Volleyball Preview: MVC Championship – Drake University Athletics

The Basics 
The Drake volleyball team has secured its spot in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Championship game and will face the No. 1 seed UNI from Cedar Falls on Tuesday night. First serve is set for 6 p.m. CT with the match available to stream on ESPN+.

Bulldogs by the Numbers 

Drake, the No. 3 seed, has been to the MVC Tournament title match three out of the past four seasons. The Bulldogs will look to claim their first-ever MVC Championship with a win on Tuesday. The Bulldogs defeated the No. 6 seed Belmont in the opening round, 3-2, and upset the No. 2 seed Valparaiso, 3-1, en route to the title match.

 

Drake’s previous two trips to the MVC Tournament title match in 2023 and 2022 were also against UNI. The Panthers won both of those matches in five sets.

 

The Bulldogs are led by senior outside hitter, Macy Daufeldt. The West Liberty, Iowa native leads Drake this season in kills (394) and digs (368). She also ranks third on the team in total blocks (61). The 2025 First Team All-Conference selection ranks fourth in program history in kills (1,375), fourth in attempts (3,923), and ninth in digs (1,129).

 

Drake Leaders 

Kills | Macy Daufeldt – 394, Kacia Brown – 371, Caroline Smith – 234

Assists | Addison Beagle – 555, Katie Quick – 520, Carolyn Maser – 76

Digs | Macy Daufeldt – 368, Kacia Brown – 311, Gabbie Schroeder – 288

Blocks | Bliss Beck – 122, Aniyah Davis – 109, Macy Daufeldt – 61

Service Aces | Kacia Brown – 21, Emaline Handzel – 21, Addison Beagle – 21

 

Scouting UNI

The No. 1 seed Panthers will look to claim their fourth consecutive MVC title on Tuesday night. UNI posted an unblemished record of 16-0 in MVC play this season and has an overall record of 24-5. The Panthers are riding a 20-match winning streak which is tied for the second-longest active streak in Division I behind Nebraska. UNI has won 52 consecutive matches against regular season conference opponents dating back to the 2023 season, with its last loss to an MVC team coming in the 2022 regular season finale at Drake. Including the postseason, UNI has won 59-straight matches against MVC opponents.

 

The quest for the conference crown comes down to an in-state rivalry between Drake and UNI, but the all-time series between the two programs has been rather one-sided towards UNI. The Panthers lead the all-time series with the Bulldogs, 81-7.

 

UNI Leaders

Kills | Cassidy Hartman – 405, Lily Dykstra – 359, Isabelle Elliott – 183

Assists | Reese Booth – 615, Sydney Golden – 290, Kate Shafer – 227

Digs | Jadyn Petersen – 442, Cassidy Hartman – 277, Reese Booth – 233

Blocks | Maryn Bixby – 110, Lindsay Oldendorf – 87, Isabelle Elliott – 66

Service Aces | Jadyn Petersen – 24, Reese Booth – 20, Lily Dykstra – 19