Schedule
Hillsdale (3-6, 1-2 G-MAC) at Kentucky Wesleyan (1-10, 0-4 G-MAC) | 7 p.m. ET Friday, Oct. 3 | Woodward Health and Recreation Center | Owensboro, KY
Hillsdale (3-6, 1-2 G-MAC) at Thomas More (5-3, 2-0 G-MAC) | 12 p.m. ET Saturday, Oct. 4 | Connor Convocation Center | Crestview Hills, KY
 
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Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | KWC Roster | Thomas More Roster | Hillsdale Stats | KWC Stats | Thomas More Stats | G-MAC Stats | G-MAC Standings
 
Players to Watch
Hillsdale:  #2 Jenna Southland, So., MH, Three Rivers, MI/Three Rivers (6^th G-MAC in B/S); #4 Madison Peal, Fr., DS/L, Grand Rapids, MI/Christian (6th G-MAC in D/S); #9 Adi Sysum, Sr., MH, Eaton Rapids, MI/Eaton Rapids (2^nd G-MAC in hitting %, 10^th in B/S); #15 Josie TeSlaa, Sr., S/DS, Hudsonville, MI/Unity Christian (5^th G-MAC in A/S)

KWC: #11 Maddie Hanshew, Sr., L/DS, Louisville, KY/Mercy Academy (1^st Tm in D/S); #12 Hadley Wolfe, Jr., MB, Henderson, KY/Henderson Co. (7^th G-MAC in B/S, 4^th in Hitting %, 9^th in P/S); #13 Ana De Sevilla-Acosta, So., S, Caguas, Puerto Rico/Colegio Marista de Guaynabo (10^th G-MAC in SA/S); #16 Emmy Goering, Fr., OH, Carmi, IL/Edwards Co. (2^nd Tm in K/S)

Thomas More: #4 Ebony Gomez, Sr., OH/RS, Merida, Venezuela/Colegia Salesiano San Luis (5^th G-MAC in K/S, 8^th in SA/S, 3^rd in P/S); #12 Taylor Stivers, So., DS, Louisville, KY/Atherton (6^th G-MAC in SA/S, 10^th in D/S); #15 Matilde Giamberini, Sr., MB, Gornate Olona, Italy/Liceo Curie (4^th G-MAC in B/S); #28 Audrey Warrick, So., S, Linton, IN/Linton-Stockton (7^th G-MAC in A/S, SA/S)
 
Scouting the Opposition
KWC: The Panthers are still looking for a breakthrough as Kentucky Wesleyan dreams of its first G-MAC Tournament berth since 2018. With an 0-4 start in conference play in the books, time is running out and the Panthers need a strong showing this weekend to keep hopes alive.

Offensively, Kentucky Wesleyan relies heavily on junior middle blocker Hadley Wolfe, who is off to a nice start with a team-leading 2.83 kills per set so far. Freshman Emmy Goering also has had a promising start to her career as an outside hitter for the Panthers, and senior Havanah John is another key attacker for a Panthers program that runs a lot of its offense through the middle.

Senior Maddie Hanshew, a major contributor in the back row for three years for the Panthers, has stepped in at libero for KWC, while sophomores Ana De Sevilla-Acosta and Juliana Greaney split the setting duties for the Panthers.
Hillsdale has dominated the series with Kentucky Wesleyan since its start in 2017, with victories in all 11 meetings, and the Panthers have taken a set off the Chargers just once, in 2021.

Thomas More: The Saints have had a difficult adjustment to G-MAC play, missing the conference tournament in each of its first two seasons in the league, but there are signs already that the program could be turning the corner in year three after a .500 record in nonconference play and a 2-0 start against G-MAC foes.

Veteran players with more experience at the NCAA DII level are stepping up for Thomas More, led by senior outside hitter Ebony Gomez, one of the top point scorers in the conference so far. Fellow senior Matilde Giamberini and sophomore Kat Koepke are also off to strong offensive starts for the Saints.

Sophomore Taylor Stivers is the new libero for Thomas More, while Audrey Warrick has become the full-time setter after sharing the job last season as the Saints transition from a 6-2 system to a one-setter squad. Thomas More has done a lot of damage at the service line this season, ranking second in the G-MAC with 1.87 per set and placing three players in the top 10 in service aces per set.

The series between Hillsdale and Thomas More is relatively new, with the Chargers sweeping both matches between the two teams in 2023 and 2024.
 
Scouting the Chargers
A gritty, come-from-behind win in the fifth set over rival Northwood on the road got Hillsdale its first G-MAC win of 2025 last Friday. The Chargers are hoping the momentum from that victory could kick off a big run in conference play and get Hillsdale back into contention for the G-MAC North Division title.

On an otherwise inexperienced team, Hillsdale does return three key contributors who played major roles in seasons past: senior Adi Sysum, who was part of the team's middle hitter rotation and finished fourth on the Chargers in points and second in blocks in 2024, senior Josie TeSlaa, who was one of the team's two setters in Hillsdale's 6-2 lineup and played in every match last year, and junior Chloe Pierce, who played an important role in the back row for the Chargers last season.

Retooling the front row will be a priority for Hillsdale as the Chargers lose several key contributors on the attack. Along with Sysum, Hillsdale also is giving more opportunities to sophomores Caroline Lanicek, Hannah Baker and Jenna Southland, while junior Molly Kennedy has had a bigger role in recent weeks as well.

Two players who missed the 2024 season with injuries are already making big contributions. Junior Emory Braswell was second on the team in kills in 2023 before missing all of 2024, and is getting ample playing time on the outside . Redshirt freshman Ella Byrum was pushing hard for playing time in the back row in the 2024 preseason as well before suffering a season-ending injury, and is now part of the libero rotation for the Chargers along with freshman Madison Peal, who's gotten significant early playing time for the Chargers along with fellow freshman and outside hitter Taylor Cook.

Coaching the Chargers for the 30^th year is Chris Gravel, who's built Hillsdale's program from the ground up and into one of the top programs in the Midwest Region. Under Gravel, the Chargers have won 11 conference regular season titles, 10 conference tournament titles, made 16 NCAA Division II tournament appearances, won the Midwest Regional title in 2011 and 2021, and reached the NCAA DII Final Four in 2011 while making the Elite Eight round in 2021.
 
Other Notes

• There will be a new streaming home for Hillsdale College athletics in the 2025 season as the Great Midwest Athletic Conference has agreed to a media rights deal with FloSports. All Hillsdale home and conference contests will stream with FloSports as a part of its FloCollege brand. FloSports is a subscription-based livestreaming service that hosts 40,000 contests and has deals with over 20 conferences in the NCAA. You can find out more information and sign up to watch the Chargers at this link.
• Hillsdale posted its best-ever year in the classroom in 2024-25, with the highest cumulative GPA in program history and the top cumulative GPA among all Hillsdale College athletics teams. Two returning starters for Hillsdale played a big role in that accomplishment, as senior Josie TeSlaa and junior Chloe Pierce each earned CSC Academic All-District honors for their performance in the classroom last season.
• Entering his 30^th season at Hillsdale, Chris Gravel has proved himself as one of the elite college volleyball coaches in the country. His 634 AVCA-recognized victories rank 10^th among all active coaches at the NCAA DII level, and his .690 winning percentage ranks 25^th, and 11^th among active coaches with 20 or more campaigns. He is one of just 10 active NCAA DII coaches with 600 or more wins in his career.
• Hillsdale's defense has been active in the Chargers' two opening tournaments, as Hillsdale currently ranks second in the G-MAC in team digs per set with 16.24, and third in opponent service aces with 1.46 per set. Freshmen Madison Peal and Ella Byrum both rank in the top 10 individually in the G-MAC in digs per set, with Peal currently sitting sixth and Byrum seventh. The Chargers will aim to convert their defensive performances into more wins in conference play.
• Senior Adi Sysum has been an important weapon upfront for the Chargers so far. A middle hitter, Sysum has been efficient on offense, hitting .370, the second-best mark in G-MAC play, with 2.30 kills per set, and has been a key player defensively, with 0.86 blocks per set and 10 solo blocks, the third-most of any player in the G-MAC so far.
• Family ties play an interesting role for the Hillsdale College volleyball team this year, with several players following in the footsteps of family members who played Charger athletics. Two Hillsdale players have older siblings who are or were Chargers – libero Chloe Pierce's older sister, Sophia, is a former Hillsdale women's basketball player, front row player Adi Sysum is the younger sister of former women's basketball player Arianna Sysum, and setter Josie TeSlaa is the younger sister of former Charger football player and current Detroit Lion Isaac TeSlaa.