TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati volleyball team will head to South Carolina for a pair of matches this weekend. The Bearcats will take on the Gamecocks Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m. inside the Carolina Volleyball Center in Columbia, S.C.
Both matches will be broadcast nationally on SEC Network+ and can be followed via live stats.
// ALL-TOURNAMENT ACCOLADES FOR ABBY
Sophomore middle blocker Abby Walker was named to the BYU Nike Invitational All-Tournament Team after averaging 2.92 kills and 0.92 blocks per set over three matches. She put together an incredible effort against one of the top programs in the country, registering a career-high 23 kills at an efficient .400 clip vs. Pitt. She has led the team in kills in all but one match, and in blocks in four matches.
// LEAGUE LEADERS
Walker sits fourth in the AAC in blocks per set (1.08). She has totaled a league-best 27 blocks in 25 sets played – good for 61st in the nation. She also ranks 10th in the AAC in points per set with 3.66. Freshman setter Caroline Endres ranks sixth in the AAC in assists per set (9.52) and ninth in service aces per set (0.44). On two occasions, she has posted four service aces in a match.
// YOUNG BUT READY
The Bearcats' lineup features five underclassmen: two sophomores, one redshirt freshman and three true freshmen. Walker has appeared in all 25 sets, leading the team in kills per set (3.04), blocks per set (1.08) and hitting percentage (.311). Fellow sophomore starter Shaye Eggleston has provided stability to the Bearcats' backrow, averaging 2.00 digs and 1.52 kills per set in 21 sets played. Redshirt freshman middle blocker Ligia Williams is third on the team in blocks per set (0.78) and has appeared in all but two sets for the Bearcats. Freshmen Caroline Endres and Paige Pickering have appeared in all 25 sets. Endres is handling the setting duties while Pickering is adding 2.12 digs per set as a defensive specialist. Freshmen Avry Tatum and Carly Glendinning have both seen time as starting outside attackers, playing in 21 and 19 sets, respectively.
// WEEKEND REWIND
Cincinnati faced a challenging field at the BYU Nike Invitational (Sept. 2-3), facing two top-10 programs in BYU and Pitt as well as Utah State, who is receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll. Despite going 0-3, the Bearcats pushed some of the top teams in the country. UC went the distance against Pitt, before falling in five sets on Friday. The Panthers moved up to No. 7 in this week's AVCA poll. The Bearcats also took a set from then ranked No. 7-BYU later that night on the Cougars' home court. Along with Walker, Eggleston shined for the Bearcats during the tournament, averaging 1.92 kills and 1.67 digs per set. Against Utah State, she notched a season-best 10 kills with only one attacking error on 25 attempts (.360).
// WELCOME TO THE BLOCK PARTY
The Bearcats registered 16 total blocks – 32 blocks assists – against Dayton on Aug. 26. The single-match mark ranks first in the AAC and is tied for 11th in the country. Walker and Williams each posted a career-best eight blocks to lead the defensive effort. It marked the Bearcats' most blocks in a single match since the 2016 season when they totaled 18 blocks against Middle Tennessee (Aug. 27). UC set a four-set school record with 36 block assists in that match. In 2021, the Bearcats ranked last in the AAC in blocks per set, averaging just 1.62 blocks per set. They are currently averaging 2.04 blocks per set in 2022 – good for fifth in the AAC.
// STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
The Bearcats will face seven 2021 NCAA Tournament teams this season: Illinois State, Dayton, Florida State, Pitt, BYU, South Carolina and UCF. UC saw three of those teams in its season-opening home tournament, Tribute to #10 (Aug. 26-28). Dayton and Florida State both received votes in the AVCA Preseason Coaches Poll while Illinois State was the 2021 Missouri Valley Conference champion. The Bearcats continued non-conference play at the BYU Nike Invitational (Sept. 2-3) where they faced then-No. 10 Pitt, No. 7 BYU and RV Utah State. Pitt reached the national semifinals a season ago before falling to Nebraska, 3-1. BYU is coming off a 30-2 season in 2021, going a perfect 18-0 in conference and reaching its second straight NCAA Sweet 16. UC will also take on 2021 NCAA Tournament participant South Carolina for a pair of matches on Sept. 9-10 in Columbia, S.C.
// SERIES HISTORY
Cincinnati has won the last six meetings against South Carolina to lead the all-time series, 6-4. In the last meeting between the two teams, the Bearcats defeated the Gamecocks in four sets on Aug. 30, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pa. Madison Waters had six kills, four digs and two assists while Kerstin Ficker had 17 digs in the match.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati concludes out-of-conference play with a pair of matches against Miami (OH) on Sept. 16 and at Xavier on Sept. 17.
Both matches will be broadcast nationally on SEC Network+ and can be followed via live stats.
// ALL-TOURNAMENT ACCOLADES FOR ABBY
Sophomore middle blocker Abby Walker was named to the BYU Nike Invitational All-Tournament Team after averaging 2.92 kills and 0.92 blocks per set over three matches. She put together an incredible effort against one of the top programs in the country, registering a career-high 23 kills at an efficient .400 clip vs. Pitt. She has led the team in kills in all but one match, and in blocks in four matches.
// LEAGUE LEADERS
Walker sits fourth in the AAC in blocks per set (1.08). She has totaled a league-best 27 blocks in 25 sets played – good for 61st in the nation. She also ranks 10th in the AAC in points per set with 3.66. Freshman setter Caroline Endres ranks sixth in the AAC in assists per set (9.52) and ninth in service aces per set (0.44). On two occasions, she has posted four service aces in a match.
// YOUNG BUT READY
The Bearcats' lineup features five underclassmen: two sophomores, one redshirt freshman and three true freshmen. Walker has appeared in all 25 sets, leading the team in kills per set (3.04), blocks per set (1.08) and hitting percentage (.311). Fellow sophomore starter Shaye Eggleston has provided stability to the Bearcats' backrow, averaging 2.00 digs and 1.52 kills per set in 21 sets played. Redshirt freshman middle blocker Ligia Williams is third on the team in blocks per set (0.78) and has appeared in all but two sets for the Bearcats. Freshmen Caroline Endres and Paige Pickering have appeared in all 25 sets. Endres is handling the setting duties while Pickering is adding 2.12 digs per set as a defensive specialist. Freshmen Avry Tatum and Carly Glendinning have both seen time as starting outside attackers, playing in 21 and 19 sets, respectively.
// WEEKEND REWIND
Cincinnati faced a challenging field at the BYU Nike Invitational (Sept. 2-3), facing two top-10 programs in BYU and Pitt as well as Utah State, who is receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll. Despite going 0-3, the Bearcats pushed some of the top teams in the country. UC went the distance against Pitt, before falling in five sets on Friday. The Panthers moved up to No. 7 in this week's AVCA poll. The Bearcats also took a set from then ranked No. 7-BYU later that night on the Cougars' home court. Along with Walker, Eggleston shined for the Bearcats during the tournament, averaging 1.92 kills and 1.67 digs per set. Against Utah State, she notched a season-best 10 kills with only one attacking error on 25 attempts (.360).
// WELCOME TO THE BLOCK PARTY
The Bearcats registered 16 total blocks – 32 blocks assists – against Dayton on Aug. 26. The single-match mark ranks first in the AAC and is tied for 11th in the country. Walker and Williams each posted a career-best eight blocks to lead the defensive effort. It marked the Bearcats' most blocks in a single match since the 2016 season when they totaled 18 blocks against Middle Tennessee (Aug. 27). UC set a four-set school record with 36 block assists in that match. In 2021, the Bearcats ranked last in the AAC in blocks per set, averaging just 1.62 blocks per set. They are currently averaging 2.04 blocks per set in 2022 – good for fifth in the AAC.
// STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
The Bearcats will face seven 2021 NCAA Tournament teams this season: Illinois State, Dayton, Florida State, Pitt, BYU, South Carolina and UCF. UC saw three of those teams in its season-opening home tournament, Tribute to #10 (Aug. 26-28). Dayton and Florida State both received votes in the AVCA Preseason Coaches Poll while Illinois State was the 2021 Missouri Valley Conference champion. The Bearcats continued non-conference play at the BYU Nike Invitational (Sept. 2-3) where they faced then-No. 10 Pitt, No. 7 BYU and RV Utah State. Pitt reached the national semifinals a season ago before falling to Nebraska, 3-1. BYU is coming off a 30-2 season in 2021, going a perfect 18-0 in conference and reaching its second straight NCAA Sweet 16. UC will also take on 2021 NCAA Tournament participant South Carolina for a pair of matches on Sept. 9-10 in Columbia, S.C.
// SERIES HISTORY
Cincinnati has won the last six meetings against South Carolina to lead the all-time series, 6-4. In the last meeting between the two teams, the Bearcats defeated the Gamecocks in four sets on Aug. 30, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pa. Madison Waters had six kills, four digs and two assists while Kerstin Ficker had 17 digs in the match.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati concludes out-of-conference play with a pair of matches against Miami (OH) on Sept. 16 and at Xavier on Sept. 17.