PITTSBURGH - The Duquesne University volleyball team is set to host Saint Louis for a pair of Atlantic 10 matches this Friday and Saturday.
THE BASICS
October 6, 2023 - 6:00 PM | October 7, 2023 - 2:00 PM
UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse (Pittsburgh, PA)
Duquesne Dukes (6-7, 1-4 A-10)
Saint Louis Billikens (9-8, 2-3 A-10)
Watch Live on ESPN+ |
FRIDAY |
SATURDAY
Follow Live Stats | Gameday Central:
FRIDAY |
SATURDAY
THE DUKES
- The Dukes are coming in off a loss to No. 20 Dayton, at home on Tuesday night. Duquesne dropped the match in three sets.
- Freshman Avery Hobson led Duquesne with nine kills against Dayton. Hobson also tallied six digs and a block. Hobson leads Duquesne with 154 kills on the season and is third in the A-10 in kills per set.
- Sophomore Carsyn Henschen and graduate student Morgan Gish are fifth and eighth respectively in the A-10 in kills per set.
- Chloe Wilmot led the Dukes with 25 assists on Tuesday. She leads Duquesne in assists and assists per set on the season. Her 10.81 assists per set is the most of any A-10 player. She also ranks 11th nationally in assists per set.
- Sophomore Madison Grimm leads Duquesne in digs and is two shy of 200 on the season. Her 4.12 digs per set is enough for seventh place in the A-10.
THE BILLIKENS
- The Saint Louis Billikens are also coming in off a short week. They fell to Loyola Chicago in three sets on Tuesday.
- Senior Delaney Rice leads the Billikens with 206 kills on the season. Senior Emily Henken is second with 150. Rice is sixth in the A-10 in kills per set, behind Henschen of Duquesne.
- Junior Kate Aupperle leads the team in assists with 474, and redshirt sophomore Addie Lyon is second with 182.
- Senior Carlie Rogers leads Saint Louis with 309 digs on the season. Her 4.54 digs per set is fifth-best in the A-10.
- Saint Louis was picked to finish sixth in the A-10 preseason poll.
THE SERIES
- Duquesne is 7-25 all-time against the Billikens in a series dating back to 2005. The two teams have met once in the A-10 playoffs, in which Saint Louis won.
- Duquesne beat Saint Louis the last time the teams met, ending a run of seven-straight victories for Saint Louis.
STRONG START
- Duquesne's 5-1 record was the school's best start since 2012.
- Last year the Dukes didn't win their fifth game until October 22, while this year they reached five wins in their sixth game on September 2.
DOUBLE-DOUBLES THIS SEASON
- Morgan Gish (5) - vs. Canisius (9/01), at Robert Morris (9/02), at Fordham (9/22), at Fordham (9/23), at VCU (9/29)
- Camille Spencer (2) - vs. Canisius x2 (9/01)
- Avery Hobson (5) - vs. Canisius x2 (9/01), at Robert Morris (9/02), vs Queens (9/16), at Fordham (9/23)
- Chloe Wilmot (2) - at Binghamton (8/26), vs. Canisius (9/01)
PRESEASON POLL
- Duquesne was picked to finish eighth out of 10 in the A-10 Preseason Poll after an 8-22 (5-13 A-10) record in 2022.
- Defending A-10 champion Loyola Chicago was tabbed the favorite with 97 points and seven first place votes. Dayton (2) and Davidson (1) also received first-place votes, taking second and third in the poll.
FRESHMAN STARTERS
- Coach Opperman brought in four talented freshmen this season, three of which started on opening weekend: Jordan Robertson, Avery Hobson, and Chloe Wilmot.
- Successful players at the highest club and high school levels, the trio has started all 12 matches this season, three of four Dukes to do so.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
WINNINGEST COACH IN PROGRAM HISTORY
- The Dukes are led by 26th year head coach Steve Opperman.
- With an all-time record of 357-379 at Duquesne, Opperman has the most wins of any coach in program history.
- Four-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year (co-2001, co-2004, co-2010 and 2013)
- Opperman, whose teams have appeared in nine of the past 13 Atlantic 10 postseason tournaments, guided the Dukes to the school's first A-10 regular season and tournament championship in 2013. The 2013 Dukes went on to make the first NCAA Championship appearance in school history.
- Opperman entered the season with 470 career wins (Wright State & Duquesne).
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
- Duquesne earned its fifth consecutive and 13th overall AVCA Team Academic Award for its classroom success last year.
- DU's 13 AVCA Academic Awards most in A-10 since 1992-93
UP NEXT
- Duquesne will visit our nation's capital and battle George Washington on Oct. 13 at 6:00 PM and 14 at 2:00 PM. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
FOLLOW THE DUKES
For the latest news and updates for Duquesne volleyball, follow @DuqVB on Twitter (X) and Instagram.
