Saturday, August 26
Honolulu, Hawai'i
12 a.m. CT
Northwestern
at
Hawai'i
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
‘Cats Head West To Open 2023 At Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic
8/24/2023 10:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Northwestern to battle trio of NCAA Tournament participants from a season ago
EVANSTON, Ill. (August 24, 2023) – Coming off a season in which it posted the program's top win total since 2010, Northwestern volleyball raises the curtain on its 2023 campaign this weekend when it visits Honolulu, Hawai'i for the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic. The 'Cats will battle host Hawai'i, No. 9 Oregon, and No. 13 San Diego, all three of which qualified for the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Under eighth-year head coach Shane Davis, Northwestern is 6-1 (.857) in season openers, with the lone defeat in that stretch coming at the hands of Northern Colorado, 3-1, back on August 27, 2021.
Northwestern finished the 2022 season at 18-14 overall (7-13 B1G). Davis' crew upended a trio of ranked foes, none more impressive than a thrilling five-set victory on the road over No. 7 Minnesota, the program's first win over a top-10 ranked opponent away from home in Wildcat annals.
SCHEDULE
Saturday, August 26 – at rv Hawai'i | 12 a.m. (CT)
Saturday, August 26 – vs. No. 9 Oregon | 9:45 p.m. (CT)
Sunday, August 27 – vs. No. 13 San Diego | 7:45 p.m. (CT)
SCOUTING HAWAI'I
Tabbed as the preseason favorite in the Big West Conference, Hawai'i, which is receiving votes in the first American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Poll of the year, welcomes back six starters from last season's squad that finished 22-7 (19-1 Big West) on its way to claiming a third consecutive Big West regular season title.
Head coach Robyn Ah Mow, who is set to begin her eighth season with the Rainbow Wahine, welcomes back an experienced core of six starters from last season, a group that includes Preseason All-Big West picks Amber Igiede, Kate Lang, and Caylen Alexander, all three of which took home specialty awards from the conference in 2022.
Igiede, the reigning Big West Player of the Year, spearheaded the Hawai'i attack last season, racking up 406 kills (3.79 k/s) and 138 blocks (1.29 b/s). Lang was tabbed the conference's Setter of the Year following a campaign in which she dished out 1,102 assists (10.30 a/s), while Alexander looks to build off a terrific freshman campaign in which she started in all 29 matches, putting down 295 kills (2.78 k/s) on her way to taking home Big West Freshman of the Year honors.
SCOUTING OREGON
Tabbed ninth in the AVCA rankings, Oregon was picked third in the Pac-12 Conference Preseason Poll following a run to the Regional Final of the NCAA Volleyball Championship last season that saw the Ducks finish 26-6 overall (17-3 Pac-12).
Under the direction of seventh-year head coach Matt Ulmer, Oregon returns a trio of All-Pac-12 selections in Mimi Colyer, Georgia Murphy, and Hannah Pukis. Colyer and Pukis were both recognized as Preseason All-Pac-12 picks.
Colyer put together a breakout debut campaign with the Ducks, piling up 533 kills (4.20 k/s) as part of a 2022 season that saw her named the AVCA National Freshman of the Year, in addition to taking home AVCA Third Team All-America distinction and Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors. Pukis, who played the first two years of her career at Washington State, became just the third Oregon setter to earn an All-America nod last season, averaging 11.51 assists per set (1,047 assists), a mark that ranked 10th nationally.
SCOUTING SAN DIEGO
San Diego enjoyed its most successful season in program history in 2022, advancing to the National Semifinals of the NCAA Championship, where it dropped a 3-1 decision to eventual National Champion Texas.
Ranked 13th in the AVCA poll, San Diego was selected to repeat as champions of the West Coast Conference (WCC) after topping the league's preseason poll. Preseason All-WCC picks Leyla Blackwell, Amber Stivrins, and Haylee Stoner hope to lead the way for reigning AVCA National Coach of the Year Jennifer Petrie, who is entering her 25th season at the head of the Toreros' bench.
Blackwell, a two-time First Team All-WCC selection, has established herself as one of the conference's top defensive threats since arriving at San Diego from Big Ten rival Indiana in 2021, earning an Honorable Mention All-America selection from VolleyballMag.com last season after ranking fifth nationally with 176 blocks (1.50 b/s). A graduate transfer from Georgia, Stivrins led the Southeastern Conference in service aces (47; 0.42 sa/s) in 2021, while Stoner collected Honorable Mention All-WCC accolades last season after totaling 199 kills (1.45 k/s) and 110 blocks (1.0 b/s).
UP NEXT
Northwestern returns to the friendly confines of Welsh-Ryan Arena at 5 p.m. on Friday, September 1 to host Illinois State in the 2023 home opener. The 'Cats close out the holiday weekend with a Labor Day matchup at Milwaukee on Monday, September 4.
Under eighth-year head coach Shane Davis, Northwestern is 6-1 (.857) in season openers, with the lone defeat in that stretch coming at the hands of Northern Colorado, 3-1, back on August 27, 2021.
Northwestern finished the 2022 season at 18-14 overall (7-13 B1G). Davis' crew upended a trio of ranked foes, none more impressive than a thrilling five-set victory on the road over No. 7 Minnesota, the program's first win over a top-10 ranked opponent away from home in Wildcat annals.
SCHEDULE
Saturday, August 26 – at rv Hawai'i | 12 a.m. (CT)
Saturday, August 26 – vs. No. 9 Oregon | 9:45 p.m. (CT)
Sunday, August 27 – vs. No. 13 San Diego | 7:45 p.m. (CT)
SCOUTING HAWAI'I
Tabbed as the preseason favorite in the Big West Conference, Hawai'i, which is receiving votes in the first American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Poll of the year, welcomes back six starters from last season's squad that finished 22-7 (19-1 Big West) on its way to claiming a third consecutive Big West regular season title.
Head coach Robyn Ah Mow, who is set to begin her eighth season with the Rainbow Wahine, welcomes back an experienced core of six starters from last season, a group that includes Preseason All-Big West picks Amber Igiede, Kate Lang, and Caylen Alexander, all three of which took home specialty awards from the conference in 2022.
Igiede, the reigning Big West Player of the Year, spearheaded the Hawai'i attack last season, racking up 406 kills (3.79 k/s) and 138 blocks (1.29 b/s). Lang was tabbed the conference's Setter of the Year following a campaign in which she dished out 1,102 assists (10.30 a/s), while Alexander looks to build off a terrific freshman campaign in which she started in all 29 matches, putting down 295 kills (2.78 k/s) on her way to taking home Big West Freshman of the Year honors.
SCOUTING OREGON
Tabbed ninth in the AVCA rankings, Oregon was picked third in the Pac-12 Conference Preseason Poll following a run to the Regional Final of the NCAA Volleyball Championship last season that saw the Ducks finish 26-6 overall (17-3 Pac-12).
Under the direction of seventh-year head coach Matt Ulmer, Oregon returns a trio of All-Pac-12 selections in Mimi Colyer, Georgia Murphy, and Hannah Pukis. Colyer and Pukis were both recognized as Preseason All-Pac-12 picks.
Colyer put together a breakout debut campaign with the Ducks, piling up 533 kills (4.20 k/s) as part of a 2022 season that saw her named the AVCA National Freshman of the Year, in addition to taking home AVCA Third Team All-America distinction and Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors. Pukis, who played the first two years of her career at Washington State, became just the third Oregon setter to earn an All-America nod last season, averaging 11.51 assists per set (1,047 assists), a mark that ranked 10th nationally.
SCOUTING SAN DIEGO
San Diego enjoyed its most successful season in program history in 2022, advancing to the National Semifinals of the NCAA Championship, where it dropped a 3-1 decision to eventual National Champion Texas.
Ranked 13th in the AVCA poll, San Diego was selected to repeat as champions of the West Coast Conference (WCC) after topping the league's preseason poll. Preseason All-WCC picks Leyla Blackwell, Amber Stivrins, and Haylee Stoner hope to lead the way for reigning AVCA National Coach of the Year Jennifer Petrie, who is entering her 25th season at the head of the Toreros' bench.
Blackwell, a two-time First Team All-WCC selection, has established herself as one of the conference's top defensive threats since arriving at San Diego from Big Ten rival Indiana in 2021, earning an Honorable Mention All-America selection from VolleyballMag.com last season after ranking fifth nationally with 176 blocks (1.50 b/s). A graduate transfer from Georgia, Stivrins led the Southeastern Conference in service aces (47; 0.42 sa/s) in 2021, while Stoner collected Honorable Mention All-WCC accolades last season after totaling 199 kills (1.45 k/s) and 110 blocks (1.0 b/s).
UP NEXT
Northwestern returns to the friendly confines of Welsh-Ryan Arena at 5 p.m. on Friday, September 1 to host Illinois State in the 2023 home opener. The 'Cats close out the holiday weekend with a Labor Day matchup at Milwaukee on Monday, September 4.
Volleyball - Tim Nollan, Sienna Noordemeer, and Ayah Elnady at Big Ten Media Days (7/28/25)
Monday, July 28
Volleyball - 'Cats Down Hawkeyes 3-1 To Secure Season Sweep (11/10/24)
Monday, November 11
Volleyball - 'Cats Take Down Hawkeyes at Home (10/16/24)
Thursday, October 17
Volleyball - 'Cats Take Down Terrapins in Big Ten Opener (9/26/24)
Friday, September 27
