Season Starts Friday at Panther Invitational (1 p.m. ESPN+)

UNH VOLLEYBALL

Panther Invitational
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee • Klotsche Center
Friday, Aug. 24 (all times Eastern)
11 am – Northwestern vs. South Dakota
1 pm – UNH at Milwaukee   • Video • Stats
6 pm – UNH vs. Northwestern   • Video • Stats
8:30 pm – South Dakota at Milwaukee
Saturday, Aug. 25
1 pm – UNH vs. South Dakota   • Video • Stats
4 pm – Northwestern at Milwaukee

TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW

Click to visit Tournament Central for the 20^th Panther Invitational. The page includes ticket information and links to video and stats for all six matches.
The season opener vs. Milwaukee is on ESPN+. The other two matches can be seen on the Black & Gold Network (YouTube).

UNH vs. MKE

Milwaukee won the only previous meeting against New Hampshire. The Panthers were a straight-set victor in a neutral-site matchup Sept. 16, 2000 (at Illinois). The set scores were 15-8, 15-6, 15-4.
MKE game notes

UNH vs. NORTHWESTERN

Friday night will also mark just the second lifetime meeting vs. Northwestern. The Purple & White Wildcats won in straight sets Aug. 28, 2015 (at Wake Forest). The set scores were 25-12, 25-14, 25-14.
Northwestern game notes

UNH vs. SOUTH DAKOTA

Saturday will enter the archives as the first matchup between the New Hampshire and South Dakota volleyball programs.
South Dakota game notes

HEADING HOME

This is homecoming weekend for head coach Jill Hirschinger, who was born in West Allis, Wis. and attended West Allis High School, and two Wildcats.
Senior setter Mali Jereczek is from Green Bay, Wis. and is a graduate of West De Pere. She earned All-State Honorable Mention as a senior captain in 2014.
Junior defensive specialist/outside hitter Logan Welti calls Middleton home. She was named All-State Honorable Mention twice and was a three-year captain at Middleton High School.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE

The last time the UNH volleyball team traveled to Wisconsin was September 2005, when the Wildcats were defeated by IUPUI, Iowa and host school Marquette (in Milwaukee).

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

UNH is one year removed from a stretch of four consecutive America East regular-season and tournament titles – as well as four straight NCAA tourney appearances. Head coach Jill Hirschinger, a six-time America East Coach of the Year, looks to lead the Wildcats back to the top in 2018.
New Hampshire returns 15 players from last year's team that finished 13-14 overall and 8-4 in America East.
Included among the returning 'Cats are five America East conference award winners – senior middle blocker Gabri Olhava and junior hitter Kennedi Smith on the First Team, junior hitter Hannah Petke on the Second Team, sophomore setter Emma Patlovich on the All-Rookie Team, and senior setter Mali Jereczek on the All-Academic Team.
UNH was picked second in the 2018 America East Volleyball Preseason Poll.

TOP 'CATS

Kennedi Smith, who garnered All-ECAC Second Team recognition in addition to All-Conference First Team, was atop UNH's leaderboard in both kills and points, ranked second in digs and fourth in service aces; she also recorded a team-high 10 double-doubles. In the conference rankings, Smith was No. 2 in both kills per set and points per set, as well as No. 8 in aces.
Gabri Olhava, a second-year captain, was the only Wildcat to play all 102 sets a year ago, when she led New Hampshire in solo blocks, assisted blocks, total blocks and blocks per set. Olhava recorded a team-high .296 hitting percentage and ranked second in both kills and points, as well as service aces. On the America East leaderboard, Olhava was No. 3 in hitting percentage, No. 5 in points and aces, and No. 7 in kills.
Hannah Petke ranked second on the team in hitting percentage and third in both kills and points, as well as fourth in blocks. Petke elevated her play against America East foes with 3.02 kills per set and a .292 hitting percentage.

READY TO ASSIST

Mali Jereczek and Emma Patlovich split time orchestrating UNH's offense a year ago.
Jereczek, a senior captain, tallied a team-high 34 service aces to rank third in the conference; she was second on the team in assists and assists per set (5.09), as well as fifth in digs.
Patlovich led UNH with 559 assists and 6.28 assists/set to rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in America East. Patlovich's 27 service aces ranked third on the team and she was No. 6 on the conference leaderboard in aces/set.

DUELING LIBEROS

Junior Logan Welti was the Wildcats' primary libero last year and played 101 of 102 sets. She was atop the team leaderboard in digs, ranked third in assists and fifth in service aces. Welti recorded four of UNH's top 5 single-match dig totals in '17.
Emily Tanski, a junior who was All-Conference First Team in 2016, is transitioning from the front line to the back row this season and will challenge for the libero position. Tanski played in 23 of 27 matches and 82 sets last year, when she was fourth on the squad in both kills and points, as well as fourth in digs.

THE NEWCOMERS

There are three newcomers on the 2018 roster: Maddie Wiedenfeld, Abby Sullivan and Emma Tupa; all three are expected to make an impact this season.
Wiedenfeld was named to the All-Nebraska Watch List, Sullivan was a two-time conference Player of the Year, and Tupa was a two-time conference Offensive Player of the Year.

FOR OPENERS

In the past decade, UNH has a 4-6 record in season openers, and that includes 1-6 on the road.
All 10 of those matches were away from Durham (3-0 at neutral sites).
Last August, the Wildcats opened the season with a straight-set win vs. Holy Cross (at St. John's University).

HIRSCHINGER'S HISTORY

Jill Hirschinger began her UNH helm in the 1996 season. She has amassed a 360-313 record with 10 seasons of 20+ wins.
Hirschinger has been named America East Coach of the Year six times.

HOME OPENER

UNH's home opener is Sept. 11 against Northeastern University. Start time at Lundholm Gym is 7 p.m.
Tickets for all home matches will be available in advance at unhwildcats.com, the box office or by calling (603) 862-4000, as well as game day at the box office.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Mali Jereczek

Gabri Olhava

Emma Patlovich

Hannah Petke

Kennedi Smith

Abby Sullivan

Emily Tanski

Emma Tupa

Logan Welti

Maddie Wiedenfeld

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

University of New Hampshire Athletics