(Lebanon, Ill., Oct. 11) -- The McKendree University women's volleyball team is set to travel to Aurora, IL for the 10^th annual Midwest Region Volleyball Crossover Tournament. There are 36 teams participating, representing three conferences, the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), and the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC). McKendree has competed in five Midwest Crossover events, compiling an overall tournament record of 7-8 dating back to the 2012 season.

On Friday, the Bearcats will face a familiar opponent in Wayne State University of the GLIAC at 11:30 am, before finishing up a double header with a match against the Cedarville University Yellow Jackets of the GMAC at 5:30 pm. They will conclude their time at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center on Saturday, taking on the Northern Michigan University Wildcats of the GLIAC at 1 pm. A link to live stats for all three matches can be found on the 2017 schedule, and you can follow the official McKendree Bearcats twitter page for updates throughout the weekend.

McKendree (14-3 overall) has been on a roll in the last month, winning thirteen matches in row, and starting out GLVC play undefeated at 9-0. They are currently sitting just outside the top 25 in the country, receiving votes in the latest NCAA Division II Coaches Poll. The Bearcats have been playing solid defense, as they rank in the top five in the GLVC in opponent hitting percentage and opponent kills, only allowing 11.39 per set. They are also fourth in team blocking, averaging 2.27 total blocks a set.

Senior Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) is the reigning American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II National Player of the Week and is currently ranked sixth in the country in kills, with an average of 4.81 per set. She surpassed the 300 kill mark for the season in a four set win versus Illinois Springfield on Saturday. Williams has also collected 162 digs and 37 blocks on the year.

Senior Amanda Geiger (Tomball, TX/Concordia Lutheran) is ranked fourth in the GLVC in kills, averaging 3.70 per set. The reigning conference Defensive Player of the Week is second on the team in digs, contributing 3.59 per set, and has put down 40 total blocks. Sophomore Kelly Voss (St. Rose, IL/Mater Dei) is leading the Bearcats in digs, with an average of 4.38 per set.

Junior Morgan Melchert (Mt. Vernon, IA/Mt. Vernon) is the starting setter for the Bearcats, averaging 10.5 assists per set, which places her in the top five in the GLVC. She is third for McKendree in digs, compiling 218 so far this season, and has recorded 28 total blocks. Freshman outside hitter Elle Russell (Festus, MO/St. Pius X) is top five on the team in both kills, with 56, and digs, with 127.

The Bearcats possess two contributing middle blockers in senior Carissa Lorenz (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way West) and sophomore Megan Marks (Colgate, WI/Germantown). Lorenz is fifth in the GLVC in blocking, averaging 1.13 total blocks per set, and has also proven herself as an attacker, putting away 74 kills. Marks has earned 60 total blocks, and is averaging 1.33 kills per set.
 

Opponents at a Glance

Wayne State Warriors (10-7, 6-3 GLIAC)

The Warriors defeated the #13 ranked team in the country, Ferris State University, in five sets on Saturday, and are currently leading the GLIAC South Division standings.

They are led by two outside hitters, junior Hailey Richardson and senior Hannah Moore. Richardson in fourth in the GLIAC in kills, with 204, and leads the Warriors in kills per set, averaging 3.34. The New Boston, MI native is also third on her team in digs, averaging 2.85 per set. Moore is ranked second for Wayne State in both kills (147) and digs (193).

Senior middle blocker Michelle Asiedu is second behind Richardson in kills per set, averaging 2.56, and has put away 29 total blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Madelyn Krenz has recorded 133 kills, and has contributed 35 total blocks. Junior middle Grace Frazee is the top blocker for the Warriors, earning 11 solo blocks, and averaging 0.83 total blocks per set.

Junior Ellie Rodriguez leads the Warriors in digs, averaging 3.74 per set. Natalie Breault is the starting setter for Wayne State, and is ranked fifth in the GLIAC in assists, averaging 9.77 per set. The red-shirt freshman from Bad Axe, MI is also a key player for the Warriors defense, averaging 2.11 digs per set. Junior Haley Tenelshof is in the top five on the team in digs, collecting 111 on the season.

The Bearcats and Warriors met earlier this season, with McKendree winning in four sets on September 8^th at the Quincy Invitational.
 

Cedarville Yellow Jackets (9-10, 7-2 GMAC)

The Yellow Jackets have started off strong in conference play, and picked up two more victories last weekend against Walsh and Malone at home. They are currently averaging 11.8 kills per set as a team, and are ranked first in the GMAC in blocking, averaging 2.34 total blocks per set.

Leading the way this season for Cedarville is middle hitter Gabby Olson, the reigning GMAC West Player of the Week. The senior from Gibsonia, PA is the top attacker and blocker on her team, averaging 3.14 kills per set and 1.19 total blocks per set, and is leading the conference in blocking. She is also top ten in the GMAC in service aces and hitting percentage. Freshman middle Lauren Willow is second behind Olson in blocks, with 74 total, and third on the team in kills, averaging 2.22 per set.

A pair of freshman have split time in the setter position for the Yellow Jackets. Sierra Schuitema leads the team in assists with 421, while Lindsey Bray has recorded 294. Schuitema also has an average of 2.09 digs per set. Another freshman, libero Autumn Foust, is in the top five in digs in the GMAC, averaging 4.48 per set.

Outside hitter Krissy Pratt is ranked second on the Yellow Jackets in kills, putting away 180 for a set average of 2.43. The senior from Crystal Lake, IL is also second in digs behind Foust, compiling 230. Junior outside hitter Taylor Wilkerson is averaging two kills per set, while junior libero Abby Woodard has collected 186 digs.

The Bearcats and Yellow Jackets last met on 9/6/14, with McKendree earning a sweep at the Dunn Hospitality Invitational.
 

Northern Michigan Wildcats (12-5, 6-3 GLIAC)

Under the guidance of first year head coach Mike Lozier, the Wildcats have one of the top offenses in the GLIAC, ranking third in kills per set with 13.14 and hitting .219 as a team. They are second in the country in blocking, averaging 2.88 total blocks per set.

NMU is led by a pair of outstanding seniors in Madison Whitehead and Kayla Chosa. Whitehead, a native of Altoona, WI, leads the Wildcats in kills per set, averaging 2.89, and has collected 58 total blocks. Chosa is ranked third in the nation in blocking, averaging 1.40 total blocks per set, and is second on the team in kills, averaging 2.84 per set. She is hitting .367, which places her second in the GLIAC in that category.

Senior setter Jami Hogeboom is third in the GLIAC in assists, averaging more than 11 per set, and has earned 147 digs and 33 total blocks. Middle blocker Sarah Kuehn is averaging 2.03 kills per set, and is hitting .347. The transfer from Minnesota State Mankato is second behind Chosa in blocking in the GLIAC, averaging 1.24 total blocks per set.

Junior libero Rachel Braunschweig lead the Wildcats in digs, with an average of 4.44 per set. Freshman Leticia Antunes, an outside hitter from Brazil, has put down 175 kills, and is second on the team in digs, averaging 3.25. Junior outside hitter Autumn Monsma is averaging more than two kills per set and has contributed 168 digs this season.

The Bearcats and Wildcats played last season at the Lady Buff Classic in Canyon, Texas, with Northern Michigan winning in four sets.