Ball State University Athletics
Volleyball Opens MAC Volleyball Championship Monday
November 21, 2021 | Women's Volleyball
Match 31: No. 1 Ball State (27-3; 17-1 MAC) vs. No. 4 Western Michigan
Monday, Nov. 22 at 4:30 p.m. ET - Worthen Arena
Live Stats | ESPN+ | SL Digital
Match 32: No. 1 Ball State (27-3; 17-1 MAC) vs. 2 Bowling green
Wednesday, Nov. 24 at 4:30 p.m. ET - Worthen Arena
Live Stats | ESPN+ | SL Digital
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The second season begins Monday for the top-seeded Ball State women's volleyball team which opens play in the Mid-American Conference Volleyball Championship against the winner of Sunday's opening-round match between No. 4 Western Michigan vs. No. 5 Toledo.
After missing out on the four-team 2020-21 spring tournament, the Cardinals will play host to this fall's event after winning the 2021 MAC Regular Season Championship with a 17-1 league record. The title also earned BSU a first-round bye in the tournament.
Ball State will be making its 32nd appearance in the MAC Volleyball Championships, owning a 34-24 (.586) overall record and seven tournament titles (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2002 & 2019). BSU's 34 tournament wins and seven tournament titles trail only Ohio's 35 wins and nine championships.
Overall, the Cardinals own a 5-2 (.714) record in first round matches, an 12-9 (.650) mark in quarterfinal play, a 10-10 (.500) ledger in semifinal action and a 7-3 (.700) record in the championship match.
The Cardinals are also second in the league with 29 all-time All-Tournament Selections and seven MAC Tournament Most Valuable Players.
This will also be the fifth time the Cardinals have hosted the MAC Volleyball Championship, with the last coming in 2003. Ball State also hosted the event in 1994, 1999 and 2002. In addition, the Cardinals have hosted seven quarterfinal/first round matches in Worthen Arena.
All told, Ball State boasts a 17-1 record in tournament play in Worthen Arena, including capturing the event championships in 1994, 1999 and 2002. The lone tournament loss at home came in the semifinals of the 2003 event to Ohio by a score of 3-0 on Nov. 22, 2003.
While playing at Worthen Arena has been nice for the Cardinals, playing on Nov. 22 has not always been the easiest. Ball State is 1-4 all-time in tournament matches played on the date, including the Ohio loss in 2003. However, BSU did win its last Nov. 22 tournament match, taking down Ohio 3-1 in 2019 on its way to clinching its seventh and latest crown.
MORE ABOUT BALL STATE:
Ball State enters Monday's MAC Volleyball Championship matchup with the nation's fifth-longest active winning streak at 17 matches … Only Louisville (26), BYU (20), Western Kentucky (20), and Dayton (18) have longer active winning streaks as of matches played through Saturday, Nov. 20.
The Cardinals also climbed to 33rd in the latest NCAA RPI rankings released Monday (Nov. 14), which is the program's highest ranking since it was 33rd in the Oct. 30, 2011 release. BSU climbed as high as 30th that season, in the Oct. 23 release, for the highest ranking with current head coach Kelli Miller Phillips on staff. Phillips was an assistant under then-head coach Steve Shondell at the time.
Ball State has been ranked as high as 22nd in the final 2002 NCAA RPI, while it also reached 30th in the 2000 NCAA tournament selection rankings.
The Cardinals have climbed up the rankings by boasting one of the nation's most effective offenses, ranking 19th nationally with a .271 hitting percentage. The mark is on pace to shatter the current program record for hitting percentage in a season which is .262 set by the 1998 squad. Overall, the Cardinals have hit .200-or-above in 29 of its 30 matches this season, including above .300 marks nine times.
That has been a big key to the Cardinals' success this season, as BSU has successfully been able to spread out its offense and keep opponents guessing on every swing. Six different Ball State players enter the MAC Tournament averaging at least 1.78 kills per set, while as seventh is smashing 1.42 kills per set.
Outside Jaclyn Bulmahn leads the club with a 3.04 kills-per-set average, while opposite Natalie Mitchem is not far behind at 2.86. Rounding out Ball State's top attackers are outside Emily Hollowell (2.41), middle Marie Plitt (2.38), middle Lauren Gilliland (1.97), outside Cait Snyder (1.78), and outside Natalie Risi (1.42).
Playing a large role in guiding the offense has been Wielonski who is third in the MAC with a 10.78 assist-per-set average. In fact, Wielonski set Ball State to a .476 attack percentage in the sweep of St. Thomas (Aug. 27), which ranks as the third-best single match team performance in program history.
Current libero Maggie Huber leads the Ball State defense with a 3.76 digs-per-set average, while Risi has a team-best 314 digs and Wielonski is third on the squad with 289 total digs. At the net, Gilliland leads the squad at 0.89 blocks per set, while Plitt and Mitchem are not far behind at 0.80 and 0.69, respectively.
As a team, the Cardinals are limiting opponents to a .202 attack percentage, which ranks as the third-best defense in the MAC. BSU also ranks fifth in the MAC at 2.07 blocks per set and sixth in the league at 15.66 digs per set.
BALL STATE VOLLEYBALL QUICK HITS:
THE NEXT POSSIBLE MATCH-UPS
Monday, Nov. 22 at 4:30 p.m. ET - Worthen Arena
Live Stats | ESPN+ | SL Digital
Match 32: No. 1 Ball State (27-3; 17-1 MAC) vs. 2 Bowling green
Wednesday, Nov. 24 at 4:30 p.m. ET - Worthen Arena
Live Stats | ESPN+ | SL Digital
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The second season begins Monday for the top-seeded Ball State women's volleyball team which opens play in the Mid-American Conference Volleyball Championship against the winner of Sunday's opening-round match between No. 4 Western Michigan vs. No. 5 Toledo.
After missing out on the four-team 2020-21 spring tournament, the Cardinals will play host to this fall's event after winning the 2021 MAC Regular Season Championship with a 17-1 league record. The title also earned BSU a first-round bye in the tournament.
Ball State will be making its 32nd appearance in the MAC Volleyball Championships, owning a 34-24 (.586) overall record and seven tournament titles (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2002 & 2019). BSU's 34 tournament wins and seven tournament titles trail only Ohio's 35 wins and nine championships.
Overall, the Cardinals own a 5-2 (.714) record in first round matches, an 12-9 (.650) mark in quarterfinal play, a 10-10 (.500) ledger in semifinal action and a 7-3 (.700) record in the championship match.
The Cardinals are also second in the league with 29 all-time All-Tournament Selections and seven MAC Tournament Most Valuable Players.
This will also be the fifth time the Cardinals have hosted the MAC Volleyball Championship, with the last coming in 2003. Ball State also hosted the event in 1994, 1999 and 2002. In addition, the Cardinals have hosted seven quarterfinal/first round matches in Worthen Arena.
All told, Ball State boasts a 17-1 record in tournament play in Worthen Arena, including capturing the event championships in 1994, 1999 and 2002. The lone tournament loss at home came in the semifinals of the 2003 event to Ohio by a score of 3-0 on Nov. 22, 2003.
While playing at Worthen Arena has been nice for the Cardinals, playing on Nov. 22 has not always been the easiest. Ball State is 1-4 all-time in tournament matches played on the date, including the Ohio loss in 2003. However, BSU did win its last Nov. 22 tournament match, taking down Ohio 3-1 in 2019 on its way to clinching its seventh and latest crown.
MORE ABOUT BALL STATE:
Ball State enters Monday's MAC Volleyball Championship matchup with the nation's fifth-longest active winning streak at 17 matches … Only Louisville (26), BYU (20), Western Kentucky (20), and Dayton (18) have longer active winning streaks as of matches played through Saturday, Nov. 20.
The Cardinals also climbed to 33rd in the latest NCAA RPI rankings released Monday (Nov. 14), which is the program's highest ranking since it was 33rd in the Oct. 30, 2011 release. BSU climbed as high as 30th that season, in the Oct. 23 release, for the highest ranking with current head coach Kelli Miller Phillips on staff. Phillips was an assistant under then-head coach Steve Shondell at the time.
Ball State has been ranked as high as 22nd in the final 2002 NCAA RPI, while it also reached 30th in the 2000 NCAA tournament selection rankings.
The Cardinals have climbed up the rankings by boasting one of the nation's most effective offenses, ranking 19th nationally with a .271 hitting percentage. The mark is on pace to shatter the current program record for hitting percentage in a season which is .262 set by the 1998 squad. Overall, the Cardinals have hit .200-or-above in 29 of its 30 matches this season, including above .300 marks nine times.
That has been a big key to the Cardinals' success this season, as BSU has successfully been able to spread out its offense and keep opponents guessing on every swing. Six different Ball State players enter the MAC Tournament averaging at least 1.78 kills per set, while as seventh is smashing 1.42 kills per set.
Outside Jaclyn Bulmahn leads the club with a 3.04 kills-per-set average, while opposite Natalie Mitchem is not far behind at 2.86. Rounding out Ball State's top attackers are outside Emily Hollowell (2.41), middle Marie Plitt (2.38), middle Lauren Gilliland (1.97), outside Cait Snyder (1.78), and outside Natalie Risi (1.42).
Playing a large role in guiding the offense has been Wielonski who is third in the MAC with a 10.78 assist-per-set average. In fact, Wielonski set Ball State to a .476 attack percentage in the sweep of St. Thomas (Aug. 27), which ranks as the third-best single match team performance in program history.
Current libero Maggie Huber leads the Ball State defense with a 3.76 digs-per-set average, while Risi has a team-best 314 digs and Wielonski is third on the squad with 289 total digs. At the net, Gilliland leads the squad at 0.89 blocks per set, while Plitt and Mitchem are not far behind at 0.80 and 0.69, respectively.
As a team, the Cardinals are limiting opponents to a .202 attack percentage, which ranks as the third-best defense in the MAC. BSU also ranks fifth in the MAC at 2.07 blocks per set and sixth in the league at 15.66 digs per set.
BALL STATE VOLLEYBALL QUICK HITS:
- The first MAC team to reach 20 wins this season, thanks to its 3-0 sweep at Western Michigan (Oct. 23), Ball State enters Sunday tied with Creighton and BYU for the NCAA Division I lead with 27 total victories … The Bluejays will play again Sunday afternoon, prior to BSU's Monday match, while the Cougars return to action Tuesday.
- In addition, Ball State's .900 (27-3) winning percentage is tied for sixth nationally with Creighton (.900 / 27-3) … The duo trail only Louisville (1.000 / 26-0), BYU (.964 / 27-1), Western Kentucky (.963 / 26-1), Texas (.957 / 22-1), and Pittsburgh (.926 / 25-2).
- The Oct. 30 sweep of Miami was a special one for head coach Kelli Miller Phillips, as she earned her 100th career victory … Phillips enters the MAC Volleyball Championship with a 105-63 (.625) career record in six seasons … During the 2020-21 spring season, Phillips was credited with a 4-9 overall record after missing the early portion of the year while on maternity leave … Assistant coach Fritz Rosenberg was elevated to acting head coach for those contests and was credited with a 5-3 record.
- In addition to leading the MAC and ranking 19th nationally with a .271 team hitting percentage, Ball State features three of the top nine attackers in the league based on attack percentage … Middle Lauren Gilliland ranks first in the conference and is 47th nationally at .373 … Middle Marie Plitt is second in the MAC and 63rd nationally at .353, while opposite Natalie Mitchem is ninth in the MAC at .313.
- Setter Megan Wielonski enters the MAC Volleyball Championships ranked fifth nationally with her 1,207 total assists, while her 10.78 assists-per-set average is 24th … She is just the 16th player in program history to eclipse 1,000 career assists, with her total currently ranking 13th on BSU's all-time list … In addition, she is just the third player in program history to record over 1,000 assists as a freshman, joining Brittany McGinnis (1,245 in 2008) and Emily Sallee (1,387 in 1997).
- In addition to being one of the top setters in the MAC, Megan Wielonski has also proven to be the league's top server ranking first at 0.45 aces per set … In fact, Wielonski's 50 service aces, including a career-high seven vs. Ohio (Sept. 30), are first in the league and rank 13th among all NCAA Division I players nationwide … The total currently ties as the 13th-most in a single season in program history, with the record being 70 by Barbara Harrison in 1988 … The most service aces in a single season by a Ball State setter in program history is currently 51 by Amber Seaman in 2018.
- Outside Jaclyn Bulmahn has made her presence felt in the Ball State lineup, ranking first on the squad with a 3.04 kills-per-set average this season … A First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection at Valparaiso last season, Bulmahn has reached double digits in 19 matches so far this season, including a season-high 20 kills in the four-set win at Eastern Michigan (Nov. 12) … She also tallied 19 kills in a three-set win at Kent State (Sept. 25) which tie as the second-most in a three-set match in the MAC this season … She registered a career-high 23 kills versus Southern Illinois (Feb. 14, 2021) during her 2021 spring season at Valpo.
- Jaclyn Bulmahn enters the MAC Volleyball Championships with 987 career kills, including 328 so far in her first season at Ball State … The 328 kills top her previous season-best of 277 set her junior year at Valpo … She also has a chance to top her previous career-best kills-per-set average, which was 3.05 set with the Beacons last season.
- Opposite Natalie Mitchem has also smashed double-digit kills in 19 of BSU's 30 matches this season, including tying her career high with 21 in the win over Toledo (Oct. 19) … Percentage wise, she has hit .400-or-better nine times, including five of the last 12 matches … She has also turned in a strong effort at the net this season, averaging 0.69 blocks per set with at least one block in 27 matches, including tying her career high with seven blocks versus Northern Illinois (Oct. 15).
- So far this season, the Cardinals have turned to three different liberos, most recently having Maggie Huber suit up in the off-colored jersey for the last 12 matches … Huber has done a solid job in the role, securing double figure digs in each contest and averaging 5.19 digs per set … Defensive specialist Kate Vinson was BSU's libero for the first 10 matches of the season and currently ranks second on the team with a 2.88 digs-per-set average … Natalie Risi took over the role for the next eight matches, and leads the squad with 314 total digs … Risi averages 2.80 digs per set.
- Natalie Risi move back to the left side for the Northern Illinois series and did not disappointed … She set the tone for the Ball State block in the series-opening win over the Huskies (Oct. 15), registering solo blocks on two of the first five points … She tallied three total solo blocks in the match and added another late in the third set of the Oct. 16 sweep to help the Cardinals stomp out an NIU rally attempt … Risi has also been a solid attacking option for BSU over the last 12 matches, ranking third on the team at 2.64 kills per set … She has logged double-digit kills in five of the last eight matches, including a season-high 15 in BSU's MAC regular season championship clinching victory at Eastern Michigan (Nov. 13)
- Ball State enters the MAC Volleyball Championships with a 968-623-2 (.608) all-time record in women's volleyball in its 50th season of play … In addition, with a win in its 2021 MAC regular season finale, the Cardinals became the MAC's all-time winningest program in conference play at 418-212 (.663) … Western Michigan, which lost its regular season finale, is second at 417-213 (.662).
- With an 11-0 record at home during the 2021 regular season, the Cardinals own a 292-93 (.758) all-time record in Worthen Arena … BSU is even more dominate in Worthen Arena versus MAC foes, with a 214-57 (.790) mark.
THE NEXT POSSIBLE MATCH-UPS
- NO. 4 WESTERN MICHIGAN - Ball State holds a a52-48 lead in the all-time series versus Western Michigan, including sweeping the 2021 regular season series … Both were Ball State sweeps in Kalamazoo, with the first being a 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-19) win on Oct. 22 and the second a 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-17) victory on Oct. 23 to give BSU its 20th win of the season … Ball State also holds a 22-7 (.759) advantage in Worthen Arena, including four straight wins … However, the Broncos have a 5-2 edge in MAC Volleyball Championship play, including four straight wins … In fact, WMU ended Ball State's seasons in the 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017 MAC tournaments after the Cardinals won both meetings in the regular season.
- NO. 5 TOLEDO - The Cardinals hold a commanding 71-11 advantage in the all-time series versus Toledo, including sweeping the 2021 regular season series … BSU earned a 3-1 (19-25, 25-19, 26-24, 25-20) victory on Oct. 19 in Worthen Arena, as well as a 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-22) win in the regular season finale played last Wednesday (Nov. 17) at Savage Arena … Overall, Ball State has won eight of the last nine meetings in the series … The Cardinals also hold a 26-3 (.897) advantage in matches played in Worthen Arena … The teams have meet twice in MAC Volleyball Championship play, with BSU sweeping Toledo in a 1993 semifinal meeting and the Rockets upsetting the top seeded Cardinals in the 2010 quarterfinals at the SeaGate Centre in Toledo, Ohio … Much like its recent tournament luck versus WMU, Ball State won the two regular season meetings versus Toledo in 2010.
Players Mentioned
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