NKU volleyball to meet challenging schedule; slate includes home contests with Notre Dame, Cincinnati

NKyTribune staff

Regents Hall will be the place to be on Sept. 14 for Northern Kentucky University volleyball fans, as the Norse will play host to both Notre Dame and Cincinnati on a busy Saturday in Highland Heights.

That’s part of a challenging 2019 schedule for NKU, which posted a 21-10 record last season and finished as runner-up in the Horizon League Tournament.

NKU opens the season on Aug. 30 by facing South Alabama at 4:30 p.m. at the Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational. The following day, NKU meets Western Michigan (1:30 p.m.) and the host Mastodons (7 p.m.) to close out the event.

NKU then travels to the nation’s capital for the Georgetown Invitational on Sept. 6-7. The Norse take on America East champion Stony Brook at 3 p.m. on Sept. 6. NKU plays host Georgetown at 1 p.m. on Sept. 7 and concludes the tournament at 5 p.m. against Marshall.

NKU will host a talented field in its home tournament on Sept. 13-14 (Friday and Saturday), beginning with a 6 p.m. Friday match against 2018 Mid-American Conference co-champion Ball State. The following day, the Norse square off against Notre Dame at noon. NKU concludes the two-day event by facing cross-river rival Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m.

The Norse welcome Youngstown State and Cleveland State to Regents Hall on Sept. 27 and 28, respectively, to begin Horizon League play. NKU meets defending Horizon League champion Green Bay in a road contest on Oct. 19, with the rematch later in the season on Nov. 1 in Regents Hall.

The Horizon League Tournament will be hosted by the regular-season champion Nov. 22-24.

NKU welcomes back five starters, including junior libero Ashton Terrill, sophomore right-side hitter/setter Miranda Wucherer and senior setter Shelby Olsen. Also returning are sophomore utility Anna Brinkmann, junior middle blocker Bailey Western and sophomore middle blocker Natalie Hardig.

Terrill was named first team All-Horizon League last season, while Wucherer and Brinkmann were both named to the Horizon League’s All-Freshman Team. Terrill led the Horizon League in digs (673, 5.56 per set) a year ago and became the 21st player in Norse history to collect 1,000 digs in a career.

Wucherer recorded 16 double-doubles, four of which were four triple-doubles. The 5-foot-9 Wisconsin native also notched double-doubles in six of her last seven matches. She averaged 6.08 kills per set as a major part of NKU’s 6-2 offense, running the Norse offense in her back-row rotations and attacking on the front row.

NKU must replace four-time All-Horizon League standout Haley Libs, who became the Norse’s first Division I player to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a career. Libs finished her NKU career with 1,580 kills and 1,311 digs, ranking seventh all-time in both categories.

(Information compiled from NKU Athletics Communications and staff reports)