Volleyball Preview: Stout to compete at coach's former stomping grounds

WIAC Weekly Release | UW-Oshkosh Pizza Hut Classic

THIS WEEK'S MATCHES: The Blue Devils (3-1, 0-0 WIAC) travel to the UW-Oshkosh Pizza Hut Classic, Sept. 7-8, where they will meet Martin Luther College (0-4, 0-0 UMAC), Friday, Sept. 7 at 5:30 p.m and Wisconsin Lutheran College (1-3, 0-0 NACC) and St. Norbert College (0-4, 0-0 MWC), Saturday, Sept. 8, at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively. Blue Devil coach Mandy Trautmann was an all-conference player at UW-Oshkosh.


BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT: The Blue Devils started the season off strong, handing first-year coach Mandy Trautmann three consecutive wins to open the season as Stout went 3-1 at the Oregon Trail Classic, Aug. 31-Sept. 1. The Blue Devils defeated Whitman College and Pacific University, 3-2, on the opening day, then downed Willamette University, 3-1, but lost to Lewis and Clark College, 3-0, on the final day. Kennedy Strain was selected to the all-tournament team. | Day One Story and Stats | Day Two Story and Stats


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


THE BLUE DEVILS IN 2018: Kennedy Strain is currently fourth in the WIAC in kills, averaging 3.29 per set. Strain is fifth in the WIAC in hitting percentage  at .314, and eighth in total blocks with .71. She has six solo blocks and six assisted blocks. Playing in a 6-2, Jessica DuVal is ranked seventh in the WIAC in assists with 5.18 per set. DuVal is among the top 20 in service aces, collecting six last weekend. Summer Garr had five sets, but Amber Ripley leads the way for the Blue Devils with eight and ranks 13th in the WIAC. Ripley is eighth in the WIAC in kills (3.06) and 11th in digs (3.29). Steph Cannon is fourth in digs in the WIAC, averaging 4.59. | Statistics

MILESTONE MARKERS LOOMING: Kennedy Strain currently has 880 career kills. Jessica DuVal has 1878 career assists. Steph Cannon has 967 career digs.


UW-OSHKOSH PIZZA HUT CLASSIC OPPONENTS:  Martin Luther College: Martin Luther was picked to finish sixth in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) t preaseason coaches' poll.  The Knights finished last season in fourth place in the final conference standings following a season in which they went 10-6 in league play. MLC topped fifth-seeded St. Scholastica in five sets in the quarterfinal round of the UMAC Postseason Tournament before falling in three sets at defending champion Northwestern in the semi-finals.  MLC enters this season with a streak of eight consecutive trips to the UMAC Postseason Tournament under Head Coach Rebecca Cox.  The Knights enter this season with only three returning players from last year's roster. Middle hitter Ruth Buchholz leads those returners after a strong sophomore campaign in which she averaged 1.29 kills and 0.63 blocks per game. Outside hitter Kati Aguilar and setter Camryn Biebert are the other two returning players from the 2017 team. The Knights lost all four matches at the St. Olaf Invitational over Labor Day weekend. Ruth Buchholz is averaging 2.23 kills/set. The Knights host Buena Vista Sept. 4.   | Knights Statistics |   Wisconsin Lutheran College: The Warriors were picked to finish sixth in the NACC preseason coaches poll. The Warriors opened the season with a 3-2 win over Ogelthorpe University, but then dropped the remaining three matches - including a 3-0 decision to WIAC foe UW-La Crosse - at the Lakeland University tournament over Labor Day weekend. Britley Grulke is averaging 2.81 kills per set and Grace Tomhave is putting down 2.58. Alyssa Charron is averaging nearly a full block per set, averaging 0.94 with 13 solo and 15 block assists.    | Warriors Statistics |   St. Norbert College:  St. Norbert looks to end Cornell College's seven-year reign as the Green Knights were one of just two conference teams to take a set against the Rams last season and finished second with an 8-1 record.   St. Norbert picked up two first place votes in the Midwest Conference preseason poll and picked to finish second.  The Green Knights dropped four matches at the University of Northwestern tournament in St. Paul, Minn., over the Labor Day weekend. Grace Baumann leads the way at the net for the Knights, averaging 3.42 kills per set. Halie Farey is averaging 3.17 kills. St. Norbert is scheduled to host Domincan University, Sept. 4 before heading to the Oshkosh tournament.  |  Green Knights Statistics

UW-OSHKOSH PIZZA HUT CLASSIC OPPONENTS: UW-Stout has not met Martin Luther College on the volleyball court since the 1994 season....there is no record that Stout and Wisconsin Lutheran College have met on the volleyball course since 1991...St. Norbert and UW-Stout have not met since Sept. 25, 2010, at the UW-Platteville Invitational, with the Green Knights prevailing, 3-1. That match snapped a Stout six-game winning streak over St. Norbert College.


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 (3-1) 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: Offensive: Kennedy Strain, Sr, Elk River, Minn.; Defensive: Steph Cannon, Jr, Mora, Minn.

AWARDS: 2018: Kennedy Strain was selected to the Oregon Trail  all-tournament team...2017: Kennedy Strain and Steph Cannon were selected All-WIAC honorable mention...Steph Cannon was selected as the UW-Stout/Toppers Athlete of the Week, Oct. 16, after averaging 5.25 kills in a 2-1 week that saw the Blue Devils come up just points from upsetting nationally ranked UW-Whitewater...Kennedy Strain was selected to the UW-Eau Claire Sandy Schumacher Memorial all-tournament team, Oct. 7...Steph Cannon was selected to the UW-River Falls Invitational all-tournament team, Sept. 16...Kennedy Strain was selected to the UW-Oshkosh Pizza Hut Classic all-tournament team, Sept. 9.

DOWN THE ROAD:  The Blue Devils will participate in their first dual of the season when they head across the state of Minnesota to meet Minnesota-Morris, Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. The Blue Devils will participate in the Bethel University Tournament, Sept. 14-15, meeting Luther College, Friday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Sept. 15, Stout will meet St. Olaf College at 11 a.m. and host Bethel at 1 p.m. .