TOPEKA, Kan. -- No. 15 Washburn volleyball returns back to Topeka and to conference play as they host Arkansas Fort Smith on Friday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. before hosting new MIAA foe Northeastern State at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
SCHEDULE SETUP
>> No. 15 Washburn returns home for another weekend of MIAA action hosting Arkansas-Fort Smith and Northeastern State.
>> The Ichabods will take on the Lions at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25 before facing the RiverHawks for the first time in program history on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 2 p.m.
>> Friday's match is Faculty and Staff Appreciation night and Saturday is Youth Day inside of Lee Arena presented by Envista.
>> Washburn is 12-3 on the year overall and 2-0 in the MIAA after defeating Northwest Missouri State 3-1 in a non-conference meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
>> Arkansas-Fort Smith enters the match with a 13-3 overall record and 2-1 mark in MIAA action. Northeastern State is 1-12 on the year overall and 0-3 in the MIAA in its inaugural season.
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 7-3 on the year playing at home inside of Lee Arena, they are 3-0 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 down to No. 15 in the latest AVCA poll released on Monday, Sept. 21. They received 522 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 0-1 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 leads all of DII with ten home matches played this season.
THE BLUE BUNCH
>> Emma Siron leads the Ichabod offense with 173 kills (3.53 per set) while hitting .227 on the outside. She has started in 13 matches and played in 14 while serving a team-high 23 aces and also scooping 121 digs (2.47 per set) and making 16 blocks. The Sedalia, Mo. native has tallied ten double-digit kill matches with six double-doubles. She is 36th in the nation and 2nd in the MIAA with 4.19 points per set while ranking 49th in the nation and 2nd in the MIAA in kills per set. The junior ranks 3rd in the MIAA in aces per set with 0.47.
>> Shannon Frakes leads the Washburn passing attack with team-high 518 assists (10.57 per set). The junior has played in 14 matches while starting in 13. She is second on the team in digs with 143 (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 a team-high seven double-doubles. She leads the conference and is 8th in the nation in assists per set while ranking 12th in the conference in service aces.
>> Brynne Topolski has played in 14 matches while making 12 starts and is second on the team with 162 kills (3.31 per set) while hitting a team-high .288. She has added 89 digs (1.82 per set) along with making 28 blocks. The Lincoln, Neb. native has recorded double-figure kills in ten matches with one double-double. She is 6th in the MIAA and 91st in the nation in kills per set while ranking 7th in the conference in points per set. She is also 13th in the MIAA in hitting percentage.
>> Taylor Rottinghaus has played in 13 matches, starting each one at libero. She has recorded a team-high 213 digs (4.73 per set) and has five matches with 20+ digs. The Berryton, Kan. native has also added 39 assists with 14 aces served. The senior ranks 4th in the MIAA and 45th in the nation in digs per set.
>> Brooklyn Morrissey has played in 14 matches while making 13 starts and is second on the team hitting .274. She has slashed 103 kills (2.06 per set) and leads the team with 54 blocks (1.08 per set). The Lenexa, Kan. native has recorded three double-digit kill matches and has five or more blocks in five matches. She ranks 6th in the MIAA and 40th nationally in blocks per set while ranking 16th in the conference in hitting percentage.
>> Natalie Hedlund has played in all 15 matches making nine starts. She has slashed 121 kills (2.63 per set) and is hitting .254 on the year. The senior has also added 31 digs and 20 blocks. She has five double-digit kill matches.
>> Autumn Gibbs has played in 14 matches making six starts. She is 3rd on the team with 128 digs (2.56 per set). The Columbus, Neb. native has served 12 aces and added 30 assists. She has seven matches with double-digit digs.
>> Avery Willey has appeared in all 15 matches making one start and suited up at libero in another. The freshman has 59 digs (1.28 per set) while adding nine aces and and four assists. She has two matches with double-figure dig efforts.
>> Kennedy Derks has played in all 15 matches making 12 starts. She has slashed 56 kills (1.27 per set) while hitting .200. She also has made 31 blocks on the defensive end, second most on the team and has three matches with five or more blocks.
>> Hayden Meats has played in ten matches and made two starts. She has delivered 36 kills (1.80 per set) and is hitting .191 on the year. She had added 20 digs and four blocks defensively as well. She has one double-digit kill match.
>> Chloe Traffas has appeared in 13 matches off the bench for the Ichabods. She has scooped up 32 digs along with dishing out six assists and serving seven aces.
>> Lauren Tyler is second on the team with 70 assists (4.67 per set) while playing in eight matches and making two starts. She has also made served two aces and scooped 18 digs.
>> Brooklyn Benoit has come off the bench in 11 matches. She has delivered two kills with three aces and scooped 16 digs.
>> Chloe Carlgren has played in eight matches and made two starts on the year. She has six kills while hitting .111 and has added ten blocks and two digs on the defensive end.
>> Keilah Rivers has played in seven matches making 13 kills while swinging at a .189 clip. She has added four digs and a block.
>> Morgan Sears has played in seven matches while making one start during her freshman season. She has seven kills on the year while hitting .313.
HEAD COACH CHRIS HERRON
>> Herron is in his 25th season at the helm of the Ichabod volleyball program with a career record of 663-148 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 132-41 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, Northwest Missouri 1 (September 22, 2026)
MARYVILLE, Mo. -- No. 15 Washburn came away with a 3-1 non-conference road victory over Northwest Missouri State on Tuesday evening. The Ichabods will return home for two matches, first with Arkansas-Fort Smith on Friday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m.
A tight first set went 25-20 in favor of Washburn (12-3). The Bearcats (5-7) evened the match with a 25-23 victory in the second set. The Ichabods took control early in the third to win 25-17 and pulled away late to win 25-21 in the fourth, clinching the match.
The home squad opened the match with a 6-2 lead early in the first before Washburn responded with a 7-1 rally to lead 10-8 after Autumn Gibbs landed an ace. Another ace, this time from Shannon Frakes, pushed the lead six shortly after. Northwest Missouri worked its way back into the set, pulling as close as two points at 22-20 before a kill from Emma Siron started a three-point rally to end the first set 25-20.
Both sides went back-and-forth throughout the entire set trading points and runs. There were 18 ties in the set with the largest run by either team being three points. After a 4-1 run late that started with a kill from Brynne Topolski the Ichabods led 22-21. After that point the Bearcats took four of the next five points to secure the set 25-23 and tie the match.
Washburn jumped in front early in the third leading 6-0 after Siron landed an ace. The lead grew to 13-3 with three straight points capped by a kill for Kennedy Derks. Northwest Missouri strung together multiple runs, shrinking the lead down to six points at 22-16 but the Ichabods were able to hold off the attack with Brooklyn Morrissey providing the final point on a kill.
After the Bearcats got out to a quick 5-2 advantage the next seven points went to Washburn, starting with a kill for Topolski and ending with a block from her and Derks. Northwest Missouri quickly rallied right back with five in a row, going back in front. Another 7-0 run for the Ichabods put them back in front 20-16 after an ace from Siron. Siron would provide the final two kills of the match as Washburn held on to win 25-21.
The Ichabods finished the match hitting .206 as a team with 50 kills while the Bearcats were held to .095 hitting and 44 kills. Digs went 75-66 in favor of Washburn as did assists, 45-37.
Brynne Topolski slashed 12 kills while hitting .385 and on the defensive end provided eight digs and six blocks. Emma Siron led the offense with 16 kills while hitting .250 and also added three aces and seven digs. Taylor Rottinghaus scooped up 23 digs in the four sets while Shannon Frakes delivered 34 assists and six digs.
Northwest Missouri State was led by Sophia Gartner with 17 kills while Ellery Luhring had 25 digs.
RANKING ROUNDUP
>> The Ichabods 6th in the nation and first in the MIAA with 14.40 kills per set.
>> Washburn also leads the conference and rank 6th in the nation with 13.36 assists per set.
>> The Ichabods are 28th nationally with 17.15 digs per set, the number ranks 4th in the MIAA.
>> With 2.06 blocks per set Washburn ranks 54th in the nation and 4th among conference foes.
>> The Ichabods are holding opponents to a .146 hitting percentage, 5th best in the MIAA and 49th in the nation.
>> As a team Washburn is hitting .248, 39th in the nation and 4th in the conference.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
About the ARKANSAS-FORT SMITH LIONS
>> Arkansas-Fort Smith enters the match with a 13-3 record overall and 2-1 record inside the MIAA after sweeping Northeastern State 3-0 last time out on Sept. 22.
>> Last season the Lions went 13-16 overall with a 3-13 record inside the MIAA, missing out on the conference tournament.
>> Arkansas-Fort Smith is 2-1 this season playing at the Gayle Kaundart Arena in Fort Smith, Ark., 4-0 on the road and 7-2 in neutral court matches.
>> Jane Sargent is in her 18th season as the head coach of Arkansas-Fort Smith where she has a 387-150 career record.
>> Assistant coaches Marisa Compton and Jon Core round out the coaching staff.
>> As a team the Lions hit .219 with 12.4 kills per set. They also average 11.4 assists, 18.5 digs, 2.0 blocks and serve 1.9 aces per set.
>> They rank 8th in the nation and 2nd in the MIAA in digs per set and also rank 18th nationally and 2nd among conference teams in opponent hitting percentage.
>> Lydia Pitts leads the team with 187 kills (3.46 per set) while hitting .251. She has started in all 16 matches and has served 18 aces while adding 185 digs (3.43 per set), second most on the team. She is 48th in the nation and 4th in the MIAA in points per set while ranking 4th in the conference in kills per set.
>> Abbey Jackson has a team-high 240 digs (4.44 per set) while playing in all 16 matches and making one start. She has dished out 51 assists as well. She ranks 9th in the conference and 77th in the nation in digs per set.
>> Mayli Whetter is tops on the team with 495 assists (9.17 per set) while starting in all 16 matches. She has served a team-high 24 aces while adding 36 kills and 173 digs (3.20 per set). She is 3rd in the MIAA and 46th in the nation in assists per set while ranking 4th in the conference in aces per set.
>> Aspen Olson is hitting a team-high .332 with 112 kills (2.07 per set). She has started in all 16 matches while also leading the team with 53 blocks. She is 8th in the conference in hitting percentage and 10th in blocks per set.
>> Washburn leads the all-time series between the two teams 4-0.
>> The Ichabods are 1-0 against Arkansas-Fort Smith in Topeka.
>> The series began on Sept. 10, 2010 with a 3-1 win for Washburn in St. Louis, Mo.
>> The most recent meeting came last season and was a 3-0 win for the Ichabods on Nov. 15, 2026.
About the NORTHEASTERN STATE RIVERHAWKS
>> Northeastern State enters the weekend with a 1-12 record overall and a 0-3 mark inside the MIAA after falling 3-0 to Arkansas-Fort Smith last time out on Sept. 22.
>> The 2026 season is the first in program history for the RiverHawk volleyball program.
>> Northeastern State is 0-2 playing at home in Tahlequah, 0-2 on the road and 1-8 in neutral court matches.
>> Maria Jacobus is in her first season as the head coach of the RiverHawk volleyball program.
>> The staff is completed by assistants Madu Fontes, Samantha Thompson and Kassandra Coleman.
>> As a team the RiverHawks hit .065 with 9.3 kills per set. They also average 8.5 assists, 13.1 digs, 1.2 blocks and serve 1.2 aces per set.
>> They rank 12th or 13th in the MIAA in each of kills per set, assists per set and digs per set.
>> Poliana Lazarini has a team-high 73 kills (1.70 per set) while hitting .045. She has started in all 13 amtches while serving nine aces and scooping 94 digs (2.19 per set).
>> Jordyn Berger has a team-high 103 digs (2.40 per set) while starting all 13 matches at libero. She has added 17 assists with five aces.
>> Sydney Bunkleberger has given out a team-high 171 assists (3.98 per set). She has served a team-high 12 aces and added 87 digs (2.02 per set).
>> Saturday's meeting will be the first ever meeting between the Ichabods and the upstart RiverHawks on the volleyball court.
MILESTONE MARKERS
>> With 1, 694 career digs, Taylor Rottinghaus is 6th on the Ichabod all-time charts in total digs. Her career digs per set mark of 4.71 is 4th in program history.
>> With 80 career service aces she is tied for 28th in program history.
>> Brynne Topolski's career .262 attacking percentage is 19th on the Ichabod all-time charts. She ranks 42nd in Ichabod history in career kills with 566.
>> Shannon Frakes is 22nd in program history with 673 career assists, her 518 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 will begin a week on the road traveling to face Pittsburg State on Friday, Oct. 2 at 6 p.m. inside of John Lance 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.
