DBU (2-1), CLARION (2-2), DAEMEN (2-2) , WAYNE STATE (MI) (4-0)
September 12-13 | Amherst, NY | Charles L. & Gloria B. Lumsden Gymnasium
​
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
Video: FloCollege
Live Stats: Live Stats
X: @DBUVolleyball
Instagram: @dbu_vball
Facebook: DBU Athletics
​
LAST TIME OUT
DBU opened its season last weekend by hosting the Dallas Classic, playing three games against teams from around the country. The Lady Patriots came out boiling hot, winning their first two contests in straight sets and carrying that momentum into their third match, where they quickly built a 2-0 lead. But Minnesota State Moorhead played spoiler: The Dragons mounted their second reverse sweep of the weekend, stunning DBU and handing the Lady Patriots their first loss of the young season.

Junior outside Karly Wells posted a career-high of 34 kills against Moorhead, and is putting down 5.45 kills per set through three games.

Another thing to keep an eye on this weekend is the development of the many freshmen on the roster. Blue Anderson, Aizlyn Dewberry, Paityn Winters, and Lauren Witte all made significant impacts on the court last weekend and are expected to contribute all season long.
​
WILDCAT CLASSIC
Daemen University is set to host the Wildcat Classic, welcoming three visiting programs from across the nation. Wayne State (MI) makes the trip from Detroit, Michigan, while Clarion (Pennsylvania Western) University arrives from Clarion, Pennsylvania. DBU will have the lengthiest journey by a longshot, as the Lady Patriots will log over 1,000 miles to compete in the tournament.
​
PATRIOT STORYLINES
Frequent Flyers: Over the past three seasons, DBU has recorded the three highest team averages for kills per set in program history (2022- 13.67, 2023- 13.32, 2024- 13.47). Coach Jordan Fish, who is entering her fourth season at the helm, has bolstered this offense since her arrival.
The Veterans: Junior outside Karly Wells headlines a group of returners who look to fill the legacy left by last year's senior class.
Re-tooling: The Lady Patriots brought in a group of six transfers, four of which came from DI programs, while six more joined the team as freshmen.
Replacing a Legend: DBU looks to replace the production of two-time All-American outside Delaney Fuller, who broke the school record for single-season kills twice, and is the all-time program leader in kills per set with 3.97.
Stepping Up: Karly Wells has taken on the lead role in the Lady Patriot attack with Fuller's absence. Wells already has 60 kills through three games and will look to lead the DBU offense to great heights.
Fresh Impact: Senior middle Madison Clark is the lone senior on this team, and brings a strong blocking prowess to the net. Clark has six blocks to her name on the young season, three of which are solo.
Enhanced Leadership: Entering her first year at DBU, Assistant Coach Torrey Miller joins Coach Fish with a championship pedigree. A standout at West Texas A&M, Miller was named the NCAA Division II Tournament MVP in 2022 after leading the Lady Buffs to a National Championship.
​
SCOUTING WEEKEND OPPONENTS
Wayne State (MI):
- Wayne State holds the best record of this group of four teams (4-0).
- Like the Lady Patriots, the Warriors opened their season by hosting an invitational last weekend at the Matthaei Center in Detroit.
- Wayne State is led offensively by Kayla Giroux, a middle who is averaging four kills per set through four games.
- Kayla Duggar handles the setting duties for the Warriors, already accruing 169 assists through four games with a season-high of 55 in a five-set victory over Winona State.
- Paige Geihtbrock will be another name to keep an eye on. Geihtbrock has the second-most kills on the team behind Giroux, and she also leads the Warriors with seven aces.
​
Daemen:
- Daemen carries a 2-2 record into the weekend, splitting their games at the Ashland Invitational in Ashland, Ohio.
- The Wildcats hold a team-wide hitting percentage of just .110.
- Daemen is led offensively by Nahirka Malpica, who's averaging 3.53 kills per set.
- The Wildcat defense has been effective in light of a struggling offense early this season, holding opponents to a .146 hitting percentage.
- Their serving philosophy seems to be high-risk, high-reward; totaling a whopping 32 aces through four games, but committing 51 service errors.
​
Clarion:
- Clarion enters the weekend sitting at .500 through four matches, but their record might not tell the full story. Both of the Golden Eagles' wins have come in dominant fashion with straight-set sweeps, while their two losses have been stretched across five sets.
- Raegan Stader leads the group in kills with 51. Stader is averaging just over three kills per set.
- Kylie Barto and Natalie Karrick will split setting responsibilities, with Barto shouldering the greater load.
- The Golden Eagles have been a force on the net, recording seven solo blocks and 60 assisted through one weekend of play. Finley Kearney leads the group with 16 total blocks through four games.
​
SERIES HISTORY
Wayne State (MI):
This will be DBU's first matchup with Wayne State in program history.
​
Daemen:
This will be DBU's first matchup with Daemen in program history.
​
Clarion:
This will be DBU's first matchup with Clarion in program history.
​
UP NEXT
Following the Wildcat Classic, the Lady Patriots will return to Texas for the Lone Star Conference Challenge on September 19-20, hosted by Texas Woman's University.