By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University will begin its 56th season of volleyball on Friday and Saturday at the Oredigger Volleyball Classic in Golden, Colo., with four matches over two days.
The Ichabods will open the tournament on Friday with an 11 a.m. MST match against Colorado Christian before taking on South Dakota Mines at 4 p.m. MST.
In Day 2 of the tournament on Saturday Washburn will face Davenport at 10 a.m. MST and Valdosta State at 2 p.m. MST.
Senior setter Sydney Conner is one of 14 returners for Washburn volleyball, which went 21-8 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2024. [File photo/TSN],
"We're really excited,'' said Ichabod senior setter Sydney Conner, who was second on the team with 478 assists last year and is third among returners with 224 digs. "We've been practicing for two or three weeks, really great practices, and playing each other a lot, so we're really excited to get the regular season started.''
The Ichabods enter 2025 after going 21-8 overall a season ago, including an 11-5 record inside the MIAA.
WU's season ended with a 3-2 NCAA Central Region semifinal loss to No. 6 nationally-ranked Central Oklahoma.
Washburn is ranked No. 22 in the preseason American Volleyball Coaches Association poll with 210 points. The Ichabods were ranked No. 24 to finish the 2024 season.
"One of coach's things he's been telling us is punch first,'' said Conner, a Kearney, Neb. native who ranks No. 14 on Washburn's career assist list with 1,523. "So when you play another team you want to be the first to punch, the first to get on top, so that's something we've been focusing on in practice.
"We're going to miss Jalyn (Stevenson, three-time All-MIAA pick) a lot, but we return a lot of people with experience, so we're looking forward to it.''
This weekend's seven-team tournament is hosted by Colorado School of Mines in Lockridge Arena. In addition to the four Ichabod opponents and the host Orediggers, Grand Valley State is the seventh team in the tournament.
The Ichabods were picked to finish third in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll with 98 total points.
Washburn returns 14 letter-winners from a season ago.
Senior Alex Dvorak headlines the WU returners after earning AVCA All-America honorable mention honors in 2024. Dvorak is second among returners with 240 kills while leading the team last year with a .364 hitting percentage.
On the defensive end Dvorak returns a team and conference-high 150 blocks. Last season the Kansas City, Mo. native played in all 29 matches and delivered eight matches with seven or more blocks.
Austin Broadie returns with the most experience in the Ichabod program, going into her fifth year. She received All-MIAA honorable mention a season ago and had the most kills among all returners with 248. Broadie hit .257 on the year across all 29 matches and added 68 blocks. The Burns native registered nine matches with double-digit kills.
Corinna McMullen will return to control the Ichabod offense for a fourth year at setter after leading the team with 706 assists a season ago. The Bucyrus native also served up a team-high 42 aces while adding 265 digs, good for second among returners. The All-MIAA second-team selection played in all 29 matches and had eight with 30 or more assists.
Junior Taylor Rottinghaus will once again roam the back row for Washburn after being named an All-MIAA second-team selection after leading the team with 569 digs and playing all 29 matches. She carried a .96 reception percentage while also adding 29 aces, second most among returners, and 84 assists. The Shawnee Heights product had five matches with 25-plus digs.
Bella Limback returns to Washburn for her senior season after starting all 29 matches as a junior and earning All-MIAA honorable mention. She returns the third most kills on the team with 183 a season ago while hitting .345, second best on the squad. At the net the Waverly, Mo. native registered 99 blocks, second most on the Ichabods.
Eight new players will suit up for Ichabod volleyball in 2025 with five freshmen and three more newcomers joining the program.
Herron is in his 24th season at the helm of the Ichabod volleyball program with a career record of 624-140 at Washburn.
Herron has led the Ichabod to 18 NCAA Tournament appearances and six combined MIAA titles (five regular season and one tournament). He has been named MIAA Coach of the Year four times and led the Ichabods to the NCAA National Championship match in 2021.
Colorado Christian opens the 2025 season after going 19-11 in 2024 with a 9-5 mark inside the RMAC. The Cougars qualified for the NCAA Tournament, falling in the regional quarterfinal round.
Renee Phillips returns for Colorado Christian after finishing second on the team with 280 kills (2.80 per set) while starting all 30 matches and hitting .344. She made 83 blocks on the defensive end and served 21 aces. She was 10th in the RMAC in total blocks.
South Dakota Mines begins 2025 after posting an 18-9 record in 2024 along with a 11-3 mark in the RMAC.
Ivy Vindivich returns for the Hardrockers after finishing third on the team in kills last season with 224 and hitting .173.
Hannah Benes paced South Dakota Mines with 500 digs a season ago and also paced the team with 55 aces while adding 124 assists.
Davenport turns the page to 2025 after going 10-19 in 2024 along with a 6-11 GLIAC record.
After leading the team with 354 kills a season ago Abby Alan returns. She played and started in all 29 matches while adding 34 aces and 239 digs, second most on the team.
Hayley Carr led Davenport in digs last season with 404 while playing in all 29 matches. She added 73 assists and 24 aces.
Kaitlyn Marsh had 82 blocks last season to lead the Panthers while starting in all 29 matches. She also added 144 kills.
Valdosta State went 19-12 in 2024, going 13-7 inside the GSC. The Blazers were defeated in the GSC Tournament quarterfinals by Lee to end the season.
Katie Callenberger had the fourth most kills on the team last season with 223 while hitting .285. She played and started in all 31 matches while making 66 blocks.
Avery Mullins returns after finishing second on the team with 474 assists across 28 matches and 12 starts. She also served 21 aces and scooped up 179 digs.
Next week Washburn opens it's home schedule at the Washburn Invitational with four matches in two days. Day 1 begins with an 11 a.m. meeting against Truman State on Friday.
