EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE returns to First Community Arena after opening OVC play with a sweep at Tennessee State. 

SERIES: The Leathernecks lead the all-time series 8-4. Last season, the Leathernecks defeated the Cougars in both meetings (3-0, 3-1). 

TEAM EFFORT: As a team the Cougars rank second in the OVC in blocks per set (2.06). SIUE posted a season-high .347 hitting percentage in its win over TSU, the program's best since hitting .337 against Eastern Michigan in 2024. 

SERVES UP: Freshman Ally Hughes ranks fourth in the OVC for service aces at 20, highlighted by a career-high four aces against Michigan State (Sept. 20). As a team, SIUE sits fourth in the OVC and 98th nationally in aces, recently tying a single-season high of 11 aces against TSU (Sept. 26).

AT THE TOP: Junior transfer Vienna Elliot ranks third in the OVC with 54 total blocks, and second in blocks per set (1.08). Earlier this season she had a career-high six block assists against Seattle (Sept. 13).

COUGARS AT THE NET: Grace Nichols had a career-high hitting percentage of .565, off of 13 kills and no errors against Binghamton (Sept.19). Grad student Kyndia Smith had a career-high 19 kills against Indiana State (Sept. 5), helping lead the Cougars to their first win of the season. She matched this career high against Seattle and Air Force. The Cougars have not had an athlete get 20 or more kills in a single match since 2023. 

TAKE FIVE: SIUE has already played five five-set matches this season, including a five-set decision against Air Force to end their six game win streak. Since 1995, the Cougars have gone 108-83 in five-set contests, including 48-47 since beginning DI play in 2012. The 2024 squad had a program-record 11 five-set matches. 

A NEW LOOK: The 2025 roster features 10 new additions: five freshman (Kinley Quast, Kennedy Pike, Morgan Jones, Ally Hughes, Maddie Determan) alongside one sophomore (Teagan Sullivan), three juniors (Vienna Elliott, Anika Ivester and Paige Bernstein) and one senior (Grace Nichols). 

DOUBLE TIME: Sullivan is a dual sport athlete for SIUE. During her freshman year she competed in track and field. She was recognized as OVC field athlete of the week (Jan. 25, 2025), she also recorded a PR long jump with a distance of 5.97m, good for third in the programs all-time performances. This will be her first season with the volleyball team, marking the start of her dual sport college career. 

TRANSFER TALK: Kendall Paulus and her staff welcome four transfers. Elliott joins the Cougars after two season with SIU Carbondale, Ivester comes from Omaha, Bernstein was previously at the University of Houston and Nichols is the lone interconference transfer from Western Illinois. 

PRESEASON HONORS: The OVC released its 2025 preseason volleyball poll Aug. 21, with SIUE picked to finish seventh. Also recognized was senior Bree Schreimann to the OVC watch list. Last season Schreimann appeared in 104 sets over 27 matches, averaging 1.62 kills per set and 74 total blocks. 

AT THE HELM: Kendall Paulus is in her ninth season in charge of the Cougars, owning an all-time record of 107-126. Paulus is SIUE's second longest tenured volleyball head coach behind Todd Gober, who coached the Cougars for 10 seasons. 

COACHING STAFF: Paulus added assistant coach Josh Comer and Graduate assistant Dante Pulphus to her coaching staff. Comer joins the Cougars after two season with McNeese. Pulphus recently graduated from Marian University where he received his Bachelor in Science and played men's volleyball.