the match winning 25-16 in the third.
A 6-0 burst from Washburn created separation early in the first set before Newman rallied to pull within one point at 10-9. Shortly after a kill from Hayden Meats sparked a 7-1 run that put the Ichabods up 20-12 late in the set. They traded points the rest of the way with Brooklyn Morrissey putting away the opening set at 25-17 with a kill.
The home squad took a lead at 6-5 early in the second set just before a 7-1 rally by Washburn put them in front by five. Once again the Jets fought back, putting within two before the Ichabods once again opened up the set with six straight points beginning with a kill by Morgan Sears on a pass by Lauren Tyler. They once again traded points from there to win 25-19 and take a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
The momentum carried into the third set with Washburn getting out to a 7-0 lead. The lead grew to double figures after back-to-back kills from Emma Siron that made it a 15-4 lead. Newman closed the gap to six points at 22-16 before the Ichabods put the match away with three points in a row, the final on a service ace by Brooklyn Benoit to complete the sweep.
Washburn hit .333 in the final set to land at .281 for the match as a team to go along with 40 kills while the Jets slashed .112 with 28 kills. Digs went 55-47 in favor of the Ichabods who also led 36-27 in assists for the match.
Hayden Meats had a team-high eight kills hitting .318 with 11 digs while Emma Siron had seven kills, 13 assists and six digs. Brooklyn Morrissey had six kills while hitting .455 up front. Taylor Rottinghaus scooped up 15 digs and Lauren Tyler led the passing attack with 17 assists.
Newman was led offensively by Isabella Lamb with eight kills on .368 hitting.
RANKING ROUNDUP
>> The Ichabods 11th in the nation and 3rd in the MIAA with 14.08 kills per set.
>> Washburn is also third in the conference with 13.09 assists per set, 9th in the nation.
>> The Ichabods are 24th nationally with 17.43 digs per set, the number ranks 5th in the MIAA.
>> With 1.98 blocks per set Washburn ranks 73rd in the nation and 5th among conference foes.
>> The Ichabods are holding opponents to a .145 hitting percentage, 4th best in the MIAA and 40th in the nation.
>> As a team Washburn is hitting .247, 32nd in the nation and 4th in the conference.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
About the MISSOURI WESTERN GRIFFONS
>> Missouri Western is 16-2 on the year and 6-1 inside the MIAA after falling 3-2 at home to No. 5 Nebraska Kearney last time out on Oct. 10.
>> They are ranked No. 8 in the latest AVCA poll released on Monday, Oct. 12.
>> Last season the Griffons went 21-8 and 13-3 in the conference, falling in the first round of the NCAA Central Region Tournament to St. Cloud State.
>> On the year Missouri Western is 6-1 playing inside the MWSU Fieldhouse, 3-0 on the road and 3-0 in neutral court matches.
>> Ichabod Hall of Famer and former Washburn assistant coach Jessica Fey is in her 5th season leading Missouri Western where she has a 92-46 career record.
>> Assistant coach Kayla Ruff rounds out the coaching staff.
>> As a team the Griffons hit .254 with 13.7 kills per set. They also average 12.9 assists, 17.5 digs, 2.6 blocks and serve 1.8 aces per set.
>> They rank 5th in the nation and 2nd in the MIAA in blocks per set. They rank 18th in the nation in assists per set and are 22nd nationally in digs per set.
>> Tanith Roush leads the team with 199 kills (3.08 per set) while playing in all 18 matches and making eight starts. She is hitting .280 and has added 42 blocks and 31 digs. She ranks 8th in the conference in kills per set and 13th in the MIAA in hitting percentage.
>> Anna Weberg has played in 18 matches and leads the team 338 digs (5.12 per set). She has dished out 57 assists and served seven aces as well. She ranks 2nd in the conference and 18th in the nation in digs per set.
>> Katelyn Diani-O'Day has played in 17 matches and made 13 starts while leading the team with 368 assists (6.03 per set). She has served 24 aces while adding 124 digs (2.03 per set) on the defensive end. She ranks 3rd in the conference in aces per set and 10th in assists per set.
>> Taylor Russell has played in 18 matches making 10 starts and ranks second on the team with 185 kills (2.80 per set). She is hitting .322 and has added 56 blocks on the defensive end. She is 8th in the MIAA in hitting percentage, 12th in blocks per set and 16th in kills per set.
>> Washburn leads the all-time series between the two teams 47-43 while Missouri Western has won the last two meetings.
>> The Ichabods are 17-17 against the Griffons on their home turf in St. Joseph, Mo.
>> The series began on Sept. 30, 1975 with a 2-0 win for Washburn on the road.
>> Missouri Western won both meetings last season, winning 3-1 on the road in Topeka and 3-2 in St. Joe.
About the FORT HAYS STATE TIGERS
>> Fort Hays State enters the week with a 14-8 record overall and a 3-5 mark inside the MIAA.
>> Last season the Tigers went 16-13 overall with a 5-11 record inside the MIAA. They fell in the quarterfinal round of the MIAA Tournament.
>> Fort Hays State is 8-2 playing in Hays this season, 1-5 on the road and 5-1 in neutral court matches.
>> Garcia Ramer is in his first season as the head coach of the Tigers volleyball program.
>> Assistant Coach Anson Lindsey and graduate assistant Emilee Lane round out the coaching staff.
>> As a team the Tigers hit .231 with 14.2 kills per set. They also average 13.3 assists, 17.0 digs, 1.8 blocks and serve 1.3 aces per set.
>> They rank 6th in the nation and 1st in the MIAA in assists per set while ranking 8th nationally in kills per set, also tops in the conference.
>> Ella Goodwin has a team-high 235 kills (3.05 per set) while hitting .259. She has started in all 22 matches while adding 46 blocks and 68 digs. She is 9th in the MIAA in kills per set and 12th in the conference in points per set.
>> Annie Eaton has started in all 22 matches and leads the team with 714 assists (9.04 per set). She has served a team-high 29 aces and is second on the team in 242 digs (3.06 per set). She ranks 2nd in the MIAA and 54th in the nation in assists per set while ranking 6th in the conference in aces per set.
>> Haylee Wolf has a team-high 349 digs (4.47 per set) while playing in all 22 matches at libero. She has also dished out 92 assists and served 16 aces. She ranks 8th in the conference and 82nd in the nation in digs per set.
>> Ashlyn Reeves is hitting a team-high .367 across 18 matches played and started on the year. She has slashed 167 kills (2.61 per set) while also leading the team with 62 blocks (0.97 per set). She ranks 4th in the MIAA and 47th nationally in hitting percentage while sitting 10th in the conference in blocks per set.
>> In the all-time series between the two teams Washburn has a 52-24 advantage and has won the last five meetings.
>> The Ichabods are just 1-4 against the Tigers in neutral court settings.
>> The series began on Oct. 26, 1973 with a 2-0 win for Fort Hays State in an unkown location.
>> Washburn swept Fort Hays State 3-0 this season when the two teams met in Topeka on Sept. 18.
MILESTONE MARKERS
>> With 1, 823 career digs, Taylor Rottinghaus is 5th on the Ichabod all-time charts in total digs. Her career digs per set mark of 4.72 is 4th in program history.
>> With 85 career service aces she is tied for 26th in program history.
>> Brynne Topolski's career .264 attacking percentage is 19th on the Ichabod all-time charts. She sits 38th in program history with 636 career kills.
>> Shannon Frakes is 22nd in program history with 694 career assists, her 539 assists this season are the 39th most in a season in program history.
2025 SEASON REWIND
>> Washburn went 27-5 in 2025 with a 13-3 record inside the MIAA, securing a share of the MIAA Regular Season Championship.
>> The Ichabods advanced to the MIAA Tournament Championship match for the second time in the last four seasons, falling to the top seed Nebraska Kearney.
>> Washburn made a 19th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, earning the No. 6 seed in the Central Region.
>> They defeated the No. 3 seed and No. 4 nationally ranked Wayne State College 3-0 in the quarterfinal round before falling 0-3 to the No. 2 seed and No. 6 ranked Concordia-St. Paul in the semifinals.
>> Seven players earned All-MIAA honors: Austin Broadie (First Team/Player of the Year), Bella Limback (First Team), Corinna McMullen, Taylor Rottinghaus, Brynne Topolski and Alex Dvorak (Second Team) along with Keilah Rivers (Honorable Mention).
>> Austin Broadie was named and AVCA First Team All-American and Bella Limback earned Honorable Mention AVCA All-American recognition.
TAKE A LOOK AHEAD
>> Washburn returns home for the final time in the regular season for a two-match homestand. First, facing Missouri Western once again, this time in an MIAA match on Friday, Oct. 23 beginning at 6 p.m.inside Lee Arena.
>> Senior night for the Ichabods will take place on Saturday, Oct. 24 against Northwest Missouri State beginning at 2 p.m.
>> The MIAA Tournament is hosted in St. Joseph, Mo. at the Civic Arena from Thursday, Nov 12 to Saturday, Nov. 14.
