Belmont vs. Murray State
Thursday, Oct. 22 | 6 p.m. CT
Curb Event Center
Belmont at Illinois State
Saturday, Oct. 25 | 1 p.m. CT
CEFCU Arena | Normal, Ill.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Belmont University volleyball team (10-9, 7-1 MVC) continues Missouri Valley Conference play this week, hosting Murray State on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m. CT before traveling to Illinois State for a 1 p.m. CT matchup on Sunday, Oct. 25.
The Bruins enter the week second in the MVC standings following back-to-back road victories over Murray State and Evansville. Belmont has won seven of its first eight conference matches, including five sweeps, and looks to continue its strong start to league play.
Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+, while live statistics will be available at GoBelmontBruins.com.
What's Bruin
- Belmont enters the week 10-9 overall and 7-1 in Missouri Valley Conference play, sitting second in the league standings behind UNI.
- The Bruins are coming off consecutive road victories over Murray State and Evansville, closing a three-match road stretch with two wins. Belmont has recorded five conference sweeps through its first eight MVC matches.
- Belmont opened MVC play with four consecutive victories and won 15 straight sets against conference opponents.
- Senior Brenna Kauffeld leads Belmont with 208 kills this season while ranking third on the team in service aces (16) and blocks (37). She also ranks fifth on the team with 93 digs.
- Kauffeld was named MVC Player of the Week on Sept. 28 and was also recognized as Belmont's September Student-Athlete of the Month.
- Libero Mya Bolton leads Belmont with 294 digs and ranks second on the team in service aces (19) and third in assists (66). She enters the week fifth in the MVC in digs and earned MVC Libero of the Week honors on Sept. 28.
- Jordan Czajkowski leads the Bruins with 415 assists, followed by Alivia Keegan with 341. Both setters have surpassed 1,000 career assists, with Czajkowski reaching the milestone against Evansville and Keegan recording hers in the win at UIC.
- Erin McMullen leads Belmont and the MVC with a .400 hitting percentage, adding 174 kills and a team-high 55 blocks.
- Kauffeld and McMullen were named to the Weber State Wildcat Invitational All-Tournament Team earlier this season.
- Junior DS/libero Lauren Evans leads Belmont with 21 service aces and ranks second on the team with 166 digs. The Butler transfer is one of three newcomers on Belmont's 2026 roster.
- Freshman outside hitter Sydnee Nelson has recorded at least one kill in 13 of her first 14 matches, including a career-high 11 kills in Belmont's sweep of Evansville.
- Belmont ranks first in the MVC in hitting percentage (.246).
- The Bruins were picked fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll, tying with UIC.
- Belmont returns MVC All-Freshman Team selections Erin McMullen and Jordan Czajkowski, both of whom earned MVC Freshman of the Week honors during the 2025 season.
- Belmont finished the 2025 season 17-11 overall and 8-8 in MVC play, finishing sixth in the conference standings.
- The Bruins are led by second-year head coach Fritz Rosenberg, assistant coach Delaney Gallagher and assistant coach Sean Cahill.
About the Racers
- Murray State enters the week 3-17 overall and 1-7 in MVC play, with its lone conference victory coming against Southern Illinois.
- The Racers are led by Tristan Krzos, who is in her fourth season with the program and her first season serving as acting head coach.
- Murray State finished the 2025 season 4-21 overall and 2-14 in conference play.
- Belmont is 8-3 all-time against Murray State and enters Thursday on a four-match winning streak in the series. The Bruins swept the Racers in their most recent meeting on Oct. 15 in Murray.
About the Redbirds
- Illinois State enters the week 15-4 overall and 6-2 in MVC play, riding a four-match conference winning streak.
- Illinois State libero Sammi Bunch was named MVC Libero of the Week on Oct. 19, earning the honor for the second consecutive week.
- Junior opposite Ruth Ziegler earned MVC Player of the Week honors on Aug. 31.
- Illinois State is led by head coach Allie Matters, who is in her fifth season at the helm of the Redbirds.
- The Redbirds finished the 2025 season 14-16 overall and 8-8 in MVC play.
- Belmont is 0-6 all-time against Illinois State and will look to secure its first victory over the Redbirds. The teams last met in October 2025, when Illinois State defeated Belmont in Nashville.
Follow Along
Follow Belmont volleyball on social media — @BelmontVB on X and @belmontvball on Instagram — for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all Belmont athletic programs through the official Belmont Bruins app, available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
