Volleyball begins 2022 against No. 11 Kentucky and Ohio

Match Notes (PDF)

MILWAUKEE – The Marquette University women's volleyball team kicks off the 2022 campaign on Friday, Aug. 26 against No. 11 Kentucky at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Kentucky.

First serve against Kentucky is set for 6 p.m. Central time and the match will air live on the SEC Network+ through ESPN+.

The Golden Eagles also face Ohio University on Saturday, Aug. 27 in a 3 p.m. Central time matinee before returning home. Saturday's match will be broadcast through ESPN+.

Live statistics for both matches will be available on GoMarquette.com through StatBroadcast, courtesy of UK.

Following the two opening weekend matches, the Golden Eagles will face No. 3 Wisconsin and High Point over Labor Day weekend prior to the Sept. 6 home opener against Loyola Chicago.

MARQUETTE (0-0): MARQUETTE SEASON PREVIEW - The Golden Eagles were picked to finish second in the BIG EAST Conference Preseason Coaches Poll and are receiving 40 points in the AVCA Preseason Poll. They return middle blocker Carsen Murray, an All-BIG EAST Preseason Team selection, and libero Carly Skrabak from a squad that concluded the 2021 season at 26-6 overall and earned its second BIG EAST regular season title.

The Golden Eagles earned two first-place votes in the BIG EAST preseason poll and were nine points behind preseason favorite Creighton.

The Golden Eagles add five true freshmen this fall along with a pair of transfers in former Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year Aubrey Hamilton (Notre Dame) and two-time NJCAA National Player of the Year Yadhira Anchante (Iowa Western).

No. 11 KENTUCKY (0-0): Friday's match is the season opener for both squads, who also met last year in Milwaukee. The Wildcats went 25-5 last fall and fell to Illinois, 3-1, in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Lexington. Head coach Craig Skinner enters his 18th season coaching UK, which he has led to 17 straight NCAA appearances and an NCAA Championship during the 2020-21 campaign.

UK adds three transfers this season in setter Lane Jenkins (Loyola Chicago), outside hitters Adanna Rollins (Minnesota/Penn State) and Kelly Franxman (Xavier) and a pair of true freshmen.

Rollins alongside juniors Elise Goetzinger and Reagan Rutherford were among 38 players who competed at USA Collegiate National Team Camp in June.

Kentucky, which has won five straight SEC titles, defeated Dayton, 3-1, in its lone exhibition this fall on Saturday.

SERIES WITH UK: Marquette has faced off five times against Kentucky and holds a 1-4 record all-time against the Wildcats. Most recently, the Golden Eagles fell, 3-0, to the Wildcats on Sept. 11, 2021, at the Al McGuire Center. Taylor Wolf and Hope Werch each posted 13 kills for MU, which hit a combined .242 and pushed both the second and third frames into extra points. Marquette even led 24-21 in the second set but was unable to convert on four set-points.

OHIO (0-0): The Bobcats are led by head coach Geoff Carlston, who is in his second stint as head coach at OU after 12 seasons at Ohio State. Carlston previously departed Ohio in 2007 and current MU head coach Ryan Theis took the reigns of the OU program from then until 2013. Current MU assistants Abby Gilleland and Ryan Walthall both also have times to OU.

Gilleland was a MAC Player of the Year and two-time AVCA All-American with the Bobcats, who posted a 93-33 overall record and went 57-7 in the Mid-American Conference matches from 2012-15. She ranks third in Ohio's record book for total assists (4,702), ranks second in assists per (10.45), and third in hitting percentage (.310).

Walthall served as defensive coordinator for two seasons under Theis at OU.

The Bobcats finished last season 13-17 overall and 11-7 in the MAC.

SERIES WITH OHIO: Marquette is 1-1 all-time against the Bobcats after a 3-0 sweep last season at the Red & White Invitational at Illinois State on Sept. 4, 2021. The Golden Eagles hit .303 in that contest and recorded nine blocks in three sets. MU dropped its only prior meeting to Ohio in a sweep on Sept. 13, 1996.

Keep up with the Marquette University women's volleyball program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteVB) and Instagram (@MarquetteVB) and 'liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteVolleyball).