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THIS WEEK'S MATCHES: The Blue Devils (11-10, 1-4 WIAC) will close the home portion of the schedule when they host 12th-ranked UW-Eau Claire (22-3, 5-0 WIAC), Wednesday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m., then will play a pair of non-conference games at Minnesota-Morris, Saturday, Oct. 23. Stout will play Martin Luther College (8-12, 7-3 UMAC) at 2 p.m. and Minn-Morris (11-10, 7-3 UMAC) at 4 p.m. Wednesday will be Senior Night and the Blue Devils will honor Lexie Nelson, Elise Banitt and Emili Cain.
ON-LINE: All home Blue Devil matches are available in a live video stream.
PARKING: Parking on the UW-Stout campus is restricted during the business week. For games in Johnson Fieldhouse during the week, please plan to park in Lot 29. Do not park in Lot 4, which is a reserved lot for students that live in the residence halls.
2021 UW-STOUT BLUE DEVILS: Sidney Hoverman is third in the WIAC in kills, averaging 3.62 kills over 77 sets played. Out of 21 matches, Hoverman has had 17 matches in double digit kills and has collected three double-doubles over the last several weeks, recording 12 digs against Macalester, 14 digs against Rockford and a season-high 32 digs against St. Norbert College. Lexie Nelson is third in the WIAC in assists with 8.14 per contest, and sixth in the league in hitting percentage (.273). She is third on the team in kills, trailing only Hoverman and Jessica Barr (2.05 k/s) in kills with 1.63. In the defensive end, Barr leads Stout with 46.0 blocks, with Nelson (34.0) and Macayla Thompson (33) behind her. Thompson has seven solo blocks on the season. | Statistics
BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT: The Blue Devils dropped a 3-0 non-conference contest at the University of Northwestern, Oct. 13, then lost a 3-1 home conference contest to UW-Oshkosh, Oct. 15. | Northwestern Game Story and Statistics | UW-Oshkosh Game Story and Statistics
UW-EAU CLAIRE: The Blugolds are undefeated in league play and are currently ranked 12th in the AVCA Top 25 poll. Jordan Witzel leads the team in kills with 3.03 per set, fifth in the WIAC. Arianna Barrett is 10th in the league in kills at 2.85. Charlie Nelson is the top-ranked setter in the league, averaging 10.85 assists per set and Kendra Baierl tops the league in blocks, averaging 1.11 per set with 18 solo and a league-best 74 assisted blocks. As a team, the Blugolds are averaging a league-high 13.04 kills. Eau Claire has won 8 of 9 matches in the month of October, with their only loss coming at the hands of No. 4 Hope College. | 2021 Statistics
BLUGOLDS LAST TIME OUT: The Blugolds beat UW-La Crosse, 3-1, Oct. 15, then downed Finlandia University, 3-0, and Illinois Wesleyan, 3-1, Oct. 16. Jordyn Witzel led the way with 18 kills and Arianna Barrett posted her third double-double of the season with 10 successful attacks and 13 digs against La Crosse. Kendra Baierl had 15 kills to lead Eau Claire over Illinois Wesleyan and Ava Aldag had 12 kills in the win over Finlandia. | La Crosse Game Story and Stats | Illinois Wesleyan/Finlanda Game Story and Stats
LAST TIME THEY MET: It doesn't get much closer than this as UW-Stout defeated 22nd-ranked UW-Eau Claire 3-2 in a marathon match at McPhee Center Oct. 9, 2019, giving the Blue Devils their first conference win of the season. The match lasted two-hours, 20-minutes and the scores show why. The Blue Devils took the first two sets, 25-23, 25-23, but the Blugolds came back to knot the match at two sets apiece with tight 25-23, 25-22 wins. The Blue Devils captured the match with a 15-13 win, their first win at Eau Claire since Sept. 15, 2004. | Game Story and Statistics
THE SERIES: Since the 2000 season, UW-Eau Claire leads the series 25-15. Eau Claire has won eight of the last 10 matches. | History
MARTIN LUTHER COLLEGE: After winning three in a row in mid-October, the Knights have lost their last two matches. Kelsey Birschbach leads the team in kills with 2.67 per set. Hannah Willems has recorded 0.88 blocks per set, with nine solo blocks and 46 assisted blocks. | 2021 Statistics
KNIGHTS LAST TIME OUT: Martin Luther College volleyball team was unable to complete the season sweep of UW-Superior in a 3-0 (25-9, 25-14, 25-17) defeat Oct. 16 in Superior. Rhianna Hunter led MLC with six kills. Kelsey Birschbach and Lauren Paulsen each recorded five kills. The Knights will play twice this week before meeting Stout. | Game Story and Stats
THE SERIES: The teams have only met once before, that coming in the 2018 season when Stout took a 3-0 win at the UW-Oshkosh Invitational, Sept. 7, 2018. | History
MINNESOTA-MORRIS: The Cougars have four regular players that are averaging 2.0 or more kills at this point this season. Laura Wellbrock is leading the way at 2.49, followed by Lydia Nash (2.45), Maggie Jones (2.25) and Jenna Howden (2.05). Jones is the team leader in blocks at 0.94, with 12 solo and 49 assisted blocks. | 2021 Statistics
COUGARS LAST TIME OUT: Morris volleyball team became the first UMAC team to take a set off nationally-ranked University of Northwestern this season, but the Eagles came back and held off the Cougars in a tight fourth set to come away with the 3-1 (25-21, 14-25, 15-25, 21-25) win, Oct. 16. Maggie Jones and Laura Wellbrock each had nine kills on the afternoon to lead the Cougar attack. | Game Story and Stats
LAST TIME THEY MET: The teams met twice in 2019, once in September, and once to close the season in November, with the Cougars winning both matches by 3-2 scores. | Sept. 14 Game Story and Statistics | Nov. 1 Game Story and Statistics
THE SERIES: Minnesota-Morris leads the series, 7-5, since 2000 and have won the last three matches. | History
CONFERENCE & NATIONAL POLLS: The Blue Devils were picked to finish seventh in the WIAC, according to a preseason poll by conference coaches and sports information directors. | 2021 WIAC Preseason Poll | AVCA Top 25 Poll
UW-STOUT COACH MANDY TRAUTMANN: Coach Mandy Trautmann (46-34) is in her fourth season as the head coach of the Blue Devils in 2021. In her first season as head coach in 2018, Trautmann led the Blue Devils to a home WIAC playoff berth, the first for the Blue Devils since 2004. 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.
BLUE DEVIL ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Week Five: Offensive athlete of the week: Sidney Hoverman, So, St. Croix Falls, Wis.; Defensive player of the week: Staci Meyer, Jr, Rice, Minn. (Sauk Rapids-Rice) Week Four: Offensive athlete of the week: Lexie Nelson, Sr, St. Michael, Minn. (St. Michael-Albertville); Week Three: Offensive player of the week: Sidney Hoverman, So, St. Croix Falls, Wis. Defensive player of the week: Staci Meyer, Jr, Rice, Minn. (Sauk Rapids-Rice) Week Two: Offensive athlete of the week: Lexie Nelson, Sr, St. Michael, Minn. (St. Michael-Albertville); Week One: Offensive athlete of the week: Lexie Nelson, Sr St. Michael, Minn. (St. Michael-Albertville); Defensive athlete of the week: Terrah Moshier, So, Oakdale, Minn. (Tartan).
AWARDS: 2021: Lexie Nelson and Sidney Hoverman were selected to the all-tournament team at the UW-Oshkosh Polito's Invitational...Lexie Nelson and Jessica Barr were selected to the all-tournament team at the Grinnell College/Central College Invitational.
DOWN THE ROAD: Stout will wrap up the regular season by traveling to UW-Superior, Tuesday, Oct. 26, to UW-Whitewater, Friday, Oct. 29 and to Concordia-Wisconsin, Saturday, Oct. 30.
