HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The regional tour to begin the 2021 season continues for the Northern Kentucky volleyball program. After playing No. 11 Ohio State and Ohio last weekend in Columbus, Ohio, the Norse head to Louisville for the Cardinal Classic, where they will play South Dakota, Missouri and No. 12 Louisville this weekend.
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (1-1 Overall, 0-0 Horizon League)
University of South Dakota Coyotes (0-0 Overall, 0-0 Summit)
Friday, Sept. 3– 4:30 p.m. (ET)
Louisville, Ky. | L&N Federal Credit Union Arena (1,100)
Stats: Live Stats
 
Missouri University Tigers (0-3 Overall, 0-0 SEC)
Saturday, Sept. 4 – 3:30 p.m. (ET)
Louisville, Ky. | L&N Federal Credit Union Arena (1,100)
Stats: Live Stats
 
University of Louisville Cardinals (3-0 Overall, 0-0 ACC)
Sunday, Sept. 5 – 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Louisville, Ky. | L&N Federal Credit Union Arena (1,100)
Broadcast: ACC Network Extra
Stats: Live Stats
 
Quick Hitters
• Northern Kentucky opened the 2021 season with a tough slate of games in its first two weekends, playing two teams currently ranked - No. 11 Ohio State (L, 0-3) and No. 12 Louisville. Missouri was receiving votes in the preseason poll. South Dakota was in the RPI top-50 in each of the last two years (42 in 2020,  38 in 2019) and Ohio (W, 3-2) perennially finds itself in the top-100 of the RPI.
• NKU will be meeting South Dakota and Missouri for the first time in program history.
• NKU is 12-7 all-time versus Louisville, although the teams haven't met since Oct. 22, 1984. The series has been marked by streaks. Louisville won the first meeting before NKU rattled off 12-straight wins. The Cards won the final six.
• With last year's #HLVB Tournament semifinal appearance, the Norse have now reached at least the semifinals of their conference tournament seven-straight years, equating to every season eligible for conference postseason tournament play (2014-present) since reclassifying to NCAA Division I beginning in 2012.
• NKU was chosen third in the #HLVB preseason poll.
• Over the last four seasons (2018-21), NKU is a combined 50-29 (.633 winning percentage).
• NKU had five players average more than 2.00 kills per set last year and four return this season  - OH Anna Brinkmann, S/RS Miranda Wucherer, MB/Opp Abby Kanakry, and OH Reilly Briggs.
• Brinkmann is a two-time All-Horizon League First Team performer who was also named to the AVCA All-Northeast Region Honorable Mention Team in 2019. She registered 15 kills and 15 digs in NKU's last match (Ohio), the 28th double-double of her career.
• Wucherer is a versatile asset for the Norse. She's amassed 33 double-doubles in her career, including six triple doubles. Wucherer ranked second in the nation in last year's CoVID shortened season with two triple doubles. The senior averaged 5.71 aps, 2.08 kps and 2.41 dps and was named to the All-Horizon League First Team.
• Kanakry registered 2.98 kills per set last year behind a highly efficient .293 hitting percentage. She closed the season hitting over .400 in four of the team's final five matches. During that five match run, she averaged 3.47 kps at a .410 hitting clip.
• Kanakry exploded for a career-high 20 kills on the strength of .486 hitting in NKU's #HLVB semifinal match, earning a spot on the all-tournament team for the second-straight year.
• Briggs was third on the team in kills, racking up 2.50 kps. She improved her terminations from 1.83 as a freshman.
• DS/L Anna Burke is donning the libero jersey for the Norse. She improved from 0.96 dps as a freshman to 1.70 dps her sophomore season. Burke was a terror at the service line last year, racking up 14 aces (0.32 aces per set), which included tying NKU's Division I record of six against Green Bay last season. So far in 2021, she's averaging 4.25 dps and has three aces.
• S Katy Yopko contributed 4.91 assists and 1.70 digs per set in her freshman campaign.
• The Norse welcomed three newcomers, OH Joy Banks, MB Sequoia Hunt and DS/L Lucy Cluxton. Banks was an Under Armour High School All-America Honorable Mention honoree after averaging 5.7 kills behind .401 hitting as a senior. Hunt hit .330 and terminated 113 kills en route to earning KVCA All-State Honorable Mention Status. Cluxton amassed 191 digs, 187 kills and 44 aces as a senior.
• Banks totaled eight kills last weekend, while Hunt added three, each of which came in the decisive fifth set against Ohio.