Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Drake
GAME NOTES: Wildcats Return to NIVC
11/29/2022 1:50:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Sunday, December 4 | 12:00 PM MT
Wichita, KS | Koch Arena
TV Stream:Â ESPN+
Live Stats:Â https://bit.ly/2QW1GcQ
For the fourth time in as many season, Weber State volleyball advances to national postseason play and has accepted a bid to play in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship. The Wildcats will be playing the Drake Bulldogs in Wichita, Kansas on Sunday, December 4 at 12:00 PM MT.
This is the third appearance in the NIVC in the previous four years for Weber State. In the team's two previous appearances (2019, 2021), the team advanced to the quarterfinals.Â
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THE MATCHES
• Weber State volleyball is once again playing December volleyball and has accepted a bid to the 2022 National Invitational Volleyball Championship.
• The Wildcats will be playing the Drake Bulldogs of the Missouri Valley Conference. Drake went 26-7 (16-2) on the season and had wins over Montana and Iowa.
• Drake advanced to the MVC title match against Northern Iowa and fell in five sets.
• Weber State is 3-0 all-time against Drake, the last matchup between the two teams coming in 2016 when Weber State won 3-1.
QUICK HITS
• Weber State won the 2020 and 2021 Big Sky Conference championships, including the 2020-21 conference tournament. Over the past two championship seasons, the Wildcats went 41-12 overall and 28-4 in conference play. In 2021, the team advanced to the quarterfinals of the NIVC, and in 2020-21 the Wildcats won the first NCAA tournament match in program history.
• Dani Richins was named the 2021 Big Sky Conference MVP, and was named an All-American for the second time in her career. Richins was named to the 2022 Big Sky All-Conference First Team for the fourth time in her career.
• Emma Mangum and Makayla Sorensen each received nods to the 2022 Big Sky All-Conference Second Team. This was the first time that either of them have been selected to the all-conference team.Â
• Brielle Rueckert led the Wildcats and the Big Sky Conference in hitting percentage by hitting a staggering .376.
• The Wildcat defense is leading the way in the Big Sky Conference and is number one in opponent hitting percentage (.164) and digging (16.22/set), and is second in blocking (2.64/set) and opponent service aces (1.27/set)
DOMINANT DEFENSE
• At 2.64 blocks per set, the Wildcat front line is second in the Big Sky Conference and ranked 20th in the nation.
• The Wildcats are holding opponents to a .164 hitting percentage this season. That number leads the Big Sky Conference and is 17th in the NCAA.
 • Weber State's back line has been impressive this season and is averaging 16.22 digs per set - the most in the Big Sky Conference and 34th in the country.
FANTASTIC FRESHMEN
• The Wildcats most recent recruiting class is one of the most highly-touted in school history, and several fantastic freshman are already making big impacts.
• Saane Katoa was named Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week in the opening week of the season. She tallied 19.0 blocks in the Wildcat Invitational - a tournament that Weber State went 3-0 in.
• When the Wildcats have needed a clutch kill, they've turned to true freshman Ashley Gneiting. Gneiting - who has scored crucial set and match-clinching kills several times this season - has led the team in kills in five matches this season.
• Rueckert led the Big Sky Conference with a .376 hitting percentage this season. Now that she qualifies with over 100 career kills, Rueckert has the highest career hitting percentage in Wildcat history.
