HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky volleyball remains in the region for a pair of matches in the Miami/Best Western Sycamore Inn Invitational hosted by Miami in Oxford, Ohio, on Saturday, Sept. 11. Northern Kentucky plays undefeated Evansville at noon before squaring off against Miami at 7 p.m. Saturday night.
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (2-3 Overall, 0-0 Horizon League)
University of Evansville Purple Aces (6-0 Overall, 0-0 MVC)
Saturday, Sept. 11– Noon (ET)
Oxford, Ohio | Millett Hall (6,400)
Stats: Live Stats
 
Miami University Redhawks (2-4 Overall, 0-0 MAC)
Saturday, Sept. 11– 7 p.m. (ET)
Oxford, Ohio | Millett Hall (6,400)
Broadcast: ESPN3
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 plays Evansville and Miami (Ohio) at the Miami/Best Western Sycamore Inn Invitational.
• NKU is 9-2 all-time against the Purple Aces and has won eight-straight in the series, including all six as a DI program.
• NKU is 6-7 in program history versus Miami, with the Redhawks winning each of the last four.
• 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 51-31 (.614 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 riding a streak of four-straight double-doubles, recording them against Ohio (15K, 15D), South Dakota (21K,12D), Missouri (13K, 10D) and No. 12 Louisville (14K, 12D).
• In the 12th-ranked Cardinals' tournament, Brinkmann averaged 4.80 kills and 3.40 digs per set.
• 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 is currently averaging 1.78 kills per set and a team-leading 0.78 blocks per set.
• Briggs was third on the team in kills, racking up 2.50 kps in 2021. She is currently averaging 1.81 kps.
• DS/L Anna Burke is donning the libero jersey for the Norse for the first time this year. She improved from 0.96 dps as a freshman to 1.70 dps her sophomore season and is now averaging 5.00 this year.
• Burke was named to the Cardinal Classic All-Tournament Team last weekend after picking up 5.60 dps, which included back-to-back 20-dig efforts in three-set matches versus Missouri (22) and No. 12 Louisville (20).
• 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, and is anticipated to redshirt this season at NKU.
• Banks and Hunt are already carving out significant roles for the Norse. Banks is currently second on the team at 1.94 kills per set following the weekend tournament at No. 12 Louisville, where she averaged 2.70 kills per set. Hunt provided 1.50 kills per set last weekend and is now averaging 1.50 on the year.
 
***Due to COVID-related matters within its Tier-1 personnel, Middle Tennessee State canceled its matches in the tournament. As a result, NKU's matches were rescheduled to the dates/times reflected in this release.