Southeast Missouri (23-10, 12-4 OVC) 
vs. #9 Kentucky (23-6, 16-2 SEC)
2019 NCAA Tournament First Round
Match Information
Date: Friday, Dec. 6, 2019
First Serve: 6:30 p.m., CT
Location: Lexington, Ky. 
Venue: Memorial Coliseum
Series: SEMO leads 2-0
Last Meeting: 3-0 SEMO Win on Sept. 3, 2004
 
Ticket Information
 
Media Information
Video: SEC Network+
Live Stats
 
2019 NCAA Championship Schedule
Friday, Dec. 6 –First Round
Match 1 - Northern Kentucky vs. Michigan – 4 p.m., CT
Match 2 - Southeast Missouri vs. #9 Kentucky – 6:30 p.m., CT
 
Saturday, Dec. 7 – Second Round
Match 3 - Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2 – 6 p.m., CT
 
Match Notes: Southeast Missouri
2019 NCAA Volleyball Championship Bracket
 
NCAA Tournament Bound Redhawks 
Southeast Missouri women's volleyball (23-10, 12-4 OVC) will head to Lexington, Kentucky, for the First Round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament this weekend. Southeast will face #9 Kentucky (23-6, 16-2 SEC) of the Southeastern Conference in the second First Round matchup of the day Friday at 6:30 p.m., CT, at the Memorial Coliseum. Northern Kentucky will take on Michigan in the first match Friday at 4 p.m.
 
Follow the Redhawks
• Live stats will be available for Friday's and all 2019 NCAA Volleyball Championship matches this weekend. Live stats links can be found on GoSoutheast.com. 
• Friday's match will also be streamed live on SEC Network+.
• @SEMOvb, the official Twitter page of the Redhawks volleyball team, will feature live in-game updates all season long.
 
The Kentucky First Round Field
Kentucky (23-6, 16-2 SEC) is the #9 national seed and serves as one of the 16 schools in the country to host the First and Second Rounds of the NCAA Championship this weekend. Michigan (20-10), Southeast Missouri and Northern Kentucky (19-12) complete the field in Lexington, Kentucky. Michigan earned an at-large bid from the NCAA selection committee while Kentucky (2019 SEC Champions) and NKU (2019 Horizon Conference Champions) grabbed NCAA automatic qualifications.
 
Party Like it's 2000
Southeast captured the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title with three straight wins Nov. 21-23 as the second seed in Jacksonville, Alabama. The Redhawks opened the Tournament with a 3-1 victory over #7 Tennessee Tech before a five-set thriller in the semifinals against #3 Murray State. In the Championship Final, Southeast swept #4 Morehead State to claim their first OVC Tournament Championship since 2000 and earn the NCAA automatic qualification.
 
NCAA Tournament History
The Redhawks make their sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in 2019. Southeast Missouri last made the NCAA Tournament in 2000. That year, SEMO beat North Carolina, 3-2, before falling to host, Florida, 3-0. Southeast is 2-5 overall at the NCAA tournament having also competed in the Championships in 1994, 1996, 1998 and 1999.
 
OVC in the NCAA Tournament
Southeast Missouri represents the Ohio Valley Conference after locking down the league's automatic NCAA Tournament berth with its perfect 3-0 run through the OVC Tournament. OVC schools are 3-43 in NCAA Tournament play with SEMO notching two of those wins.
 
Sixth OVC Tournament Title
Southeast improved to 30-20 all-time at the OVC Championship Tournament dating back to 1991 in 29 appearances at the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. SEMO won its sixth OVC Tournament title in program history. The Redhawks also claimed the OVC Tournament trophy in 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2019. 
 
Against the Field
The Redhawks are a combined 3-0 all-time against Kentucky (2-0), Michigan (0-0) and Northern Kentucky (1-0). Southeast swept the Wildcats, 3-0, on Sept. 3, 2004 and Sept. 17, 1999 in Lexington, Kentucky. The Redhawks also overcame Northern Kentucky, 3-2, in 1984. 
 
About the Wildcats
#9 Kentucky earned its hosting spot by winning the Southeastern Conference for the third year in a row, and concluding the season with a 23-6 overall record including a 16-2 mark in the SEC. Leah Edmond was named the SEC Player of the Year and Gabby Curry was awarded the 2019 SEC Libero of the Year for the second-consecutive season. Kentucky is making its program-record 15th-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. The Wildcats are one of just 10 teams in the nation who have advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last 15 seasons. UK last hosted the first and second rounds in Lexington a season ago. All told, Kentucky has hosted the NCAA Tournament 13 times in program history including the opening rounds seven times under UK head coach Craig Skinner.
 
Something in the Cape Girardeau Water
Southeast Missouri women's volleyball was the third Redhawks fall team to secure Ohio Valley Conference Titles in 2019. The SEMO women's soccer team and football team each won the 2019 OVC Regular Season title while the Redhawks volleyball program captured the 2019 OVC Tournament Championship. Southeast is the first school since 2001, and only the second ever, to win OVC Championships in football, volleyball, and soccer in the same school year. In the 2019 year (2018-19 and 2019-20 school years), four Redhawks teams have won titles with the SEMO softball team capturing both the 2019 OVC Regular Season and Tournament Titles.  
 
All-OVC Tournament Team
Laney Malloy, Mikayla Kuhlmann and Claire Ochs were each named to the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference All-Tournament Team as Southeast captured the 2019 OVC Tournament Championship. Ochs was selected as the tournament MVP. The trio are the first Redhawks awarded OVC All-Tournament Team honors since Colleen Yarber garnered the distinction in 2012.
 
Malloy led the SEMO offense at the Tournament with 40 kills and 36 digs while hitting at a .252 clip. Kuhlmann chipped in 39 kills (.252) for second on the team in Jacksonville, Alabama. Ochs facilitated the Redhawks attack with 120 assists and 34 digs as Southeast connected at a .242 rate. 
 
All-OVC Accolades
Prior to the 2019 OVC Championship Tournament, junior middle blocker Maggie Adams and junior outside hitter Laney Malloy both earned First-Team All-OVC honors while sophomore setter Claire Ochs and freshman libero Tara Beilsmith both were named to the Second-Team All-OVC. Southeast last had four selections to the All-OVC Team in 1999 when Angie Aschoff, Krista Haukap, Amy Henken (First-Team) and Lea Beckenmeyer (Second-Team) earned the nod.
 
Adams earned her first-career All-OVC honor after she led the league with 79 total blocks, averaging 1.30 blocks per set. In 2019, she has been named OVC Defensive Player of the Week twice and paced the league with a .348 hitting percentage. Malloy nabbed her first career All-OVC laurel after she led Southeast with 183 kills and accounted for 216.0 points. Ochs was selected to her first career All-OVC team after she dished out a team-best 584 assists this season. Beilsmith garnered her first career All-OVC team honors after she was second in the conference with 317 digs (5.20 digs per set).
 
We See You 2000 Redhawks 
With three wins at the 2019 OVC Championship Tournament, the Redhawks (23-10, 12-4 OVC) matched the 2000 season for overall wins with 23. Southeast finished the 1998 season with 24 total wins (24-12) and notched 28 in 1999 (28-6).
 
Adams the Blocking Machine 
Junior middle blocker Maggie Adams has been named OVC Defensive Player of the Week twice in 2019. In OVC play, Adams led the conference this season with 79 total blocks, averaging 1.30 blocks per set. Overall, she ranks second in the OVC with 130 total blocks in 2019 and 1.14 blocks per set. The 130 total blocks are a career-best for Adams in a season at SEMO. 
 
Adams ranks seventh in Southeast program history (25-point rally scoring era from 2008 to present) for both career block assists (214) and career total blocks (252). She is also third in the SEMO history books for a single season with 107 block assists.
 
Offensively, Adams was first in the conference with a .348 hitting percentage.
 
BLOCK PARTY
The Redhawks lead the conference and rank 20th in the NCAA Division I with 299.0 total blocks (2.37 blocks/set, first in the OVC) in 2019. In conference play, SEMO topped the league with 146.0 total blocks (2.39 blocks/set). In OVC play, Maggie Adams led the conference this season with 79 total blocks, averaging 1.30 blocks per set. She ranks second in the OVC with 130 total blocks in 2019 and 1.13 blocks per set. Krista Berns is sixth in the OVC with 105 blocks (0.95 blocks/set).
 
Southeast registered a program-best 23.0 total blocks at Austin Peay on Oct. 4 which ranks fifth in the NCAA for five-set matches in 2019. The Redhawks notched their second highest block total this season (16.0) in their second meeting with the Governors on Nov. 7.
 
Another Ace for Southeast
Southeast ranks first in the conference and sixth nationally with 212 service aces in 2019. SEMO is also 24th in all of NCAA Division I (1st in the OVC) with 1.68 aces per set. In conference play, Southeast led the OVC with 111 aces and 1.82 aces per set.
 
Laney Malloy and Claire Ochs top the conference with 45 aces (0.36 aces/set). Emily Boggetto is fourth in 2019 with 37 service aces (0.29 aces/set) while Tara Beilsmith and Ally Dion are sixth with 34 (0.27 aces/set).
 
Malloy and Ochs overcame Dion (36, 2017) for first in Southeast program history (25-point rally scoring era from 2008 to present) for service aces in a single-season with 45. 
 
Ochs the Setter, Not the Tree 
Claire Ochs leads the league with 1,186 assists this season. Ochs averages 9.41 assists per set for fifth in the OVC. In OVC play, Ochs was fourth with 584 assists (9.57 assists/set).
 
Ochs dished out 45 assists against Jacksonville State on Nov. 2 to surpass 2,000 assists in her career as a Redhawk. She ranks third all-time in Southeast program history during the 25-point rally scoring era (2008 to present) for assists in a single-season with 1,186. Ochs is four assists away from surpassing Julie Shives (1189 in 2011) for second on the list. Ochs is also fourth all-time in Southeast program history during the 25-point rally scoring era (2008 to present) for career assists with 2,290.
 
Ochs has also accumulated 354 digs (2.81 digs/set) in 2019 and led SEMO with a career-high of 25 at UTM on Oct. 29.
 
I Dig this Beilsmith Character 
Freshman libero Tara Beilsmith was named the OVC Co-Defensive Player and Newcomer of the Week on Nov. 18. Beilsmith was the third Redhawk to earn an OVC weekly award in 2019 as Southeast Missouri women's volleyball has won five total awards this season. The honor marks the first two career OVC weekly awards for Beilsmith.
 
Beilsmith is first in the conference with 623 digs and is also second in the OVC with 4.94 digs per set. In OVC play, she was second with 317 digs and 5.20 digs per set.
 
Beilsmith has registered 20 or more digs in 16 matches this season and has produced double-digit digs in all but one match in 2019. She notched a career-best 33 digs at SIUE on Nov. 15. 
 
She ranks second in Southeast program-history during the 25-point rally scoring era (2008 to present) for digs in a single season with 623. With three digs, Beilsmith will surpass Berkley Idel (625 in 2012) for most digs in a single-season.
 
As a team, the Redhawks are first and third in the league for team digs (2,089, 14th in the NCAA) and digs per set (16.58). 
 
What Can't Laney Do?
Besides leading the conference in aces (45), Laney Malloy is third in the OVC with 463.5 total points (3.67 points/set) in 2019. She is also third with 1,362 total attacks (10.81 attacks/set, fifth) and has compiled a team-high 385 kills for fourth in the OVC. 
 
The 385 kills are the most for Malloy in a single-season at Southeast as she posted 299 in 2018. She ranks fourth all-time in SEMO history (rally scoring era from 2008 to present) for kills in a single season. Malloy also has registered a career-best 356 total digs this season.  
 
Malloy ranks fourth in Southeast program history (rally scoring era from 2008 to present) for attack attempts in a single season with 1,362. She had 973 total attack attempts last season and has accumulated 2,335 in her career (seventh in Southeast program history) as a Redhawk.
 
DA Ally D Show 
Junior defensive specialist Ally Dion surpassed 1,000 career digs (1,016), tallying nine in the Redhawks 2019 OVC Championship Tournament Semifinals victory over Murray State on Nov. 22. Dion posted 340 as a freshman in 2017 and had 395 last season as a sophomore. In 2019, Dion has notched 281 digs. 
 
Get Out Ya Brooms!! 
With a sweep of Morehead State on Nov. 23, Southeast has totaled 11, 3-0 sweeps this season. In OVC play, SEMO has registered six sweeps out of its 16 conference matches in 2019. 
 
During Southeast's Division I era, SEMO notched 21 sweeps in 1999 (28-6, 17-1 OVC). Southeast also posted a program-best 25 sweeps in 1990. 
 
Redhawks Open OVC Play with Victory
Southeast opened OVC play on Sept. 24 with a 3-1 win over UT Martin in front of 823 fans at Houck Field House for the annual Redhawks Houck "Filled" House match.
 
Mikayla Kuhlmann and Laney Malloy led the Southeast offense with 11 kills each and Annie Wehrheim added 10. Malloy chipped in 11 digs for the double-double outing. Claire Ochs also tallied a double-double with 10 digs to complement her 36 assists. Kylie Plant was perfect on both of her swings, registering her first two career kills as a Redhawk down the stretch in the first and fourth sets. 
 
Non-Conference Recap
Southeast concluded non-conference play with an 8-6 mark that featured a pair of tournament championships and a four-match win streak entering the OVC slate. SEMO last won two tournaments in 2012 when the team registered a 21-13 record.
 
Southeast captured its Redhawks Invitational Championship with victories over Jackson State, Western Illinois and Evansville. SEMO posted wins over Toledo, North Alabama and Memphis to conclude non-conference play and grab the Beale Street Challenge Championship. The Redhawks also defeated Saint Louis for the first time since 2013 on Sept. 17 and had a win over Jacksonville at the season-opening Missouri State Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational. 
  
500th NCAA Win
Southeast captured the 2019 Redhawks Invitational Championship on Sept. 7 after registering a perfect 3-0 record with three consecutive, 3-0 sweeps. SEMO opened the tournament with wins over Jackson State and Western Illinois before a sweep of Evansville. The victory over Evansville in the tournament finale marked the 500th NCAA Division I win for the Redhawks in school history. Southeast joined the NCAA Division I and the Ohio Valley Conference in 1991. 
 
Redhawk Debuts
Five members of the 2019 team have made their Southeast debuts this season. Freshmen Zoey Beasley and Kylie Plant both made their Redhawk debuts in the win over Jackson State at the Redhawks Invitational Sept. 6. Sophomore Colby Greene and freshmen Tara Beilsmith and Talia Gouard saw action at the season-opening Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational at Missouri State Aug. 30-31. 
 
O Captains! My Captains!
Southeast Head Coach Julie Yankus announced on Sept. 3, Claire Ochs, Laney Malloy and Emily Boggetto were selected as team captains for the 2019 season. The trio were chosen to the leadership positions by their teammates.
 
Redhawk Scrimmage Recap
Southeast competed in the Redhawk Scrimmage Aug. 24 at Houck Field House in preparation for the 2019 season. Head coach Julie Yankus coached the red team while assistant coach Loni Kreun was at the helm of the black team. The red team edged the black team in three sets, 25-15, 25-14, 25-15. Colby Greene paced the red team with a match-high 11 kill outing while Laney Malloy added nine with 12 digs and Talia Gouard tallied eight kills. Krista Berns had six kills to complement her five service aces and four blocks. Claire Ochs dished out 26 assists with 11 digs. Ally Dion finished with a double-double of 13 assists with 16 digs and two aces on black.
 
Missouri Baptist Exhibition Recap
The Redhawks edged Missouri Baptist, 3-0, in the program's third consecutive exhibition match Aug. 12 at Houck Field House. SEMO swept the Spartans by scores of 25-12, 25-16 and 25-20. Colby Greene led the Redhawks with six kills, while Laney Malloy, Krista Berns and Claire Ochs followed close behind with five each. Ochs added a double-double of 29 assists with a match-high 14 digs. The Redhawks added seven blocks, as well.
 
Roster Breakdown
The 2019 Southeast team includes 16 student-athletes and features seven upperclassmen (four seniors and three juniors). SEMO returns 12 players from the 2018 OVC Tournament Team and only lost four letter winners. The 2019 squad also includes four newcomers. 
 
Annie Wehrheim returns for her senior season, moving to the right side hitter position after a Second-Team All-OVC performance in 2018 at outside hitter. Wehrheim was named to the 2019 Preseason All-OVC volleyball team after she was third on SEMO last season with 204 kills.
 
Other top returners for the Redhawks offensively are Laney Malloy and Krista Berns. Malloy paced Southeast with 299 kills and Berns was fifth on the team, chipping in 134 kills.
 
Claire Ochs returns at setter for her sophomore campaign and totaled 1,104 assists while starting in all but one match in 2018. Ochs ranks fourth all-time for assists in a single season during SEMO's 25-point rally scoring era. She also notched a team-best 18 double-doubles last season including a 57-assist and 21-dig outing at Eastern Illinois.
 
Defensively, junior Ally Dion returns at the libero/defensive specialist position after she led the team in 2018 with 395 digs (3.53 digs/set). Senior Emily Boggetto also returns for her final collegiate season at Southeast.
 
Maggie Adams topped the team in 2018 with 105.0 total blocks and Berns tallied 80.0. Berns ranks sixth overall in the SEMO record books for career solo blocks (35), block assists (198) and total blocks (233).
 
Redhawks Add Kreun as Assistant Coach
Head coach Julie Yankus added assistant coach Loni Kreun in May. Kreun most recently spent a season as the Volunteer Assistant Coach at UNC Charlotte where she gained experience in scouting, recruiting, and practice organization. She coordinated logistics for team travel and helped develop the team's social media presence.
 
Before transitioning to coaching, Kreun was an outside hitter at Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina. During her senior year, she led the Camels with a team best 332 kills, which ranked fifth in the Big South Conference. Kreun was named to the Big South Second-Team after competing in 121 sets over 31 matches.
 
OVC Preseason Poll
SEMO was predicted to finished the 2019 campaign sixth overall in the league, the OVC announced Aug. 15. The Redhawks received 146 points in the poll voted on by OVC coaches and sports information directors. Murray State, the 2018 OVC Champions, were selected to repeat this season and Austin Peay was picked second followed by Morehead State, Jacksonville State and SIUE. The Racers earned 12 first-place votes. Rounding out the poll are UT Martin, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Belmont, Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky from seventh through 12th.
 
Redhawks Crushing it in the Classroom 
Southeast racked up multiple academic awards in the offseason. The Redhawks earned a NCAA Public Recognition Award based on their most recent multiyear Academic Progress Rates for the fourth-straight season. SEMO was also awarded their 12th American Volleyball Coaches Association AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2018-2019 season after registering a 3.60 cumulative GPA.
 
Maggie Adams, Madara Bajare, Krista Berns, Haley Bilbruck, Caroline Draver, Keegan Fornoff, Colby Greene, Madeline Grimm, Laney Malloy, Elissa Moylan, Claire Ochs and Annie Wehrheim each were named to the OVC's Commissioner's Honor Roll for the 2018-19 academic year after they achieved at least a 3.25 grade point average. 
 
Keegan Fornoff and Madeline Grimm both earned OVC Medal of Honors after they posted perfect 4.0 grade point averages during the 2018-19 academic year.
 
Looking Ahead
With a victory Friday over #9 Kentucky, Southeast will advance to the Second Round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament on Saturday where they will face the winner of Michigan and Northern Kentucky. First serve for Saturday's match is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Kentucky.