EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.  –  SIUE volleyball will close out the non-conference portion of their schedule at home, starting with a Friday night showdown against Valparaiso before closing out the 2021 SIUE Cougar Classic with a Saturday afternoon match against Western Illinois.

Schedule
Friday, September 17 – 11 a.m. CT | Valparaiso vs. Western Illinois
Friday, September 17 – 6 p.m. CT | SIUE vs. Valparaiso
Saturday, September 18 – 12 p.m. CT | SIUE vs. Western Illinois

News & Notes

WHERE WE'RE AT: SIUE volleyball currently sits at 2-7 with wins over Purdue Fort Wayne (Aug. 27) and Eastern Kentucky (Sep. 4). This weekend will mark the final weekend of the Cougars' non-conference slate, closing out non-conference play at home before heading into Ohio Valley Conference play.

THE TASK AT HAND: This weekend marks the return of the SIUE Cougar Classic, which will see the Red & White play at home for the first time this season.
    VALPARAISO: The Beacons (formerly Crusaders) currently sit at 7-2, with their lone losses coming against Illinois (Aug. 28) and South Dakota State (Sep. 11). Valpo has     played one OVC member so far, taking down Tennessee Tech in a five-set thriller (Sep. 3). The Beacons were picked to finish seventh in the Missouri Valley Conference and     are led by two-time MVC Libero of the Year Rylee Cookerly.
    WESTERN ILLINOIS: The Leathernecks currently sit at 1-8, with their lone win coming in a 3-2 victory at Eastern Kentucky (Sep. 10). WIU's match against the Cougars will     mark the team's lone match against an OVC opponent this season. The Leathernecks were picked to finish last in the Summit League and are led by middle blocker                           Peyton Bowman and outside hitter Aubrey Putman.

TRYING TO BOUNCE BACK: Following a grueling nine-match road trip that saw the Cougars span three different time zones in three weeks, SIUE will return to the friendly confines of First Community Arena looking to right the ship in time for OVC play.

SPRING RECAP: SIUE volleyball put together one of the most successful campaigns in program history last spring, compiling the third-highest conference winning percentage in the program's Division I era (.714) and earning one of just four spots in the 2020-21 Ohio Valley Conference Volleyball Championship. The season also saw four different Cougars earn All-OVC honors, including an All-OVC Second Team nod for redshirt sophomore middle blocker Savannah Christian.