GREEN BAY, Wis. – The second of three road tournaments begins Friday for Green Bay volleyball, as the team makes its way to central Illinois. The Phoenix will face SEMO, Illinois State, and Oral Roberts at the Redbird Classic hosted by Illinois State.

Friday, September 2 – Normal, Ill. – Redbird Arena
Green Bay vs. SEMO
12:30 p.m.
Follow the action: Live Stats

Friday, September 2 – Normal, Ill. – Redbird Arena
Green Bay vs. Illinois State
7:30 p.m.
Follow the action: Watch | Live Stats

Saturday, September 3 – Normal, Ill. – Redbird Arena
Oral Roberts vs. Green Bay
Noon
Follow the action: Live Stats

Green Bay is 1-1 against the Redhawks all time. The Phoenix and SEMO last matched up on Sept. 5, 2003, when GB swept SEMO 3-0. The Redhawks swept Green Bay on Sept. 8, 1995. Illinois State has defeated GB two out of three times, with the two programs last meeting on Dec. 1, 2017. Meanwhile, Oral Roberts and GB have met just once, a 3-1 loss for the Phoenix back on Sept. 11, 1999.

ABOUT THE REDHAWKS
Twelfth-year head coach Julie Yankus has been a steady hand at the helm of the Redhawks program, displaying a winning record of 172-168. A trio of players leads Southeast Missouri, all of whom are strong defensively. Colby Greene paces the Redhawks with 43.5 points (3.63 per set), while Tara Beilsmith leads with 68 digs, an average of 5.67 per set. Mackenzie Meehan is a solid blocker, denying opponents kills 19 times, about 1.58 per set.

The Redhawks have played three games to begin the 2022 season, all at home to the tune of a 2-1 record.

ABOUT THE REDBIRDS
First-year head coach Allie Matters leads the Redbird program. Matters was named the eighth Illinois State head coach on March 8, 2022. Before becoming head coach, she spent four seasons at HL foe, Wright State. Matters guided the Raiders to two NCAA Tournament appearances, two Horizon League regular season titles, and a Horizon League Tournament title. She also won Horizon League Coach of the Year after the 2020-21 and 2019 seasons.

Illinois State features a balanced attack led by Kaitlyn Prondzinski, Aida Shadwald, and Sarah Kushner. Prondzinski paces ISU with 36 kills and 41 points. Shadwald, a Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin, native, is second with 30 kills, while Kushner isn't far behind with 27. 

ABOUT THE GOLDEN EAGLES
A dynamic trio in Trinity Freeman, Sakira LaCour, and Kaia Dunford lead Oral Roberts. All three have played each of the team's 13 sets through three matches. The trio also leads the Golden Eagles in points, points per set, kills, and kills per set. Dunford also paces ORU in digs with 39, while LaCour has registered a team-leading 22 blocks.

Frank Craig III enters his third year at the helm of the ORU program. Craig was an assistant for the Golden Eagles for two seasons before being elevated to head coach, handling day-to-day volleyball operations, including on-court coaching, scouting, and working primarily with the hitters and blockers. He was an All-American for Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio. 

WINNING WAYS
Since the appointment of Abbey Sutherland as the program's head coach in 2018, the Phoenix has finished in the top half of the Horizon League in all but one season. GB also made the NCAA tournament during Sutherland's first year in 2018, when the Phoenix finished 20-11 in the regular season. Sutherland is 61-50 as the head coach at Green Bay.

COMING OUT SWINGING
Tiffany Paalman influenced Green Bay's play during the Buffs Invitational last weekend, leading the team with 33 points and 28 kills. Last season, she was second on the squad in points (328.5) and third in kills (251). Only Alexandra Zakutney was in front of Paalman for kills (400).

FAMILIAR FACES
Multiple returners lead the attack for Green Bay, including 2021 First Team All-Horizon League selection Alexandra Zakutney. Last season, Zakutney led the team with 400 kills, the eighth-most in the HL. She also recorded a team-leading 51 service aces and 479.5 points. Shannon Coughlin, Tiffany Paalman, and Cora Behnke rounded out the top four in kills last season for the Phoenix. All four are returning in 2022.

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