Indiana volleyball will head to the E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Kentucky, for the Alyssa Cavanaugh Classic for matches Friday and Saturday to finish out its non-conference schedule.
The Hoosiers are 8-0 to start this season and will attempt to finish non-conference play undefeated for just the fourth time in program history, with the other three times coming in 1997, 1999 and 2010.
Indiana has been successful both offensively and defensively so far this season.
Offensively, the Hoosiers lead the Big Ten and rank second nationally with a .346 average hitting percentage. Indiana also ranks in the top five in the conference in assists per set, with 12.89, and kills per set, with 13.85.
On the defensive side, Indiana is tied with USC in blocks per set with an average of three. The Hoosiers have tallied at least 10 blocks in a match on four different occasions this season.
Indiana will need to continue this high level of play into the first game of the weekend if they wish to defeat a strong opponent in Western Kentucky University on its home floor.
The Hilltoppers are coached by Travis Hudson, who is in his 31st season at the helm. Hudson took over in 1995 and has since transformed the program.
Hudson holds a 780-234 record in his career with Western Kentucky and a 326-63 record inside E.A. Diddle Arena. The veteran head coach has led his program to the NCAA tournament the last five seasons and has won 20 or more contests in each of the last 25 seasons.
Western Kentucky started off the season with a 6-3 overall record. The Hilltoppers picked up a notable win over then-No. 25 University of Dayton in just three sets on Sept. 5 at the Marquette Invitational in Milwaukee.
The Hoosiers will look to even up the series, as the Hilltoppers lead 3-2 in all time matchups. Indiana and Western Kentucky last faced off Sept. 17, 2022, in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which resulted in a four-set loss for the Hoosiers.
Indiana will need to play efficient volleyball if they wish to get past Western Kentucky. The Hoosiers and Hilltoppers are set to face off at 8 p.m. Friday on ESPN+.
Following the contest, Indiana will have a quick turn around the next day, as they face Bradley University at noon Saturday.
This will mark the first ever matchup between the two programs. Bradley enters the contest with a 5-4 record and a two-game win streak.
The Braves lost a key impact player from last season in junior outside hitter Iva Popovic after she transferred to Pepperdine University. Popovic was named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Conference First Team and All-Tournament team in November 2024. Last season, she led the Braves in several categories, including kills per set, with 3.61, and aces, with 46.
However, the Braves have been able to fill that role this season with freshman outside hitter Gracie Furlong. Furlong currently leads the team in kills, with 100, and kills per set, with 2.86.
Both the Braves and Hoosiers will look to continue their win streaks in the matchup.
Follow reporters Savannah Slone (@savrivers06 and srslone@iu.edu) and Kasey Watkins (@KaseyWatki8773 and kaslwatk@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana volleyball season.
