STORRS, Conn.- UConn volleyball wraps up their three-match homestand on Wednesday night against Providence before heading back on the road Friday, traveling out to Indianapolis to face Butler. The Huskies won both matches last weekend, evening their BIG EAST record to 2-2 on the season after defeating Georgetown and Seton Hall.
UConn (14-2, 2-2 BIG EAST)
The Huskies bounced back this past weekend, securing their first two wins of conference play to remain undefeated at the UConn Volleyball Center. Emma Werkmeister reached 200 kills on the season, leading the Huskies over Georgetown and Seton Hall with 29 kills on the weekend. Taylor Pannell added 24 kills in the two victories to fuel the offensive attack. After being recognized pre-match on Friday for reaching 1,000 assists in her UConn career, Doga Kutlu had 75 assists on the weekend. Defensively, Audrey Rome had 5 blocks to lead UConn. As a team, UConn had 15 aces on the 2-0 weekend, with Werkmeister, Kutlu, and Brenna Wyman notching three each.
Providence Snapshot (7-8, 0-4 BIG EAST)
Providence comes into Storrs looking for their first BIG EAST win, dropping matches at home last weekend to Seton Hall and Georgetown. Last season, the Friars went 9-21 (3-15 BIG EAST), with the Huskies winning the only matchup last October when the two squads played in Storrs.
Players to Watch: Outside Hitter Shaliyah Rhoden leads the Friars with 163 kills. Rhoden had a season high 18 kills on 10/4 against Seton Hall in a tough five-set match. MB Kayla Grant is second behind Rhoden in kills with 121 and leads the team in blocks with 58. Miller McDonald has 352 assists on the season as Providence's lead setter.
Coach: Providence's Head Coach is Margot Royer-Johnson, who has been leading the Friars for 25 seasons. Royer-Johnson and the Friar staff earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors in 2020-2021 when Providence qualified for the BIG EAST Tournament.
Butler Snapshot (2-14, 0-4 BIG EAST)
UConn will hit the road on Friday night to face Butler on Friday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The Bulldogs will look to get in the BIG EAST win column themselves, after dropping matches against #6 Creighton and Marquette last weekend. Butler posted a record of 13-16 (7-11 BIG EAST) in their 2023 season, splitting the two matchups, with both home teams holding serve.
Players to Watch: Abby Maesch leads the Bulldog attack, with 160 kills, including 14 against Marquette on October 6th. Cora Taylor conducts Butler's offense as their primary setter, with 478 assists on the year (8.54/set). Lauren Evans and Grace Boggess anchor the defense with 150 digs and 57 blocks, respectively.
Coach: Kyle Shondell is at the helm for Butler, his second season for the Bulldogs. Shondell was the 2022 AVCA National Coach of the Year in NAIA men's volleyball after leading Indiana Tech men's volleyball to a No.3 ranking, going 29-3 overall.
How to Watch: Both matches will be streaming on Flo Sports. For updates throughout the match, follow UConn Volleyball on Instagram, X, and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
- S
- 5' 10"
- Junior
- MB
- 6' 3"
- Redshirt Freshman
- OH
- 5' 11"
- Sophomore
- MB
- 6' 1"
- Graduate Student
- DS/L
- 5' 9"
- Junior
Players Mentioned
- 5' 10"
- Junior
- S
- 6' 3"
- Redshirt Freshman
- MB
- 5' 11"
- Sophomore
- OH
- 6' 1"
- Graduate Student
- MB
- 5' 9"
- Junior
- DS/L
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