Volleyball Opens Season with Cyclone Challenge

Cyclone Challenge Preview Header

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State volleyball is back and begins the 2021 season at home with the Cyclone Challenge inside Hilton Coliseum. ISU welcomes in-state foe Drake on Friday at 6:30 p.m., and will host Omaha on Saturday at 4 p.m.

Join the Cyclones

Tickets to both of this weekend's ISU matches (and all Iowa State home matches) are on sale now and can be bought, here. Tickets can also be purchased prior to the match, starting one hour before first serve, at the Hilton Coliseum Ticket Office at the southwest corner of Hilton Coliseum.

Follow the Cyclones

Both matches will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. For more information, click here. Live stats for both matches can be accessed, here.

Weekend Promotions

For Friday's match vs. Drake, ISU is running a "5 for $5" deal in which, in advance, fans can purchase five general admission tickets for $5 ($1 each). The "5 for $5" deal can be accessed, here, and can only be purchased at the specific link and cannot be redeemed/requested at the Hilton Coliseum Ticket Office on the day of the match.

It is will also be Youth Volleyball Night, as children can enjoy a face painter and balloon artist on the concourse prior to the match.

Iowa State students, who receive free admission to the match at the North Entrance with their ISU ID, can trade in their non-ISU team t-shirts for a free "#OneMission" Iowa State volleyball shirt.

For Saturday's match vs. Omaha, Iowa State will honor Frontline Heroes during the match. To celebrate, fans can purchase $3 general admission tickets in advance, here. The $3 GA ticket deal can only be purchased at the specific link and cannot be redeemed/requested at the Hilton Coliseum Ticket Office on the day of the match.

Iowa State will also be hosting a "Back to School Supply Drive" to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Story County. Fans can bring new school supplies to donate at the South Entrance of Hilton Coliseum, with the first 25 fans to donate receiving a voucher for one free popcorn.

About Iowa State

Iowa State's 2021 squad brings a mix of familiar and new faces who will be taking the court. Five starters return from the 2020 squad, led by All-Big 12 Preseason Team selections Candelaria Herrera and Eleanor Holthaus. Other returning starters include redshirt senior MB Avery Rhodes, junior OH Annie Hatch and junior RS/OH Kenzie Mantz. Eight Cyclones will be looking to make ISU debuts this weekend, led by a group of four graduate transfers who have combined for over 2,000 digs and 1,400 kills across their collegiate careers.

About Drake

The Drake Bulldogs are picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference in 2021, having finished tied for second in 2020-21 with a 13-7 (11-5 MVC) record. The Bulldogs return their top two hitters from last season in 2021 MVC Player of the Year Haley Bush (4.26 kps at .250 hitting) and All-MVC First Teamer Emily Plock (3.79 kps at .241), setter Caitlyn Smith (10.58 aps) and All-MVC libero Kylee Macke (5.73 dps). At 2,075 career digs, Macke begins 2021 at #3 on the NCAA Division I active career digs leaders (Iowa State's Marija Popovic is #8).

This will be the 58th all-time meeting between Iowa State and Drake, but the first regular season meeting since 2009. ISU leads the all-time series 37-20, with head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch going 6-0 against the Bulldogs during her tenure. ISU and Drake did meet in the 2018 NIVC First Round, with the Cyclones picking up a 3-0 victory. Current Cyclones Taylor Baranski (four digs, one assist), Eleanor Holthaus (eight kills, two digs, two blocks) and Candelaria Herrera (seven kills, four blocks) all played in that match.

About Omaha

The Omaha Mavericks are tabbed to finish third in the Summit League in 2021, coming off a 13-6 (12-4 Summit) record in 2020-21. Omaha returns five of its top six hitters from the 2020-21 squad, led by Sadie Limback, who had 4.08 kills per set at .404 hitting. Setter Sami Clarkson (10.57 aps) also returns, and joins Limback on the Summit League's Preseason Players to Watch List. UNO will also be looking for some impact from transfers in the form of ex-Wichita State OH Marriah Buss and former Iowa State DS/L Jaiden Centeno.

This will be the 12th all-time meeting between Iowa State and Omaha, the fourth since the Mavs joined Division I in 2011. Iowa State has won all three meetings since UNO became Division I, the most recent being a 3-0 in Ames in 2017. Redshirt senior Avery Rhodes played in the match, coming off the bench to record a kill and a block assist.