Wednesday, October 7 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Wartburg at Coe | 6:00 p.m.
WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
Friday, October 9 | Mount Vernon, Iowa
Wartburg at Cornell | 7:00 p.m.
WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
WAVERLY, Iowa -- The Wartburg College volleyball team (13-5 overall) opens American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) play Wednesday, Oct. 6, traveling to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to take on Coe College (5-10 overall) at 6 p.m. The Knights will then travel to Mount Vernon, Iowa, on Friday, Oct. 9, for a 7 p.m. matchup against Cornell College (6-7 overall, 2-0 MWC).

Wartburg enters conference play riding a 10-match winning streak, its longest since the 2021 season when the Knights won 29 consecutive matches. The Knights have also won their last 10 A-R-C openers, including three victories over Coe.

SERIES HISTORY
Coe: Wartburg owns a 44-13-1 advantage in the all-time series against the Kohawks, despite Coe claiming a 3-0 victory in last season's meeting. The Knights are 16-6 all-time in Cedar Rapids and have posted a 7-3 record in their last 10 matches against Coe. Wartburg's last trip to Cedar Rapids came during the 2024 season, when the Knights earned a 3-1 victory.

Cornell: Friday's matchup marks the 50th meeting between Wartburg and Cornell. The Knights hold a 34-14-1 advantage in the all-time series, though the Rams earned a 3-0 victory in last year's meeting in Mount Vernon. Wartburg is 11-8 all-time on the road against Cornell.

LAST TIME OUT
The Wartburg College volleyball team extended its winning streak to 10 matches Saturday, earning a five-set victory over Wis.-La Crosse before completing the day with a sweep of Alverno inside Levick Arena.

The Knights (13-5 overall) battled past the Eagles 25-17, 25-14, 22-25, 23-25, 15-13 before cruising to a 25-10, 25-14, 25-17 victory over Alverno. Wartburg established a new program record with 17 service aces against Wis.-La Crosse, surpassing a mark that had stood since 2005.

KNIGHTS AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
Ashlynn Hodges leads the Knights with 225 kills this season, ranking second in the American Rivers Conference and 19th nationally. She has recorded those kills while hitting .225 across 67 sets.

Freshman setter Alexa Buhman ranks fourth in NCAA Division III with 581 assists and second in the A-R-C. Buhman is also approaching the program's single-season assists record. Sarah Olsen holds the Wartburg record with 1,631 assists, set during the 2003 season.
 
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
 
Aspen Falk has dropped in 29 service aces, sitting at No. 4 the A-R-C. Falk is just three aces shy of her career high of 31. As a team, Wartburg ranks second in the conference, trailing Dubuque's 161, with 148 service aces on the season.

At the net, Anna Sash has recorded the third-most total blocks in the league at 54, ranking 52nd nationally. Her total includes 29 block assists and 25 solo blocks.
 
AROUND THE A-R-C
With conference play approaching, Buena Vista sits atop the American Rivers Conference standings with a perfect 13-0 overall record. Dubuque follows at 16-4, while Wartburg claims third at 13-5.
Central follows in fourth with a 11-6 record, as Nebraska Wesleyan is 9-5 and Simpson is 9-6 in fifth and sixth, respectively. Loras stands at 7-12, followed by Coe at 5-10.
 
A-R-C STANDINGS – as of Oct. 6

1. Buena Vista: 13-0 overall
2. Dubuque: 16-4 overall
3. Wartburg: 13-5 overall
4. Central: 11-6 overall
5. Nebraska Wesleyan: 9-5 overall
6. Simpson: 9-6 overall
7. Loras: 7-12 overall
8. Coe: 5-10 overall

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
1. Dubuque – 48 (7)
2. Central – 37
3. Wartburg – 32
4. Neb. Wesleyan – 31
T5. Coe – 27
T5. Simpson – 27
7. Loras – 12
8. Buena Vista - 8