THIS WEEK'S MATCHES: The Blue Devils (9-9, 2-1 WIAC) will be at UW-Superior (15-8, 10-1 UMAC), Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. and at UW-River Falls (12-12, 0-3 WIAC), Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m., before heading to UW-Whitewater (15-4, 3-0 WIAC) to face the Warhawks, Oct. 13, at noon and Edgewood College (8-13, 5-4 NAAC) in a non-conference match at 2 p.m.   

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT: The Blue Devils lost at home to Saint Mary's, 3-1, Oct. 3, but came back in a big way to down Augsburg University, 3-2, Oct. 6 in Minneapolis, Minn. |  When it looked like Saint Mary's University would sweep the match, UW-Stout staged a comeback in the third set to extend play. But a tight fourth set would come out in Saint Mary's favor as the Cardinals took the match, 25-21, 25-20, 27-29, 25-23. Trailing by as much as six (18-12), midway through the third set, Stout began to rally. A couple of errors by the Cardinals made it 18-14 and a block by Kara Simonson and McKylie Hoff pulled Stout to with three. The Blue Devils fell back again by as much as five points, then pulled to within two points on on Simonson's kill. Lexie Nelson would get three of her match-high 18 kills down the final stretch as the Blue Devils took the match 29-27. Nelson had five kills in the third set. | Saint Mary's University Match and Stats | Freshman Lexie Nelson recorded 27 kills and UW-Stout needed every one of them as the Blue Devils defeated Augsburg University in five sets, 3-2, Saturday. Nelson was only one kill short of the school record of 28 kills in a single match set by Tori Feit in 1999 and Hall of Famer Jen Carter in 1991. The Blue Devils won the match 12-25, 25-23, 16-25, 25-22,15-9. Nelson finished up the match with a hand in the final three points of the afternoon. With Stout holding a 12-9 lead, Nelson recorded a kill, then moved to the serving line and Elise Banitt moved the score to 14-9 with a kill. Nelson finished off the day with a service ace for match point. | Augsburg University Match and Stats


THE BLUE DEVILS IN 2018: Middle hitter Kennedy Strain is averaging 2.78 kills per set over 69 sets played and has recorded 192 total kills, bringing her career totals to 1016. She is currently eighth in the WIAC in kills. Strain reached her 1000th career kill against Saint Mary's. Strain is the team's leading blocker, recording 19 solo blocks and 34 assisted blocks. Jessica DuVal is currently averaging 8.48 assists and is ranked fourth in the conference. DuVal leads the team in service aces with 20.  McKylie Hoff has four solo blocks and just trails Strain with 31 assisted blocks. Steph Cannon is third in the WIAC in digs, averaging 5.44 digs per set, ranking 14th in Division III.  Amber Ripley leads the Blue Devils in average kills per set with 3.21, putting down a total of 122 kills over 38 sets played, but is out for an indefinite period of time. | Statistics

A LOOK AT STOUT: The Blue Devils return all-conference picks Kennedy Strain and Steph Cannon, who both garnered honorable mention honors. Strain, a senior middle hitter,, led the Blue Devils in kills, averaging 2.82 kills per set, tallying 302 total, and ranks 10th in the WIAC in kills per set. She ranks eighth in the conference in hitting percentage, hitting at a .255 clip. On the block, Strain finished with 23 solo blocks and 49 block assists for 79 total She averaged 0.67 per set. Eighteen times this season, Strain finished with double-digit kills, with a season-high 20 in a 3-2 win over Minnesota-Morris. After sitting out the 2016 season, Cannon, a junior, made the switch from hitter to back-row specialist, wearing the libero shirt for the majority of games and was chosen to the all-conference team as a libero. Cannon, who was also selected to the all-defensive team, finished the year with 548 digs, a mark that is fifth on the UW-Stout all-time singles seasons list. Cannon ranked fourth in the WIAC in digs, averaging 4.98 per set. Cannon threatened the school single match digs record, recording 44 digs against Minnesota-Morris. The school record is 48. Cannon 11 times exceeded 20 digs in a single match and four times had 30 or more digs.The Blue Devils return senior Emily Bialka, who switched from setter to hitter last season. Jessica DuVal returns after two years as the starting setter. Amber Ripley made an impression as a freshman hitter. | Complete 2018 Season Preview

MILESTONE MARKERS LOOMING: Kennedy Strain currently has 1016 career kills. Jessica DuVal has 2392 career assists. Steph Cannon has 1275 career digs.


UW-SUPERIOR: The Yellowjackets are currently second in the UMAC conference behind nationally ranked Northwestern.  | Statistics

UW-SUPERIOR'S LAST TIME OUT:  They Yellowjackets swept Bethany Lutheran College, 3-0, but were tripped up 3-2 by St. Olaf, Oct. 6. | Game Story and Statistics

LAST TIME THE YELLOWJACKETS AND BLUE DEVILS MET: Kennedy Strain and Emily Bialka  combined for 20 kills as UW-Stout downed UW-Superior in four sets, 3-1, Sept. 12, 2017 in Superior. Strain led all players with 11 kills and added two solo blocks and a block assist, while Bialka finished with nine kills.   | Game Story and Statistics

THE SERIES: The Blue Devils hold a 37-22 lead in the series. 


UW-RIVER FALLS: UW-River Falls' 19 wins during the 2017 campaign were the most since 2012 when it had 22 victories. The Falcons welcome back junior libero Hannah Robb, who was second in the WIAC during the 2017 campaign with 645 digs and 46 service aces. Junior middle hitter Karli Nielsen led the team with 116 blocks and was second with 262 kills, while junior outside hitter Dakotah Poitra was second with 362 digs and third with 254 kills. This season Poitra is currently eighth in the WIAC in kills with 2.86.  |  Statistics

RIVER FALLS LAST TIME OUT: The UW-River Falls volleyball team pulled off two 3-0 shutout wins Saturday against Finlandia and Martin Luther. | Game Story and Statistics

LAST TIME THE FALCONS AND BLUE DEVILS MET: Holding a two set to one advantage, UW-Stout rolled up a 9-3 lead in the fourth set before UW-River Falls made a run at the Blue Devils and actually jumped out to a 10-9 lead Oct. 11, 2017.  Amber Ripley tied the score at 10 for the Blue Devils and the teams traded points until 13-13 when Stout went off on a 3-0 run, with kills by Emili Cain and Emily Bialka, along with an assisted block by Cain and Kennedy Strain. The Falcons (15-10, 0-4 WIAC) never got closer than two points the rest of the way and Stout evened their conference record with a 26-24, 21-25, 25-20, 25-20 four-set win. Ripley led the way for Stout, recording 12 kills. | Game Story and Statistics

THE SERIES: The Falcons hold a 48-30 lead in the series. 


UW-WHITEWATER: Whitewater has been selected to win the 2018 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women's volleyball title based on a preseason poll conducted by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. The Warhawks have claimed a conference-high 16 regular-season championships and 16 tournament crowns and have five starters returning from last year's squad. Senior defensive specialist Brittany Robinson is the reigning WIAC Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league with 5.79 digs per set. Her 40 digs against UW-Stevens Point on Sept. 20, marked the second-highest single-match mark in program history. Robinson has amassed 1,940 career digs – a total that ranks fifth in program listings. Senior setter Elizabeth Niestrom topped the league with 1,164 assists, including a WIAC-best 67 against UW-Stout on Oct. 13. Head coach Stacy Boudreau is 13 victories from reaching 400 at UW-Whitewater and becoming the sixth coach in conference archives to achieve the milestone.|  Statistics

WHITEWATER LAST TIME OUT: The Warhawks play UW-Platteville, Oct. 9, and Carroll University, Oct. 10, before meeting the Blue Devils. | Game Story and Statistics

LAST TIME THE WARHAWKS AND BLUE DEVILS MET: The Warhawks took both matches last season, but needed extra points in the fifth game to down Stout, 3-2, in Menomonie during the regular season, then defeated Stout 3-0 in the first round of the WIAC tournament. | Game Story and Statistics

THE SERIES: The Warhawks hold a 47-2 lead in the series. 


EDGEWOOD COLLEGE: INFO TO COME|  Statistics

EDGEWOOD LAST TIME OUT: The Eagles play Loras College, Oct. 9, Carroll University, Oct. 11, and Bethel University, Oct. 13, before meeting the Blue Devils. | Game Story and Statistics

LAST TIME THE EAGLES AND BLUE DEVILS MET: The Eagles and the Blue Devils last meet during the 2010 season, with the Eagles taking a (25-23, 21-25, 18-25, 21-25) win.  | Game Story and Statistics

THE SERIES: The Blue Devils hold a 2-1 lead in the series. 



CONFERENCE & NATIONAL POLLS: The Blue Devils were picked to finish sixth in a preseason poll conducted by league coaches and sports information directors. UW-Whitewater is projected to finish first, UW-Eau Claire second, UW-Oshkosh third, UW-La Crosse fourth, UW-Stevens Point fifth, UW-Stout sixth, UW-Platteville seventh and UW-River Falls eighth. | 2018 WIAC Preseason Poll | AVCA Top 25 Poll

UW-STOUT COACH MANDY TRAUTMANN: Coach Mandy Trautmann (9-9) is in her first season as the head coach of the Blue Devils. Trautmann took over the Blue Devils after a season as an assistant coach. Prior to coming to Stout, Trautmann was the team captain for UW-Oshkosh in 2015, a season the Titans captured the WIAC regular season championship.  Trautmann was a two-time first team all-WIAC selection in 2014 and 2015, and an honorable mention choice in 2013. She was named to the all-WIAC defensive team in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

QUICK HITS: The Blue Devils have two seniors, six juniors, four sophomores and seven freshmen on the 2018 roster...the team is made up of 13 players from Minnesota, four from Wisconsin and one each from Iowa and Illiniois...assistant coach Pam Schroeder begins her 15th season with the Blue Devils, matching hockey assistant coach Greg Slupe as the longest current assistant coaching tenure with a Stout program...

BLUE DEVIL ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Week Six: Offensive athlete of the week: Lexie Nelson, Fr, St. Michael, Minn. (St. Michael-Albertville).; Defensive athlete of the week: Steph Cannon, Jr, Mora, Minn.
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AWARDS: 2018: Lexie Nelson was selected as the UW-Stout/Toppers Athlete of the Week after putting down 27 kills in a 3-2 win over Augsburg University, Oct. 6, and 18 in a 3-1 home loss to Saint Mary's University, Oct. 3....Steph Cannon was selected WIAC defensive athlete of the week after averaging more than seven digs per set over three matches and 11 sets...Kennedy Strain was selected to the Bethel University all-tournament team...Jessica DuVal was selected to the UW-Oshkosh Pizza Hut all-tournament team...Kennedy Strain was selected to the Oregon Trail  all-tournament team..

DOWN THE ROAD: The Blue Devils play four matches for the second consecutive week when they head towards Milwaukee, playing two games at the Concordia-Wisconsin Invitational, Oct. 19, facing Cardinal Stritch University at 5 p.m. and host Concordia at 7 p.m. Stout will go up I-43 to Lakeland University the following day and will meet Concordia-Chicago at 2 p.m. and Lakeland at 4 p.m.  

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