SENIOR DAY | Saturday, Oct. 24 | Noon | Waverly, Iowa
Wartburg vs Buena Vista
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Tuesday, Oct. 27 | 6:00 p.m. | St. Paul, Minn.
Wartburg at Bethel
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WAVERLY, Iowa -- The Wartburg College volleyball team (15-8, 2-1 A-R-C) welcomes Buena Vista University (17-2, 2-1 A-R-C) to Levick Arena for a noon Senior Day matchup on Saturday, Oct. 24. The Knights will celebrate their four seniors prior to the start of the contest.

Wartburg then hits the road next Tuesday, Oct. 27, traveling to St. Paul, Minn., to face Bethel University for a non-conference match beginning at 6 p.m.

With nine total home wins this season, the Knights have recorded their most wins inside Levick Arena since the 2021 season. 
 
2026 WARTBURG VOLLEYBALL SENIOR CLASS

• Leah Hayungs (Orange City, Iowa/MOC-Floyd Valley)
• Alexa Melcher (Elk River, Minn./Elk River)
• Peyton Robinson (Lisbon, Iowa/Lisbon)
• Sophie Williams (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield East)

SERIES HISTORY
BUENA VISTA: Wartburg holds a 52-12 advantage in the all-time series against Buena Vista, with Saturday marking the 85th meeting between the programs. The Knights have won three consecutive matchups, sweeping the Beavers in each contest. Buena Vista's last win came in 2022, a 3-1 decision in Waverly. Wartburg owns a 23-4 record against the Beavers inside Levick Arena.

BETHEL: Wartburg leads the all-time series against Bethel 15-14 heading into Tuesday's 30th meeting. The Royals claimed a five-set victory over the Knights last season on Oct. 25, while Wartburg earned a five-set win in the teams' last meeting in St. Paul, Minn., in 2024. Each team has won five of the previous 10 matchups, with the Knights holding a 2-3 record on the road against the Royals.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Wartburg battled Central College in a five-set conference matchup, rallying after dropping the opening set 25-11 before securing a 15-13 victory in the decisive fifth set to remain unbeaten in A-R-C play.

The following day, the Knights fell to Simpson College in straight sets at Levick Arena. The Storm limited Wartburg to a season-low .064 hitting percentage.

Wartburg then returned to nonconference action against UW-Stout Polytechnic on Tuesday. The Blue Devils rallied to claim a five-set victory, splitting the season series with the Knights.
 
BUHMAN RANKS NO. 2 NATIONALLY IN TOTAL ASSISTS
Freshman setter Alexa Buhman has recorded the nation's second-most assists with 802. Buhman trails fellow A-R-C setter, Alexis Kammerer's 966 for the nation's leading assists total. Buhman inches towards the top 10 in Wartburg's single-season assists record, eyeing Sarah Nederhoff's 1,106 set in 1998.
 
WARTBURG SINGLE-SEASON ASSISTS
1. 1631 - Sarah Olsen (143 sets) - 2003
2. 1535 - Angie Hulse (131 sets) - 2002
3. 1288 - Traci Robinson (124 sets) - 2006
4. 1269 - Ramey Sieck (132 sets) - 2012
5. 1253 - Angie Hulse (105 sets) - 2001
6. 1249 - Ramey Sieck (135 sets) - 2013
7. 1218 - Britney Hermsen (138 sets) - 2009
8. 1127 - Claire Marsh (108 sets) - 2021
9. 1117 - Lindsay Murphy (125 sets) - 2005
10. 1106 - Sarah Nederhoff (102 sets) – 1998
 
TOP THREE IN THE A-R-C

• Anna Sash has sent back 74 blocks this season, ranking No. 2 in the A-R-C, averaging 0.85 per set.
• Peyton Robinson leads the Knights with 368 digs this season, sitting second in the league and No. 51 nationally.
• Ashlynn Hodges has tallied a team-leading 276 kills, the second-most in the A-R-C and No. 31 in Division III so far this season.

AS A TEAM

• Blocks per set (1.79) – No. 2 in A-R-C
• Digs per set (16.91) – No. 3
• Opponent Hitting Percentage (.137) – No. 3
• Team Service Aces (175) – No. 2
• Team Total Blocks (159.0) – No. 2
• Team Total Attacks (3,067) – No. 2 (No. 22 in Div. III)

A-R-C STANDINGS – as of Oct. 15
Dubuque: 20-4, 4-0 A-R-C (Q)
Simpson: 14-6, 4-0 A-R-C (Q)
Buena Vista: 17-2, 2-1 A-R-C
Wartburg: 15-7, 2-1 A-R-C
Nebraska Wesleyan: 13-8, 1-2 A-R-C
Coe: 8-14, 1-2 A-R-C
Central: 11-11, 0-4 A-R-C
Loras: 7-16, 0-4 A-R-C
 
(Q): A-R-C Tournament Qualifier
 
MEET THE KNIGHTS
Wartburg returns 16 players from last season while welcoming two junior college transfers and nine freshmen.

The Knights' senior class includes Peyton Robinson of Lisbon, Iowa; Alexa Melcher of Elk River, Minnesota; Leah Hayungs of Orange City, Iowa; and Sophie Williams of Plainfield, Illinois.
Wartburg added junior college transfers Emma Liechti of Ankeny, Iowa, and Emily Naughton of Raymond, Iowa.

Liechti appeared in 80 matches during her two-year career at Des Moines Area Community College, recording 410 kills while hitting .251 and adding 299 total blocks. The All-Region middle blocker joins the Knights following a decorated junior college career.

Naughton played in 44 matches as a middle hitter at Kirkwood Community College, totaling 99 kills on a .280 hitting percentage, 51 digs and 82 blocks.

The Knights' nine-member freshman class includes Alexa Buhman, Rachel Borwick, Brenna Baumgardner, Keely Kauten, Lucy Maassen, Karsyn Michael, McKenzie Becker, Kruiz Ewoldt and Lillian Frazer.

LOOKING BACK
Head coach DeAnn Akins enters her second season leading the Wartburg volleyball program after guiding the Knights to a 15-12 record in 2025. Wartburg advanced to the first round of the American Rivers Conference Tournament before falling 3-1 to third-seeded Simpson College.

The Knights return AVCA All-Region and All-Conference middle hitter Anna Sash, who led the team with 259 kills and 122.0 blocks last season. Sash started all 27 matches and recorded 52 solo blocks, the third-highest single-season total in program history.

Wartburg averaged 16.2 digs, 11.3 kills, 10.4 assists, 2.1 service aces and 1.9 blocks per set in 2025.

Kaylee Koudelka and Sash combined for 493 kills, while Robinson led the Knights with 470 digs and 44 service aces.

Off the court, Wartburg earned its 12th consecutive AVCA Team Academic Award after posting a 3.61 cumulative grade-point average.
 
A-R-C PRESEASON POLL
Dubuque – 48 (7)
Central – 37
Wartburg – 32
Neb. Wesleyan – 31
T5. Coe – 27
T5. Simpson – 27
Loras – 12
Buena Vista - 8