LAWRENCE, Kan. — No. 14 Kansas volleyball returns home for a crucial stretch of Big 12 play, hosting No. 10 TCU on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m. CT on FS1, before squaring off with Kansas State on Friday, Oct. 24, at 8 p.m. CT inside Allen Fieldhouse. The Dillon's Sunflower Showdown will air live on ESPNU.
The Jayhawks (14–7, 5–2 Big 12) enter the week riding a four-match win streak, highlighted by a dominant 3–0 sweep at Houston last weekend.
"We're finding our rhythm at the right time," said Head Coach
Matt Ulmer. "These are two high-level opponents who will test us in every area. The key is staying aggressive, trusting our system, and feeding off the energy in Horejsi and Allen. This is a great opportunity to show who we are."
Kansas has been one of the Big 12's most complete teams this season, ranking first in total assists (1,003), kills (1,077), digs (1,155), and blocks (214.0). The Jayhawks also sit second in the league in opponent hitting percentage (.172), reflecting their balance on both sides of the net.
At the net,
Reese Ptacek continues to anchor the Kansas defense, ranking among the Big 12's top three players in total blocks (94).
Aurora Papac has added 85 of her own, helping KU maintain the conference's most formidable blocking presence. In the back row, libero
Ryan White has tallied 318 digs and 19 service aces, ranking fifth in the Big 12 in digs per set (3.97).
Offensively, freshman
Jovana Zelenovic and senior
Rhian Swanson continue to drive Kansas' scoring attack, both averaging over 3.0 kills per set. Setter
Katie Dalton has guided the offense with precision, averaging 11.57 assists per set over the last two matches, including a career-high 55 against Iowa State.
Kansas leads the all-time series against TCU, 20–5, including a perfect 12–0 record at home, and will look to avenge an early-season road loss to the Horned Frogs. Friday's matchup marks the 107th meeting between Kansas and Kansas State, with the Wildcats holding a narrow 57–49 edge in the series.
The Jayhawks have now appeared in the AVCA Top 25 for eight consecutive weeks and continue to climb the Big 12 standings as the second half of conference play begins.
How to Follow
Fans can follow the action all week long, starting with Wednesday's match against TCU on
FS1 and live stats available
here. Friday's Dillon's Sunflower Showdown against Kansas State will air on
ESPNU, with
live stats also available. Fans can stay connected for in-match updates by following @KUVolleyball on X (formerly Twitter).