Sports
Women's Soccer Set For Home Opener Against Evansville
Game Day Info
Lindenwood (2-0) vs. Evansville (1-0)
Thursday, August 21 | 6:00 p.m. CST
Hunter Stadium | St. Charles, Mo.
Live Stats
Preview
After going on the road and picking up two wins to start the season, the Lindenwood women’s soccer team returns to the friendly confines of Hunter Stadium on Thursday to square off with Evansville. This will be only the second all-time meeting between the Lions and Purple Aces, with Evansville taking a 2-1 victory at home last season. Kickoff of Thursday’s matchup is set for 6 p.m. CT
Last Time Out
Lindenwood prevailed 1-0 on a sweltering afternoon at Murray State on Sunday. Rachel Jackson scored the deciding goal on a corner kick seven minutes into the second half (assisted by Tasneem Dizdarevic), while Caroline Ritter and the LU backline held strong to secure the Lions’ first shutout performance of the season. Ritter ended the game with six saves.
Team Notes
HOT START: Lindenwood is off to their first 2-0 start since the 2020 season, making it the first time the program has won their first two contests of a season since making the transition to NCAA Division-I.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY: Though it’s early, the Lions are averaging just 7.5 shots per game through their first two contests, which is substantially less than their conference-leading 14.5 shots per game a season ago. However, over half of Lindenwood’s 15 total shots have been on goal (8) for a shots-on-goal percentage of .533, compared to a 2024 SOG percentage of .443.
WINNING THE WHISTLE: The Lions have been called for just 10 fouls this season while drawing a total of 30 on their opponents.
ROLLING DEEP: The Lions have flashed their depth to start the season, with 20 different players seeing action in last week’s two victories, 18 of which played in both contests.
Player Notes
WEEKLY ACCODLADES: Jessica Dodd and Caroline Ritter both took home OVC Player of the week awards after their performances last week. Dodd was named Defensive Player of the Week after anchoring the Lindenwood backline, playing all 180 minutes while helping limit opponents to just one score. Ritter was tabbed as Goalkeeper of the Week after making 11 total saves with a clean sheet against Murray State.
LEADERS: Following the season’s opening week, Tasneem Dizdarevic leads the Lions with three points (1g-1a). She also paces the team with two shots on goal.
Rachel Jackson, Anna Johnson, and Mackenzie Compton are tied for the team lead with three shots apiece. Jackson and Johnson accompany Dizdarevic with one goal each, both of which were game winners.
Ava Blum joins Dizdarevic with one assist.
Opponent Notes
Evansville enters this week at 1-0 with a 4-3 win over Southeast Missouri last Thursday.
Forward Taylor Johnson was named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week after recording three points (1g-1a) in the win against SEMO. Johnson was pre-season First-Team All-MVC after being named to the all-conference third-team last season.
The Purple Aces are an experienced group, featuring 24 returners off last season’s squad, including five who played in each of their 16 matches.
Evansville is led by sixth year head coach Chris Pfau.
Next Up
Lindenwood stays home to take on Omaha on Sunday at 1 p.m. before traveling to Kansas City to take on the Roos next Thursday at 7 p.m.
Dec. 20, 2025, 2:35 p.m. ET
KANSAS CITY, MO ― On Thursday, No.1 Kentucky punched its ticket to the NCAA volleyball championship match by winning a five-set thriller against No. 3 Wisconsin that defied logic.
“Congrats, guys. We couldn’t have played any worse,” head coach Craig Skinner told his team in the huddle after Kentucky dropped the first set, 25-12, with a .056 hitting percentage.
The Wildcats, who will play Texas A&M for the national championship on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC), did not lead in a single major statistical category against the Badgers, but it didn’t matter. Kentucky clawed back and evened the match 1-1. The two teams traded blocks, kills and long rallies until late in the fourth set when two Badgers’ errors left the door open for the Wildcats. Kentucky, seemingly powered by Wisconsin’s mistakes, stormed out to a 6-1 lead in the fifth set. But, the Badgers weren’t done.
Fueled by massive nights from Mimi Colyer and Carter Booth, Wisconsin kept coming and pushed Kentucky to the brink. It took a colossal push from outside hitter Eva Hudson (29 kills on .455 hitting, seven digs), freshmen Kassie O’Brien and Trinity Ward, libero Molly Tuozzo (17 digs) and Brooklyn DeLeye (15 kills, 14 digs) to fight off the Badgers. Hudson slammed the door on Wisconsin’s title hopes with two final kills, but it was DeLeye’s defense in the fifth set (six digs) that made the difference.
“The cool thing about this team, I thought we’d done it all, and I thought we found every possible way to win, and tonight was a different way,” Skinner said after the Wildcats beat Wisconsin. “The way they played, the heart that they show is immeasurable. I keep telling them they’re transformational leaders in the way they go about it, what they’ve done for the sport.
” Proud of them. But the job isn’t finished.”
The Wildcats said they knew from the first practice in January that they would be playing for a national championship. Hudson revealed this week she didn’t think any growing (from the beginning of the season until now) was needed. She said she knows Kentucky is ready. In her opinion, it’s just a matter of soaking in the environment.
Deleye echoed Hudson’s sentiment about taking it all in. Yet, the junior did admit an underlying thought; none of the players on the Wildcats’ roster have been to a Final Four. Only Skinner has been to the national championship stage and won. He was an assistant on the 2020 team that brought a trophy back to Lexington.
Deleye shared that all year long, the Wildcats have been talking about their “why.” She says there’s a lot of pressure that comes with volleyball, especially in the SEC tournament and NCAA tournament, where they earned wins over UCLA, Creighton and Wisconsin. Yet, Deleye and Hudson both agreed the Wildcats are just out there to have fun and “play with joy.”
“In the last few games, have drawn smiley faces on our hands or somewhere where we can see it to remind us to play with joy,” Hudson said. “Some of the best times in volleyball, and when we’re really playing well, is when we’re all playing with joy and bouncing off one another. Kind of have those reminders in those pressure situations, too, is a really good thing.”
Kentucky said in the midst of their joy and between sets, they look one another in the eyes. Everything is moving at such a fast pace that the Wildcats want to take the time to connect and say “I got you” to each other to promote unity. They needed that same reminder deep in the match against Wisconsin when the season and a possible championship were on the line.
In a sequence that seemingly went unnoticed, DeLeye and Tuozzo took a brief moment to look at each other and nearly simultaneously make a “mask on” gesture. However, Tuozzo later explained that it wasn’t a “mask” she and Deleye were proverbially putting on. It was a helmet.
“Helmet on, ready to dig,” Tuozzo said matter-of-factly.
Deleye added when there’s an open hole or the block is not there, someone will typically step up into the seam, and “whatever happens happens.” Kentucky will live with the results, knowing it put its “body on the line.” With two losses this season and an impressive 28-match winning streak that also includes an October victory over the Aggies, Kentucky has maintained its composure throughout the NCAA tournament.
The Wildcats have taken multiple moments during the Final Four to talk about how their “accountability partners” have helped them. Players on the roster have someone who can pick them up on days when they may struggle and remind them not to get caught up in what they aren’t doing. That collective support and belief in one another started at the beginning of the season and has translated into joy at the highest levels of volleyball, something that has even impressed Skinner, who is in his 21st year of coaching.
“Because they play with such joy, I want to coach more players like that. I want players that you don’t really have to coach body language and enthusiasm,” Skinner said. “If you do, you’re spending all your effort on the wrong things. We can spend our energy on how do we put the pieces togetherand form a system to go around that.”
“(It’s) trying to find those people that are driven internally, and have an enthusiasm, infectious enthusiasm for life. Those guys, being around them every day, I look forward to that.”
Sports
2025 AVCA All-American | First Team At the AVCA Major League Volleyball All-America / Players of the Year Banquet presented by Nike, Elia Rubin was recognized as a 2025 AVCA All-American First Team selection. Reflecting on the honor, Rubin shared: “It’s such a huge honor. Being surrounded by so many amazing people makes it even more special. We were a young team, and every day brought a different challenge—but that’s what made it so much fun.” Rubin emphasized the importance of enjoying the journey and credited her teammates and coaches for creating a season defined by growth, connection, and joy. Congratulations to Elia Rubin on an outstanding season and First Team All-American recognition.
FIRST TEAM
Delayni Baird, so., Hollidaysburg: Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 3A All-District first team. … Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association all-state selection. … Finished with a team-high 657 assists. … Had 69 aces and 157 digs.
Addi Basenback, sr., Hollidaysburg: Second-team Mirror all-star as a junior. … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 3A All-District first team. … Recorded 251 kills and 35 aces. … Also contributed 161 digs for the District 6 champion Lady Tigers.
Erica Brouse, sr., Central Cambria: Mirror second-team all-star as a junior. … Helped Central Cambria win the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference championship. … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 2A All-District first team. … Led Central Cambria with 326 kills.
Kynlee Budny, so., Hollidaysburg: Second-team Mirror all-star as a freshman. … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 3A All-District first team. … Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association all-state selection. … Had 260 kills and a 0.305 hitting percentage.
Rylan Crowell, sr., Tyrone: Mirror second-team all-star as a sophomore. … Helped Tyrone go 8-8 in the regular season and qualify for the District 6 playoffs. … Surpassed 500 career kills for her career this season. … Had 11 kills and 13 digs in a four-set win over Penns Valley. … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 2A All-District second team.
Allie Dziabo, sr., Central Cambria: Mirror first-team all-star as a junior at Bishop Carroll. … Helped Central Cambria win the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference championship. … … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 2A All-District second team. … Led Central Cambria with 100 blocks and added 169 kills.
Lily Gergely, so., Penn Cambria: Finished with 275 kills and 49 aces. … Compiled 266 service points and 159 serves received. … Had 61 blocks and had 75 digs. … Helped Penn Cambria go 10-8 and qualify for the District 6 playoffs. … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 2A All-District first team.
Olivia Gregg, jr., Bishop Carroll: Second-team Mirror all-star as both a sophomore and freshman. … Finished the year with 271 kills and a 0.365 hitting percentage. … Had 378 digs and 50 aces this season. … Helped Bishop Carroll finish 12-8 in the regular season and advance to the District 6 Class 1A quarterfinals.
Braelyn Hall, sr., Juniata Valley: Mirror first-team all-star as a junior. … Inter-County Conference first-team all-star. … Went over 1,000 career digs for her career during her senior season. … Helped Juniata Valley go 10-8 in the regular season and qualify for the District 6 playoffs. … For her career, she had 252 service points, 47 aces, 30 assists and 1,033 digs.
Rachel McClellan, sr., Glendale: Mirror first-team all-star as a junior. … Inter-County Conference first-team all-star. … Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association all-state selection. … Finished with 452 kills, as well as 237 digs, 144 service points, 48 aces and 10 blocks for the Lady Vikings.
Kenzi McLanahan, so., Hollidaysburg: Second-team Mirror all-star as a freshman. … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 3A All-District first team. … Libero for the District 6 champions. … Had 232 digs and 50 aces. … Had a 2.08 SR rating.
Emily Olienyk, jr., Bishop Carroll: Mirror first-team all-star as a sophomore. … Helped Bishop Carroll finish 12-8 in the regular season and advance to the District 6 Class 1A quarterfinals. … Finished with 273 kills and a 0.311 hitting percentage. … Had 83 aces and 81 blocks for the Lady Huskies.
Rowyn Ruddek, jr., Central Cambria: Helped Central Cambria win the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference championship. … … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 2A All-District second team. … Led Central Cambria with 348 digs and 378 serves received. … Added 21 aces.
Annalyse Yost, sr., Altoona: First-team Mirror all-star as a junior. … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 4A All-District first team. … Second-team Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division all-star. … Finished with 163 kills, 47 blocks, 26 aces, 76 digs and 78 service points for the Lady Spikers. … For her career, she had 380 kills, 167 blocks, 31 aces, 109 service points and 117 digs.
SECOND TEAM
Raina Alexander, jr., Williamsburg
Abby Anthony, sr., Tyrone
Sophie Becquet, sr., Bishop Carroll
Maraya Bittner, sr., Altoona
Amberly Detterline, jr., Northern Bedford
Kate Eckenrode, so., Penn Cambria
Payton Hinish, sr., Claysburg-Kimmel
Riley Kauffman, jr., Central Cambria
Calla Miko, sr., Portage
Kerrie Mock, sr., Central
Kaitlyn Mortimore, fr., Claysburg-Kimmel
Mara Pablic, so., Central Cambria
Marina Petucci, sr., Altoona
Madi Skebeck, sr., Glendale
Carly Sowers, sr., Cambria Heights
Dec. 20, 2025, 12:39 p.m. CT
- Former Florida middle blocker Jaela Auguste has committed to the Wisconsin Badgers volleyball team.
- Auguste was a 2025 AVCA third-team All-American and the SEC’s 2024 freshman of the year.
- The 6-foot-2 transfer has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Wisconsin volleyball has made its first big splash in the transfer portal.
Ex-Florida middle blocker Jaela Auguste has committed to the Badgers via the transfer portal, she announced on Instagram on Dec. 20.
Auguste was a 2025 AVCA third-team All-American after averaging 2.69 kills per set and 0.98 blocks per set while hitting .344. Her hitting percentage was eighth-best in the SEC this season. She also was the SEC’s 2024 freshman of the year after starting in 29 matches and hitting .404.
“So beyond excited to announce my commitment to Wisconsin!” Auguste said in her Instagram post. “So grateful to be able to continue my career at such a great program! Thank you to all the people who have helped and believed in me through this process!!”
The 6-foot-2 middle blocker has two seasons of eligibility remaining. She fills a key void for the 2026 Badgers, as starting middle blockers Carter Booth and Alicia Andrew were seniors in 2025.
![Florida middle blocker Jaela Auguste (4) slams past Texas during an NCAA women’s volleyball game at Steven C. O'Connell Center Exactec arena in Gainesville, FL on Friday, November 7, 2025. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]](https://www.jsonline.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2025/11/08/NTGS/87159497007-gai-fl-tn-volleyball-42806.jpg?width=660&height=466&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
She is the Badgers’ first transfer portal commitment following the 2025 season. Five UW players have departed via the portal – Addy Horner, Aniya Warren, Maile Chan, Tosia Serafinowska and Trinity Shadd-Ceres.
Sports
At the AVCA Major League Volleyball All-America / Players of the Year Banquet presented by Nike, Brooklyn DeLeye was recognized as a 2025 AVCA All-American First Team selection. Reflecting on the honor, DeLeye shared: “This is such a high honor. We talk about grit, competitiveness, and joy all the time. Playing alongside my teammates this year has been amazing—I wouldn’t be here without them, our staff, and my family.” DeLeye’s season was marked by resilience, connection, and a shared commitment to excellence. Congratulations to Brooklyn DeLeye on her First Team All-American recognition.
Dec. 19, 2025, 7:33 p.m. CT
- Two Wisconsin volleyball freshmen, Aniya Warren and Addy Horner, have announced their intention to enter the transfer portal.
- Warren, a backup libero, and Horner, a backup setter, were behind other talented underclassmen on the roster.
Two Wisconsin volleyball freshmen appear to be taking their talents elsewhere in 2026.
Backup libero/defensive specialist Aniya Warren and backup setter Addy Horner are entering the transfer portal, they each announced on Instagram on Dec. 19.
Horner, in addition to sharing a post from a transfer portal account that listed her entry, said on her Instagram story that she is “beyond grateful” and thanked Badger nation. Warren said in an Instagram post that she is entering the portal to “explore new opportunities and continue my growth.”
“I want to start by sincerely thanking Wisconsin for welcoming me with open arms and so much love,” Warren said in the Instagram post. “A huge shoutout to the incredible coaching staff, my amazing teammates and the wonderful city of Madison for all the support and kindness I’ve received. This experience has meant the world to me.”
Both freshmen had impressive moments in the 2025 season, but were behind other talented underclassmen on the roster.
Starting libero Kristen Simon earned Big Ten all-freshman team honors as she averaged 3.47 digs per set. Charlie Fuerbringer, a third-team All-American in 2024, was an all-Big Ten first-team honoree in 2025 despite missing a month of the season with a shoulder injury.
Warren, the top-ranked libero in her recruiting class, appeared in 50 sets this season and totaled 65 digs and six reception errors. Horner, Prep Dig’s No. 1 setter in her recruiting class, appeared in 71 sets either as Fuerbringer’s injury replacement or a serving specialist.
The volleyball transfer portal window began on Dec. 7 and will continue until Jan. 5. Warren and Horner’s announcements come one day after the Badgers’ season-ending loss to Kentucky in the Final Four.
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2025 AVCA All-American | First Team At the AVCA Major League Volleyball All-America / Players of the Year Banquet presented by Nike, Elia Rubin was recognized as a 2025 AVCA All-American First Team selection. Reflecting on the honor, Rubin shared: “It’s such a huge honor. Being surrounded by so many amazing people makes it even more special. We were a young team, and every day brought a different challenge—but that’s what made it so much fun.” Rubin emphasized the importance of enjoying the journey and credited her teammates and coaches for creating a season defined by growth, connection, and joy. Congratulations to Elia Rubin on an outstanding season and First Team All-American recognition.
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At the AVCA Major League Volleyball All-America / Players of the Year Banquet presented by Nike, Brooklyn DeLeye was recognized as a 2025 AVCA All-American First Team selection. Reflecting on the honor, DeLeye shared: “This is such a high honor. We talk about grit, competitiveness, and joy all the time. Playing alongside my teammates this year has been amazing—I wouldn’t be here without them, our staff, and my family.” DeLeye’s season was marked by resilience, connection, and a shared commitment to excellence. Congratulations to Brooklyn DeLeye on her First Team All-American recognition.
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