WHO: UT Martin

WHEN: October 9-10

WHERE: Martin, TN (Skyhawk Fieldhouse)

Last Time Out: The Leathernecks faced conference opponent SIUE over the weekend, splitting the two-match series. Western fell in a close 2–3 battle on October 3 before bouncing back with a 3–1 victory on October 4. Keyana Cruse led the offense with 28 kills across the two matches, anchoring the Leathernecks' attack.

National Recognition: Freshman setter Jaleah Bauss earned national attention for her performance against SIUE, ranking 35th in NCAA aces per set and 17th in total service aces. Bauss's standing places her among elite company, including players from USC, the University of Miami, and the University of Tennessee.

Hitting 1,000: Keyana Cruse surpassed the 1,000 kill milestone at the Billiken Invitational September 5-6. Cruse has amassed over 1,000 kills in a Leatherneck uniform. Cruse has also reached 1,000 digs, surpassing that at home against Tennessee Tech. 

New Faces: WIU welcomes eight new faces to the 2025 squad. Kiyah Franklin transfers into WIU from Youngstown State. In her four years as a Penguin, Franklin totaled 301 kills and over 75 blocks, playing well in 62 matches. Alysia Perez also transferred into WIU after spending her freshman season at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Head Coach Dale Starr also welcomes six freshmen from five different states. Mount Sterling native Ashlee Markert and Martyna Sowiak both come from Illinois. Jaleah Bauss travels north from Texas. Aubrey Pender joins the Leathernecks from Arkansas. Caroline Clayton travels east from Kansas, and Ella Haines travels south from Wisconsin. 

Returning Stars: Senior Keyana Cruse leads the nine Western Illinois returners. Cruse led the team in points (590), kills (519), sets played (114), matches started (30), and leads all returners in digs with 463 and blocks at 72. In all ten sets played, Cruse led with 37 kills. Elizabeth Ziegler returns to the right side for WIU. The Sandusky, Ohio native appeared in all 30 matches last season, playing in 114 sets. Ziegler posted a career high with 260 kills last year. 

Ohio Valley Polls: Western Illinois was predicted to finish 6th in the preseason polls. This is the highest preseason projection for WIU since the school joined the Ohio Valley Conference. Last year's OVC regular season champion, Southeast Missouri State University, sits atop the preseason polls with 194 points, claiming 15 out of the 22 first-place votes. Lindenwood and Tennessee Tech both received first-place votes as well.

Players to Watch: Outside hitters Keyana Cruse and Kennedy Adair both earned All-OVC Preseason Honors. Cruse was named to the All-OVC Preseason team. Junior Kennedy Adair was named as a player to watch for WIU. 

Scouting UT Martin: The Skyhawks enter the 2025 season guided by head coach Jaclynn Wilson, who begins her 11th year in the program. After a 2024 campaign that saw UT Martin post a 5-22 overall record and a 2-11 mark in conference play, the Skyhawks hope to make a comeback and improve this year. 

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