Shockers clinched the MVC regular-season title with a victory over Evansville
on Nov. 21. After the MVC Tournament, the Shockers look ahead to NCAA
Tournament play in December.
With a sweep of Evansville and an assist from a Southern Illinois loss, the Shocker volleyball team clinched the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title, the MVC Tournament’s No. 1 seed and a first-round MVC Tournament bye.
With an overall record of 24-8 — bolstered by a 15-3 record in MVC play — the Shockers posted at least 20 regular-season wins for the 13th consecutive season.
Under the steady guidance of head coach Chris Lamb, now in his 16th season at Wichita State, the Shockers have earned either a No. 1 or a No. 2 MVC Tournament seed eight times.
The Nov. 21 match against Evansville marked the last time Shocker seniors Katie Reilly, MaryAshton Floyd and Jaclyn Roddy played in front of the home crowd at Charles Koch Arena. To date, Reilly, who hails from Cypress, Texas, and Floyd, a Fort Worth, Texas native, have been part of 96 victories, two regular-season MVC titles, one MVC Tournament title, two NCAA Tournament appearances and one Sweet 16.
During the 2015 regular season, the Shockers saw success both as a team and as individuals. Nationally ranked (as of Nov. 16) in several statistical categories, the Shockers are 39th in assists per set, 26th in hitting percentage, 19th in assists, 58th in digs, 20th in kills and 43rd in kills per set. Individually, Emily Hiebert ranks 31st in assists, Abbie Lehman 39th in blocks and 21st in hitting percentage, Shimen Fayad 56th in service aces and 69th in aces per set, Reilly 64th in hitting percentage and Dani Mostrom 71st in digs.
Throughout the season, Lehman, Reilly and Fayad were honored by the MVC for their contributions to the Shockers’ winning ways: Lehman was named MVC Defensive Player of the Week three times, MVC Player of the Week twice and MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week once; Reilly was once named MVC Player of the Week; and Fayad was named MVC Freshman of the Week Sept. 28-Oct. 4.
The NCAA Tournament’s first and second rounds are slated for Dec. 4-6, the regionals for Dec. 11-12 and the championship rounds for Dec. 17-19.
— WSU Sports Information
