Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Western Michigan
#MACtion Starts Friday for Women's Volleyball
September 23, 2026 | Women's Volleyball
| Ball State (9-2; 0-0 MAC) hosts Western Michigan (8-3; 0-0 MAC) | |
| Match 12 - hosts Western Michigan | Friday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. ET ESPN+ | Live Stats Promotions: Country Night |
| Match 13 - hosts Western Michigan | Saturday, Aug. 29 at 3 p.m. ET ESPN+ | Live Stats Promotions: First Responders Day |
| Notes | Ball State | Western Michigan |
| Social Media | X (Twitter) | Instagram |
THIS WEEK IN BALL STATE VOLLEYBALL: It is the opening weekend of the 2026 Mid-American Conference regular season for the Ball State women's volleyball team, as it welcomes Western Michigan to Worthen Arena for matches Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (4 p.m.) ... The Cardinals (476-226; .678) and Broncos (470-232; .670) are the two winningest programs in conference play, separated by just six matches ... Bowling Green (413-289; .588) is the next closest team.
THIS WEEK'S PROMOTIONS:
Friday, Sept. 25 - Country Night: The first 125 Ball State students, along with the first 125 community fans in attendance will receive a free Ball State women's volleyball bandana ... The match will also feature country music throughout the night, along with a cowboy hat camera and line dancing between sets.
Saturday, Sept. 26 - First Responders Day: All first responders can receive a free ticket to the match ... Ball State will recognize local police, firefighters, EMS and healthcare workers ... ROTC flag presentation ... Post-match autograph session.
FOLLOW THE ACTION: Ball State Sports Link will cover both matches live on ESPN+ ... For Friday's call will be brought to you by Dylan Budd (Play by Play), Annaka Whittey (Analyst) and Mac Gillie (Sideline) ... The trio will also be back for Saturday's match, but will swap rolls; Annaka Whittey (Play by Play), Mac Gillie (Analyst), Dylan Budd (Sideline) ... In addition, live stats will be available for both matches courtesy of Ball State Athletics ... Updates from the matches will also be provided on the team's X feed and Instagram story: @BallStateWVB.
MAC PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATIONS: The Ball State women's volleyball team was picked to finish second in the league in the MAC's annual preseason coaches' poll ... The defending regular season champion Cardinals earned 91 points and three first place votes, trailing only defending tournament champion Toledo (92 points / seven first place votes) ... The Rockets also had a slight edge over Ball State in the MAC Women's Volleyball Championship projections, earning six votes to the Cardinals' five.
PRESEASON ALL-MAC: Ball State placed three student-athletes on the Preseason All-MAC Team ... Representing the squad were senior middles Gwen Crull and Camryn Wise, along with junior defensive specialist/libero Sophie Ledbetter ... All three were First Team All-MAC selections last season after helping guide the Cardinals to the league's regular season title with a 17-1 MAC ledger.
BALL STATE ALL-TIME: Ball State enters the week with a 1063-668-2 (.614) all-time record in women's volleyball ... Ball State became the 44th program in NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball history to reach 1,000 wins with a sweep of Central Michigan on Sept. 22, 2023 ... All-time, the Cardinals have captured 12 Mid-American Conference West Division Championships, 11 MAC Regular Season Championships and eight MAC Volleyball Championship titles ... Ball State has made 11 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including three of the last six seasons ... The Cardinals have also earned two bids into the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).
BALL STATE IN THE MAC: With a 17-1 record in Mid-American Conference play last season, Ball State maintains its status as the winningest program in league play with a 476-226 (.678) all-time MAC mark ... Western Michigan is second on the list, six matches behind the Cardinals at 470-232 (.670).
WHEN IN WORTHEN: The Cardinals boast a 333-105 (.760) all-time record inside Worthen Arena, including an 85-42 (.669) mark against non-conference foes and a 248-63 (.797) ledger versus Mid-American Conference rivals ... No MAC opponent owns a winning record inside Worthen Arena, as the Cardinals have at least a .630 winning percentage against all league schools on its current home floor ... This weekend's foe, Western Michigan, is 8-27 (.229) in Worthen Arena.
SCOUTING BALL STATE:
• Despite suffering a pair of losses to Power Four opponents last week, the Ball State women's volleyball team still received three votes in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Coaches Poll released Monday (Sept. 21) ... The Cardinals received votes for the first time since the first regular season poll of the 2022 season on Sept. 7, earning six votes ... Ball State gained momentum after going 3-0 at the Campbell Invitational, jumping up to 24 votes in the Sept. 14 poll.
• A three-time MAC Defensive Player of the Week so far this season, Ball State junior libero Sophie Ledbetter enters league play ranked first in the MAC and 35th nationally with a 4.53 digs-per-set average ... Her 181 total digs, including a season-high 26 digs at Notre Dame (Aug. 28) and versus Furman (Sept. 12), are third among all MAC players and 69th nationally.
• Thanks in part to Sophie Ledbetter's strong play in the backcourt, the Ball State defense enters the week ranked second in the MAC and seventh nationally with a 17.00 digs-per-set average ... The Cardinals have out-dug opponents in nine of its 11 matches so far this season and have five starters and seven overall players averaging at least 2.00 digs-per-set.
• Ball State has also been able to translate those digs into kills, leading the nation in assists per set (13.98) and ranking second nationally in kills per set (14.78) ... Led by 6-2 setters senior Lindsey Green and sophomore Reese Axness, the Cardinals also rank 35th nationally with a .269 hitting percentage.
• Looking at the offensive numbers, the Cardinals are doing it with a very balanced attack as six players have collected at least 50 kills through the first 11 matches of the season ... Four of those attackers have reached double-digit kills in at least three matches, led by junior opposite Tiffany Snook with double figures in nine of Ball State's 11 outings so far this season.
• Senior middle Camryn Wise enters the weekend ranked second in the MAC and 39th nationally with a .400 hitting percentage, including six matches above the mark so far this season ... Tiffany Snook is not far behind, ranking sixth in the league and 138th nationally at .344 ... Snook has hit above .400 in four outings.
BALL STATE QUICK HITS:
• Sophie Ledbetter enters the start of #MACtion ranked 19th in program history with 1,083 career digs ... She has collected double-digit digs 10 times this season and in 61 matches over her career ... The 61 matches in double figures ties her with Natalie Risi (2019-2022) for 10th on Ball State's all-time list.
• Junior outside Ava Smith has shined in her first season with the Cardinals, leading the squad and ranking second in the MAC with a 3.59 kills-per-set average ... She has smashed double-digit kills in eight matches so far this season, paced by a career-best 19 kills vs. Western Kentucky (Sept. 3) and against Northwestern (Sept. 17) ... Including her two seasons at FGCU, Smith has 355 career kills with double digits in 14 career matches.
• Ava Smith has also been a solid addition in the backcourt, ranking fourth on the squad with 90 digs for a 2.31 digs-per-set average ... The effort included her first three career kill/dig double-doubles ... A six-rotation player for the first time in her collegiate career, Smith has 138 career digs including her 48 for the Eagles.
• For her effort on both offense and defense, Ava Smith has been named to both the Tru by Hilton Beavercreek Classic and Fairfield Inn & Suites Dunn Campbell Invitational All-Tournament teams ... She is the lone Ball State player to earn all-tournament honors at both events.
• Audrey Geer was named the MVP of the Tru by Hilton Beavercreek Classic after posting kill/dig double-doubles in all three matches, raising her season total to four ... She tied for team-high honors with a 4.10 kills-per-set average, while ranking second on the squad with a 3.70 digs-per-set average ... Entering Friday's match versus Western Michigan, Geer ranks third on the squad with a 2.82 kills-per-set average and second on the team with a 3.00 digs-per-set average.
• Including her two seasons at Marshall, Audrey Geer has smashed 510 career kills ... She has notched double-digit kills in 28 collegiate matches and owns a career high of 17 kills versus Appalachian State on Nov. 11, 2024 ... In addition, she has collected double-digit digs in 25 matches as a collegiate player and has amassed 503 career digs ... Together, she has tallied 17 career kill/dig double-doubles, including a team-high four so far this season.
• Lindsey Green and Reese Axness continue to split duties in the 6-2 offense, combining to lead the Ball State offense to a .269 hitting percentage so far this season, which is 35th nationally ... Their efforts have also helped the Cardinals rank first in the nation in assists-per-set average (13.98) ... Green leads the duo and ranks sixth in the MAC with a 6.54 assists-per-set average, while Axness comes in at 5.38 assists per set ... In addition, the pair have combined for four assist/dig double-doubles, with two from Green and two from Axness.
• Junior opposite Tiffany Snook has also been a solid attacking option for the Ball State offense this season, ranking second on the squad with a 2.93 kills-per-set average ... She has blasted double-digit kills in a team-high nine matches, raising her career total to 22, led by a career-high tying 17 kills at Campbell (Sept. 11).
• So far this season, the Cardinals have been able to rely on a very deep bench on its march to a 9-2 start ... A total of 17 different players have seen action, including 16 student-athletes in sweeps of Stetson (Sept. 11) and Campbell (Sept. 11) ... Of the group, 16 players have at least one dig and 12 have at least one kill.
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)
