OMAHA, Neb. – Omaha volleyball opens 2021 action this weekend at the Cyclone Challenge hosted by Iowa State in Ames, Iowa. The Mavericks will play two matches vs. Iowa State and Drake.
Weekend Slate
Saturday, Aug. 28 – vs. Iowa State at 4 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 29 – vs. Drake at 1 p.m.
Follow the Matches
Fans can tune into Saturday's match on ESPN+ and through live states. Sunday's match will only have lives stats. Links can be found at OMavs.com.
Updates can also be found on Twitter via @OmahaVB.
Quick Digs
- The Mavericks were tabbed third in the Summit League Preseason poll earlier this week, while Sadie Limback and Sami Clarkson were named Preseason Players to Watch.
- Omaha posted a 13-6 overall record with a 12-4 finish in league play to earn them the fourth seed in the Summit League Tournament.
- Limback enters her senior campaign after becoming the second Maverick in the Division I era to be named to the AVCA All-Midwest Region Team. She finished the season as the Summit League leader with a .404 hitting percentage and third in the conference with 4.08 kills per set.
- Clarkson finished last season as the league leader with 10.57 assists per set and second with 761 assists on the year. Clarkson had 60 assists in a win at North Dakota State, the most assists in a single match by a Summit League player on the season. She tallied nine double-doubles on the year and had nine matches with 40 or more assists, including three matches with at least 50 assists.
- Claire Mountjoy returns for a fifth season for Omaha. She currently ranks second all-time in the program with 1,815 digs. She was tabbed the Summit League Defensive Player of the Year last season.
- Omaha returns five starters from last season, while adding four new players in the offseason. Marriah Buss, Jaiden Centeno, Lakyn Graves, and Shayla McCormick will make their Omaha debut this year.
Scouting Iowa State
- The Cyclones return five starters from last season, including All-Big 12 Preseason Team selections Candelaria Herrera and Eleanor Holthaus. They're joined by Avery Rhodes, Annie Hatch, and Kenzi Mants.
- Iowa State added eight new players who look to debut this season.
- Iowa State went 8-12 last season with a 5-9 record in conference action.
Scouting Drake
- Drake was selected to finish second in the MVC Preseason Poll.
- The Bulldogs finished last season tied for second with a 13-7 overall record and an 11-5 finish in the MVC.
- Drake returns their top two hitters from last season in MVC Player of the Year Haley Bush and All-MVC First Team selection Emily Plock.
- They also return All-MVC libero Kaylee Macke who ranks third on the NCAA DI active career digs list with 2,075 to start the season.
