BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - With a weekend under its belt, the Illinois Wesleyan University women's volleyball team is scheduled to play at home for the first time in the 2023 season. The Titans (0-3) are set to host the first of three home tournaments Friday-Saturday, Sept. 8-9. 

The IWU Tournament I will feature Concordia University Wisconsin, Mount St. Joseph College, and 15th-ranked University of Wisconsin Stevens Point alongside Illinois Wesleyan. 

IWU will open the tournament against Mount St. Joseph Friday night, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m. The Titans will then take on Concordia Wisconsin and UW-Stevens Point Saturday, Sept. 9, at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively, to close out the tournament. 

Friday's matchup will be the seventh meeting between IWU and MSJ since 2001. The Lions hold a 4-2 advantage, with the most recent matchup going the full five sets in favor of MSJ Sept. 3, 2022. Then-freshman Taylor French (Romeoville, Ill.-Plainfield East) led the Green and White with 11 kills and four aces alongside 14 digs, while then-junior Faith Washko (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred-Heart Griffin) notched 25 digs. 

Illinois Wesleyan will face CUW for the 10th time, with the series dating back to 1995. The Titans have won all nine previous matchups, including a five-set victory Sept. 9, 2022. French dazzled with 24 kills on a .321 attack percentage, 10 digs, and three aces. Washko led the match with 25 digs, and then-sophomore Abby Erdman (Aurora, Ill.-Metea Valley) posted 25 assists to lead the Green and White.

The Titans will close out the tournament with a match against UW-Stevens Point. The Pointers, who were ranked 15th in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association Poll, hold the advantage in the series, with an 8-4 lead over IWU. The two teams tangled last on Oct. 21, 2022, with UWSP winning in four sets. French posted a double-double performance with 17 kills and 19 digs, while Erdman added 20 assists, and then-junior Jordan Pierce (Bonfield, Ill.-Herscher) finished with 13 helpers. 

Similar to the 2022 season, French led the Green and White offense in the first weekend of action. Her 53 kills for a 4.42 kills per set average to accompany 32 digs, four service aces, and three blocks earned her the first College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Hitter of the Week honor of the season. Junior Carly Kuehl (St. Louis, Mo.-Parkway West) finished second on the team in kills, posting 23. Freshman Sophia Feeney (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) made an immediate impact in her collegiate debut, leading Illinois Wesleyan with 64 assists. Erdman finished with 57 helpers to round out the setting duo.

Defensively, Washko accumulated 50 digs to lead IWU, an average of 4.17 digs per set. Erdman closely followed French's 32 digs with 31 to round out the top three. Freshman Eleanor Palmer (Chicago, Ill.-DePaul College Prep) led the net defense with eight total blocks in her first collegiate weekend. Senior Taylor Babec (Joliet, Ill.-Plainfield Central) added six, while four other Titans notched three rejections. 

All six matches will have a live stream and live stats for fans to follow along. The Tournament Central page, featuring game times along with team information, can be found by clicking here.