News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Texas A&M volleyball team continues its preseason slate on the road as it takes on UNI Thursday at the McLeod Center with first serve set for 6 p.m.
The Aggies are coming off another week of undefeated play, as they swept the Texas A&M Invitational claiming wins over Temple (3-0), UNH (3-2) and Louisiana (3-0). The 7-0 start matches last season’s record and is tied for the third-best start in program history.
Ifenna Cos-Okpalla was a standout performer at the tournament, earning her third SEC Defensive Player of the Week honor and first SEC Player of the Week award. The Flower Mound, Texas native denied 19 swings over the weekend, including three solo blocks in Friday’s match versus Temple which tied her career high. On offense she logged 27 kills in the three matches with a season-high 12 coming in Saturday’s five-set thriller with UNH.
A&M stands out nationally, as it leads the country in assists per set (14.04) and kills per set (14.96), while also ranking 11th in hitting percentage (.292) and opponent hitting percentage (.136).
Maddie Waak has put the NCAA on notice as the conductor of the Aggie offense. The junior leads the nation with 11.83 assists per set. Waak set a new career high of 58 assists in the Maroon & White’s five-set thriller versus UNH and surpassed the 1,500-assist milestone for her career.
The Aggies faced UNI in last year’s Texas A&M Invitational and downed the Panthers in a tightly contested three-set match. The teams only met one time prior to last season, with the Maroon & White once again claiming victory, 3-1.
Logan Lednicky was a difference maker versus UNI in 2023, logging 12 kills in the match while hitting at an efficient .375 percent.