TOPEKA, Kan. -- No. 14 Washburn volleyball will face its first MIAA road tests as they travel to face Pittsburg State at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2 before facing No. 17 Emporia State at 7 p.m. on Saturday in White Auditorium.

SCHEDULE SETUP

>> No. 14 Washburn goes on the road for the first time in conference play this week facing Pittsburg State and No. 17 Emporia State.

>> The Ichabods will face the Gorillas at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2 in Pittsburg, Kan. before taking on the Hornets in the first edition of the Turnpike Russle at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3.

>> Washburn is 14-3 on the year overall and 3-1 in the MIAA after defeating Northeastern State 3-0 last time out on Saturday, Sept. 26.

>> Pittsburg State enters the match with a 11-5 record overall and are 0-3 inside the MIAA. Emporia State is 15-2 on the year with a 2-1 mark in the conference.

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 9-3 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 up to No. 14 in the latest AVCA poll released on Monday, Sept. 28 wiht 528 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 12 home matches played this season.

THE BLUE BUNCH

>> Brynne Topolski has played in 16 matches while making 14 starts and leads the offense with 193 kills (3.51 per set) while also hitting a team-high .327. She has added 92 digs (1.67 per set) along with making 32 blocks. The Lincoln, Neb. native has recorded double-figure kills in 12 matches with one double-double. She is 2nd in the MIAA and 58th in the nation in kills per set while ranking 6th in the conference in points per set. She is also 10th in the MIAA in hitting percentage. She was named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Week after recording the highest hitting percentage in a match of any player with 20 attempts this season hitting .810 against Northeastern State.

>> Emma Siron is second on the Ichabod offense with 182 kills (3.53 per set) while hitting .216 on the outside. She has started in 14 matches and played in 15 while serving a team-high 23 aces and also scooping 134 digs (2.58 per set) and making 16 blocks. The Sedalia, Mo. native has tallied ten double-digit kill matches with six double-doubles. She is 43rd in the nation and 2nd in the MIAA with 4.13 points per set while ranking 60th in the nation and 3rd in the MIAA in kills per set. The junior ranks 3rd in the MIAA in aces per set with 0.44.

>> 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 a team-high seven double-doubles. She leads the conference and is 15th in the nation in assists per set.

>> Taylor Rottinghaus has played in 15 matches, starting each one at libero. She has recorded a team-high 248 digs (4.86 per set) and has six matches with 20+ digs. The Berryton, Kan. native has also added 44 assists with 16 aces served. The senior ranks 3rd in the MIAA and 38th in the nation in digs per set.

>> Brooklyn Morrissey has played in 15 matches while making 14 starts and is third on the team hitting .261. She has slashed 106 kills (2.00 per set) and leads the team with 56 blocks (1.06 per set). The Lenexa, Kan. native has recorded three double-digit kill matches and has five or more blocks in five matches. She ranks 7th in the MIAA and 47th nationally in blocks per set.

>> Natalie Hedlund has played in all 17 matches making ten starts. She has slashed 134 kills (2.68 per set) and is hitting .256 on the year. The senior has also added 32 digs and 21 blocks. She has six double-digit kill matches.

>> Autumn Gibbs has played in 16 matches making seven starts. She is 3rd on the team with 141 digs (2.52 per set). The Columbus, Neb. native has served 13 aces and added 39 assists. She has seven matches with double-digit digs.

>> Avery Willey has appeared in all 17 matches making one start and suited up at libero in another. The freshman has 64 digs (1.23 per set) while adding 11 aces and and six assists. She has two matches with double-figure dig efforts. 

>> 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.

>> Hayden Meats has played in 12 matches and made three starts. She has delivered 61 kills (2.35 per set) and is hitting .264 on the year. She had added 31 digs and six blocks defensively as well. She has three double-digit kill matches.

>> Chloe Traffas has appeared in 15 matches off the bench for the Ichabods. She has scooped up 32 digs along with dishing out six assists and serving eight aces. 

>> Lauren Tyler is second on the team with 127 assists (6.05 per set) while playing in ten matches and making three starts. She has also made served four aces and scooped 35 digs. The senior has two 30+ assist matches and two double-doubles.

>> Brooklyn Benoit has come off the bench in 12 matches. She has delivered two kills with three aces and scooped 17 digs.  

>> Chloe Carlgren has played in nine matches and made three starts on the year. She has five kills while hitting .067 and has added 11 blocks and two digs on the defensive end.

>> Keilah Rivers has played in eight matches off the bench making 14 kills while swinging at a .146 clip. She has added five digs and two blocks.

>> Morgan Sears has played in eight matches while making two starts during her freshman season. She has 15 kills on the year while hitting .481 and has made 11 blocks.

HEAD COACH CHRIS HERRON

>> Herron is in his 25th season at the helm of the Ichabod volleyball program with a career record of 665-148 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 134-41 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, Northeastern State 0 (September 26, 2026)

TOPEKA, Kan. -- No. 15 Washburn wrapped up its weekend homestand with a second straight sweep taking down Northeastern State in straight sets in the first meeting between the two sides in program history. The Ichabods will head on the road next time out to face Pittsburg State at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2. 

Washburn (14-3, 3-1 MIAA) battled through a tight first set to win 25-21 before breaking through to win 25-12 and 25-18 in the ensuing two sets to secure a third sweep in conference play.  

The RiverHawks (1-13, 0-4 MIAA) jumped in front early leading 10-8 after a three-point burst. The visitors stayed in control late into the set until the Ichabods rattled off three in a row to build a 21-19 lead after Brynne Topolski landed a kill. Washburn ended the first set on a 4-1 run with Topolski also delivering the final blow in the opening set that saw the Ichabods hit .452 as a team. 

The momentum carried over into the second set with Washburn leading 5-0 after Morgan Sears took a pass from Lauren Tyler to the floor. Later on, back-to-back kills by Hayden Meats capped off a 6-1 burst and made the score 13-4. The Ichabods pushed the lead to double-digits late in the set and went on to win 25-12. 

Northeastern State fought back early in the third set, building a 5-1 lead. Shortly after an 8-0 run for Washburn that began with a Topolski kill flipped the set and put the home squad up 10-6. The lead grew to six points in the middle of the set after a 3-0 run that was capped off by an ace from Lauren Tyler. Emery Keebaugh delivered the final two points of the set and match, both on kills, to take it 25-18. 

Washburn hit .396 as a team in the match with 45 kills while holding the RiverHawks to just 29 kills and a .067 hitting percentage as a group. The Ichabods led 44-28 in assists as well as 47-36 in digs and 6-1 in blocks.  

Brynne Topolski led the way offensively with 17 kills on 21 attempts for a .810 hitting percentage, the best in program history and the best across DII in 2026 with a minimum of 20 swings taken. Her .810 hitting percentage is also the highest in DII in a single match since the 2023-24 season. Hayden Meats added 10 kills along with nine digs while Lauren Tyler dished out 36 assists with seven digs. Taylor Rottinghaus scooped up a team-high 12 digs. 

Lanie Brown and Simeon Paradiso led Northeastern State with six kills each.   

RANKING ROUNDUP

>> The Ichabods 4th in the nation and first in the MIAA with 14.61 kills per set.

>> Washburn also leads the conference and rank 2nd in the nation with 13.59 assists per set.

>> The Ichabods are 26th nationally with 17.37 digs per set, the number ranks 4th in the MIAA.

>> With 2.00 blocks per set Washburn ranks 70th in the nation and 5th among conference foes. 

>> The Ichabods are holding opponents to a .144 hitting percentage, 4th best in the MIAA and 43rd in the nation.

>> As a team Washburn is hitting .256, 30th in the nation and 4th in the conference.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION

About the Pittsburg State Gorillas

>> Pittsburg State enters the match 11-5 on the year and 0-3 inside the MIAA after being swept on the road by No. 17 Emporia State last time out on Sept. 29.

>> Last season the Gorillas finished the year 14-15 overall with a 6-10 record inside the MIAA. They advanced to the semifinal round of the MIAA Tournament before falling to Washburn.

>> On the year Pittsburg State is 3-2 playing at home inside of John Lance Arena, 2-3 on the road and 6-0 in neutral court matches.

>> Megan Besecker is in her 2nd season as the head coach at Pittsburg State where she has a 25-20 career record.

>> Assistant coach Remi Vargas and graduate assistant Josie McCroskey complete the coaching staff.

>> As a team the Gorillas hit .259 with 13.2 kills per set. They also average 12.3 assists, 15.7 digs, 3.2 blocks and serve 1.1 aces per set.

>> They lead the conference and nation in blocks per set while ranking 3rd in the MIAA and 27th nationally in hitting percentage.

>> Crystal Smith has a team-high 175 kills (3.13 per set) while also hitting a team-best .408. She has played in all 16 matches making 15 starts and defensively has tallied a team-high 91 blocks (1.63 per set) while scooping 37 digs. She leads the nation in blocks per set, is tops in the MIAA in both hitting percentage and points per set while ranking top-40 nationally in both.

>> Kassidy Nixon has scooped a team-high 214 digs (3.69 per set) while playing in all 16 matches and making one start. She has also dished out 34 assists. She is 10th in the conference in digs per set.

>> Jesa Wallace leads a two-setter attack with 375 assists on the year (6.25 per set) while starting in all 16 matches. She has served nine acees and added 128 digs (2.13 per set). She ranks 9th in the MIAA in assists per set.

>> Maddi LaPointe is second on the team with 169 kills (2.82 per set) while hitting .275. She has started in all 16 matches while adding 58 blocks and 26 digs. She ranks 10th in the MIAA in blocks per set, 12th in points per set and 16th in hitting percentage.

>> Washburn leads the all-time series between the two teams 68-22 and is riding a 33-match winning streak.

>> The Ichabods are 26-11 against the Gorillas in Pittsburg.

>> The series began on Oct. 13, 1975 with a 2-0 win for Pittsburg State in Ottawa, Kan.

>> Washburn swept the season-series last year including a 3-1 win in the most recent meeting on Nov. 21 in the MIAA Tournament.

About the EMPORIA STATE HORNETS

>> Emporia State enters the match with a 15-2 record overall and a 2-1 mark in conference play after defeating Pittsburg State 3-0 last time out in Emporia on Sept. 29.

>> The Hornets are ranked No. 17 in the latest AVCA poll.

>> Last season they posted a 21-7 record overall and 12-4 MIAA record, falling in the first round of the MIAA Tournament.

>> Emporia State is 1-0 playing at home in White Auditorium, 6-2 on the road and 8-0 in neutral court matches.

>> Ken Murczek is in his 4th season leading the Emporia State program where he has compiled a 66-35 record with win improvements in each season.

>> The staff is completed by assistant coach Jeff Grove and graduate assistant Weronika Wrzesinska.

>> As a team the Hornets hit .234 with 14.3 kills per set. They also average 13.3 assists, 16.5 digs, 1.7 blocks and serve 1.5 aces per set.

>> They rankd 3rd in the MIAA and 8th nationally in both assists per set and kills per set. They are 50th in the nation in digs per set and 7th in the MIAA.

>> Lavra Krizanic has a team-high 209 kills (3.60 per set) while starting in 16 matches and playing in all 17. She is hitting .245 with 11 aces and is second on the team with 203 digs (3.50 per set). She is 1st in the MIAA and 46th nationally in kills per set and ranks 12th in the conference in digs per set.

>> Miyu Tsurumaki has a team-high 286 digs (4.77 per set) while suiting up at libero in every match. She has served 13 aces and given out 84 assists as well. She ranks 5th in the conference and 44th in the nation in digs per set.

>> Brailee Bogle has given out a team-high 443 assists (7.38 per set) while starting in all 17 matches. She has served a team-high 24 aces while adding 129 digs (2.15 per set). She is 8th in the MIAA and 95th in the nation in assists per set and is 7th in the conference in aces per set.

>> Delainee Dexter has started in all 17 matches while doing a bit of everything. She is second on the team with 223 assists (3.72 per set) while adding 102 kills (1.70 per set) and scooping 133 digs (2.03 per set). 

>> Emporia State leads the all-time series between the two teams 55-45 while Washburn has won the last 16 meetings.

>> The Ichabods are 18-24 against the Hornets in Emporia.

>> The series began on Oct. 3, 1973 with a 2-1 win for Emporia State in parts unknown.

>> Washburn swept the season-series last year including a 3-0 win in the most recent meeting on Oct. 24, 2025 in Topeka.

MILESTONE MARKERS

>> With 1, 729 career digs, Taylor Rottinghaus is 6th on the Ichabod all-time charts in total digs. Her career digs per set mark of 4.72 is 4th in program history. 

>> With 82 career service aces she is tied for 27th in program history. 

>> Brynne Topolski's career .274 attacking percentage is 19th on the Ichabod all-time charts. She ranks 41st in Ichabod history in career kills with 597.

>> 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 is back home for one match facing Central Missouri on Tuesday, Oct. 6 inside of Whiting Auditorium at 6 p.m.

>> 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.