Cats, Cyclones Meet Wednesday at Morgan Family Arena

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Coming off a pair of five-set road victories, Kansas State returns to Morgan Family Arena for a midweek matchup against Iowa State. Following Wednesday's match with the Cyclones, K-State will host Texas Tech on Friday. Both matches are set for 6:30 p.m.

The Wildcats enter the week with a 9-3 overall record and a 2-2 mark in Big 12 play. Senior Shaylee Myers earned her second Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honor after setting multiple rally-scoring era records, highlighted by a 34-kill performance at West Virginia.

Iowa State (13-2, 3-1), which is receiving votes in the latest AVCA Coaches Top 25 Poll, looks to extend its winning streak after picking up victories over Texas Tech and UCF last week. The Red Raiders (8-8, 0-4 Big 12) travel to Manhattan seeking their first conference win of the season.

Both matches can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with the broadcast team of Brian Smoller and former Wildcat two-time All-American Liz Wegner-Busch are back to call the action.

MATCH #13
K-STATE (9-3, 2-2 BIG 12) vs. IOWA STATE (13-2, 3-1 BIG 12)
Wednesday, October 8 // 6:30 PM CT // Morgan Family Arena (Manhattan, Kan.)
Live Stats // ESPN+ // Tickets

MATCH #14
K-STATE (9-3, 2-2 BIG 12) vs. TEXAS TECH (8-8, 0-4 BIG 12)
Friday, October 10 // 6:30 PM CT // Morgan Family Arena (Manhattan, Kan.)
Live Stats // ESPN+ // Tickets

FOLLOW THE CATS

Both Big 12 matchups will broadcast on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
Live stat links can be found on the K-State volleyball schedule page on kstatesports.com, while fans can find live game updates all season long on the Wildcats social media pages (@KStateVB).
Single-match tickets for all home matches can be purchased by contacting the K-State Athletics Ticket Office at (800) 221-CATS, visiting kstatesports.com/tickets or at the Morgan Family Arena ticket booth.

A WEDNESDAY WIN WOULD…

Stretch K-State's winning streak over Iowa State to seven and mark the program's 49^th victory against the Cyclones.
Hand the Wildcats their 19^th win at home under Mansfield.
Secure the program's 423^rd home victory and 286^th win in Big 12 play.

K-STATE AT A GLANCE

K-State (9-3, 2-2 Big 12) saw three players post double-doubles in its fourth consecutive five-set road match victory against Cincinnati.
Senior Shaylee Myers earned her second Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honor after setting multiple rally-scoring era records, highlighted by a 34-kill performance at West Virginia.
The Wildcats tallied a season-high 79 kills against the Bearcats with three players in double figures, while the defense held a 77-69 edge in digs with five players reaching double-digit totals.
Redshirt junior Aniya Clinton registered her 600^th career kill, while senior setter Ava LeGrand tallied her 700^th career assist.
LeGrand leads the 2025 roster with five double-doubles on the year. She has registered a double-double in four of the last five matches.
K-State is 4-1 in matches that exceed three sets, including a perfect record in five-set matches.
Friday's match marked the Wildcats' fourth consecutive five-set match on the road. Five of the last six matches have gone to four or more sets.
As a team, K-State ranks fifth in the league kills per set (13.58) and third in assists per set (12.78), orchestrated by LeGrand, who is fourth in category (10.22).
The Cats 285-247 all-time in Big 12 play, including a 20-20 record under Mansfield, while the program boasts an overall conference record of 338-382.

SCOUTING IOWA STATE

Iowa State (13-2, 3-1 Big 12) is coming off a 2-0 last week vs. Texas Tech and UCF and is receiving votes in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll for the second week in a row.
The Cyclones capped their non-con season with a 10-1 record, suffering its lone loss to UNI on Sept. 9. Since then, the Cyclones are 8-1 in their last nine matches,
Junior middle blocker Pam McCune totaled 21 kills at .450 clip last week, while putting up nine blocks. Against TTU, McCune had an errorless 11 kills on 18 swings (.611 hitting) with six blocks.
Freshman Alex Goolsby leads ISU with 203 kills – first player to eclipse the 200 mark – with 3.76 kills per set. She is followed by Maya Duckworth at 2.27 kills/set.
Iowa State first received votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll last week after splitting a pair of ranked matches on the road. ISU reverse swept No. 23 Utah, before extending the third set at No. 14 BYU to nearly force a fourth.
Morgan Brandt leads all active Big 12 players with 3,198 career assists. The total ranks fourth in program history.
Iowa State leads the Big 12 in kills (14.53/set). The average is the seventh-highest in the nation.
Head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch, who is in her 21^st season at the helm of the Cyclones' volleyball program, ranks third all time in Big 12 history with 210 league victories.

INSIDE THE SERIES

Wednesday marks the 106^th match between the Wildcats and Cyclones, and 48^th played in Manhattan.
Iowa State leads the all-time series 57-48, while K-State holds an 25-22 edge in matches played in Manhattan that includes a four-match winning streak at home.
In their last meeting that featured 55 tie scores, 15 lead changes and 32 kills from former Wildcat Aliyah Carter, K-State outlasted Iowa State in five sets (25-21, 24-26, 25-23, 23-25, 22-20).
The Wildcats five-set victory at Iowa State last season stretched the Cats win streak out to six – their second longest win streak in the series.
Mansfield is now 3-0 in his career vs. ISU.

Last 5 Matches
10/2/22 – Kansas State 3, Texas Tech 0
11/4/22 – Kansas State 3, Texas Tech 1
10/11/23 – Kansas State 3, Texas Tech 0
10/5/24 – Kansas State 3, Texas Tech 2
10/27/24 – Kansas State 3, Texas Tech 2

SCOUTING TEXAS TECH

Texas Tech (8-8, 0-4 Big 12) looks to capture its first Big 12 victory in 2025 after dropping four straight league matches to No. 20 Baylor, Houston, Iowa state and No. 12 TCU.
Over its last four matches, TTU has won just three total sets.
Addie Kanouf paces the Red Raiders offense with 155 total kills and total points (176.5) and is hitting at a .249 clip with 38 total blocks.
Reagan Engler is second to Kanouff in total kills with 154, while she currently leading the team in kills per set (3.14), points per set (3.53) and double-doubles (4).
Four players have recorded 10 or more service aces this season, led by Sierra Grizzle who earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors on September 2.
A junior transfer from Wyoming, Grizzle's 4.83 digs per set leads the league while she ranks 22^nd nationally in the category. She is the Big 12's leader in total digs (314), which is 11^th-best in the country.
The Red Raiders roster features nine freshmen, the most head coach Tony Graystone has had on a team in his tenure.

INSIDE THE SERIES

K-State leads the all-time series 45-16, with a 26-3 lead in matches played in Manhattan, while boasting a 2-1 record in the Mansfield era.
In three set matches, the Wildcats have swept the Red Raiders in 22 of their 45 wins.
The Wildcats are 8-2 in the last 10 matches vs. TTU.
Texas Tech snapped a three-match losing streak to K-State last season, taking a four-set victory in Lubbock.

Last 5 Matches
9/28/22 – Texas Tech 3, Kansas State 0
11/23/22 – Kansas State 3, Texas Tech 2
11/17/23 – Kansas State 3, Texas Tech0
11/18/23 – Kansas State 3, Texas Tech 0
10/3/24 – Texas Tech 3, Kansas State 1

LAST TIME OUT

K-State defeated Cincinnati in five sets Friday night – 24-26, 25-21, 25-19, 23-25, 15-7.
The Wildcats held a 79-55 advantage in kill production, hitting at a .255 team efficiency.
Defensively, the K-State held a 77-69 edge in total digs while UC out-blocked the Cats, 14.0-7.0.
Three players registered double-doubles: LeGrand (53 assists, 18 digs), Clinton (25 kills, 15 digs), Myers (24 kills, 11 digs).
Additionally, Ponn and Sims eclipsed the 10-dig mark as Ponn produced a season-high 17 digs while Sims added 12.
K-State had three players record double-digit kills led by Clinton (25), followed hy Myers (24) and Williams (12) – her third career match in double figures.

MYERS MAYHEM

Senior Shaylee Myers' record-breaking 34 kills highlighted K-State's undefeated weekend, as the Wildcats edged West Virginia and Cincinnati in a pair of five-set road thrillers.
First player in the rally-scoring era to record 34 kills in a single match and just the fourth in program history to reach the milestone.
Her 34 kills are the most kills by any Big 12 and Division I player in a match this season.
Only the second player in school history to post 39.5 or more points in a match, setting a new rally-scoring era record.
Tied the program record for service aces in a five-set match, becoming the fifth player in the rally-scoring era to notch five aces.
Registered a double-double against Cincinnati, finishing with 24 kills and 11 digs, marking her fifth match this season with 20 or more kills.
In total, Myers amassed 58 kills (5.80 per set) on a .315 hitting percentage, along with 20 digs, five service aces, and 63.5 points (6.35 per set) across the two matches.

ANIYA-LATOR

Clinton, who was selected to the 2025 Preseason All-Big 12 Volleyball Team, recorded a pair of 20-kill matches last week at West Virginia and Cincinnati.
A product of Midland, Texas, Clinton is second on the team with 167 kills (3.71 per set) while hitting at a .187 efficiency with 2.11 digs per set and 0.40 blocks per set with eight service aces.
She has registered a career-high 25 kills in three matches, including two last week, while she has eclipsed the 10-kill mark in eight of 12 matches this season.
The 6-foot-2 outside hitter and opposite was one of 18 to earn a spot on the conference's preseason squad.
In 2023, Clinton was named to the All-Big 12 Rookie Team and earned multiple Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors.

DOUBLE DOWN

K-State saw three players post double-doubles Friday night at Cincinnati.
Clinton matched a career-best 25 kills and added 15 digs her for her third career double-double.
LeGrand dished out 53 assists to go with 18 digs – her team-high fifth double-double of the year.
Additionally, Myers registered her second career double-double and first since her freshman season, as the senior totaled 24 kills with 11 digs.

SENIOR STACKED

K-State's four seniors are leading the team in nearly every major statistical category.
Myers paces the offense with 224 total kills, 4.98 kills per set, 248.5 points, and 5.52 points per set, as well as service aces (15).
LeGrand posts 10.22 assists per set and is second in service aces (14).
Brenna Schmidt leads the way in blocks per set (1.20), while Jordyn Williams leads overall in total kills (38.0). Schmidt also leads the squad in hitting percentage at .353.

SHINING IN PURPLE

Five of K-State's six true freshman made their collegiate debuts during the Wildcats' non-conference schedule.
Defensive specialist/libero Caleigh Ponn has appeared in all but three sets this season, while Cadence Lundgren has played in 28.
Lundgren has made five match starts and averages 0.82 blocks/set, totaling 23 that includes four solo blocks. Her season-best six total blocks against Northern Colorado (Sept. 12), matches the most by a Wildcat this season.
Redshirt freshman Emerson Van Lannen is third on the team in service aces, recording a season-high three twice against East Carolina (Sept. 20) and at West Virginia (Oct. 1).

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

The Wildcats are undefeated when leading in kills and attack percentage and are 8-0 when hitting above .200 with three victories hitting north of .300.
Additionally, the Cats are 5-0 when they have limited their opponents to a hitting efficiency under .200. In three of those wins, opponents hit under .100. Conversely, K-State is 4-3 when opponents post a team efficiency above .200.
K-State has out-blocked opponents in six matches (5-1), totaling a season-high 10 against in three (vs. Delaware, Aug. 31; vs. Northern Colorado, Sept. 12; at #25 North Carolina, Sept. 19).

AROUND THE BIG 12

Two schools from the Big 12 Conference remain undefeated in league play with Colorado (4-0) and Arizona State (3-0), while four programs have recorded just one loss.
Five schools rank in the latest AVCA Coaches Top 25 Poll – No. 8 Arizona State, No. 11 TCU, No. 15 Kansas, No. 16 Baylor, and No. 21 BYU – while Iowa State is receiving votes.
Kansas State's Shaylee Myers (offensive), West Virginia's LonDynn Betts (defensive) and BYU's Suli Davis (rookie) garnered Big 12 recognition following the second week of league play.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Aliyah Carter

Aniya Clinton

Ava LeGrand

Cadence Lundgren

Shaylee Myers

Caleigh Ponn

Brenna Schmidt

Emerson Van Lannen

Jordyn Williams

Kansas State University Athletics