Volleyball Hosts Drake & UNI To Close Homestand

Josh Schwam

Volleyball 10/21/2021 1:30:00 PM

PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley Volleyball wraps up a season-long, five-match homestand this weekend with the Braves closing out a stretch of five home contests in a nine-day stretch with outings against Drake (Friday) and Northern Iowa (Saturday) at Renaissance Coliseum.

Entering the weekend fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference standings, Bradley (9-11 overall, 5-4 MVC) starts the second half of the MVC schedule with Friday's 6 p.m. match against Drake (8-8 overall, 3-5 MVC) and finishes out the longest homestand since 2017 with a Saturday afternoon tilt (5 p.m.) vs. Northern Iowa (8-13 overall, 3-5 MVC).

Friday's match, which will be available on ESPN+, is another Free Food Friday presented by Papa John's with all Bradley University Students receiving a coupon for a free Papadia. In addition, there will be a Foam Finger giveaway and free pizza (first-come, first served) for Bradley Students as part of Greek Night at Renaissance Coliseum. Friday is also the first day for men's and women's basketball season ticket pick up from 5-7 p.m. with all basketball season-ticket holders receiving free admission to that night's volleyball match.

The Braves will host a post-match youth clinic following Saturday's contest against Northern Iowa. The cost is $7 for admission for both the match and clinic with all participants receiving a food voucher for a hot dog, chips and drink.

Monday's five-set contest against Illinois State marked the halfway point of the MVC schedule for the Braves, who are 5-4 or better to start league play for the fourth consecutive year. Bradley has matched or improved on its first-half record in the second half of the league slate in each of the last five years under Head Coach Carol Price-Torok. In fact, the Braves have a better record over the second half of Valley play in five of the last seven seasons dating back to 2013 and eight of the last 11 seasons overall. Over the last 15 campaigns, Bradley has had just one season in which it didn't at least match its record from the first half through the MVC schedule and has had an improved record the second time through the Valley in 10 of those seasons. The Braves have finished fourth or better in nine of the 10 times BU opened conference play 5-4 or better.

Bradley has played six five-set matches this season, with five of those contests coming at home. In fact, five of the last seven outings at Renaissance Coliseum have gone to a deciding fifth set. The Braves played just one five-set match in 2020-21 and the five five-set home matches equals the number of five-set outings Bradley played at Renaissance Coliseum over the last three seasons. Bradley has played back-to-back five-set matches at home for the first time since 2017 and consecutive five-set home matches against conference foes dating back to 2003.

Junior Karagan Coggin collected four solo blocks last weekend to push her team-best total of block solos to 14. Coggin, who led the MVC with 17 solo blocks last year, is one of just two Braves over the last 14 seasons to collect 10 or more solo blocks in back-to-back seasons and is the first individual at Bradley with 14 or more block solos in consecutive years dating back to BU Hall of Famer Janna Passman (2001-03). Coggin ranks seventh in the MVC in hitting percentage at .287, which would be the best season hitting percentage at Bradley going back to 2016 when Kelsey Cave led the Braves by hitting .315.

Senior Hannah Thompson notched her 1,700th career dig Monday against Illinois State and is now one of five players in Missouri Valley Conference history with 1,200 career kills and 1,700 or more digs. Thompson, who is the first to play their entire career in the MVC since rally scoring started (2001) to collect 1,200 kills and 1,700 or more digs, is one of just three individuals nationally to reach those marks since the start of the 2014 season and one of eight individuals since the start of 2004. She joins Valparaiso's Allison Ketcham (2014-18) and Arden Fisher (2013-17) of Robert Morris as the only individuals in the country over the last eight years to reach both marks. The last players to accumulate those totals while playing their entire career in the MVC were Indiana State's Cheryl Berg and Samantha Butler of Evansville during the 2001 season. Thompson needs 50 kills and 89 digs to become the only NCAA Division I player over at least the last 17 seasons with 1,300 career kills and 1,800 digs.

Bradley follows up the weekend homestand with a two-match road swing that starts Friday, Oct. 29 at Missouri State.

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Players Mentioned

#3 Karagan Coggin: RS/MB; 6' 2"; Junior

#6 Hannah Thompson: OH; 5' 8"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#3 Karagan Coggin
: 6' 2"; Junior
: RS/MB

#6 Hannah Thompson
: 5' 8"; Senior
: OH

Volleyball Hosts Drake & UNI To Close Homestand

Players Mentioned

#3 Karagan Coggin

#6 Hannah Thompson

Players Mentioned

#3 Karagan Coggin

#6 Hannah Thompson