CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) volleyball team will battle Drake University for the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Tournament championship title tonight at 6 p.m.CT. This marks the second time this season the Panthers will face the Bulldogs on thier home court.
Drake advanced to the championship match after a successful tournament run, including a five-set opening round victory over Belmont on November 19 and a 3-1 upset of second-seeded Valparaiso on November 22. UNI secured its spot with a 3-2 semifinal win against Illinois State,also on November 22. Drake’s only two losses this season came against UNI,first on September 30 in Des Moines and again on November 4 in Cedar Falls.
Lead by 13th-year head coach Darrin McBroom, Drake has emerged as one of the MVC’s strongest teams. The bulldogs boast First Team all-MVC selections Kacia Brown and Macy Daufeldt, alongside MVC All-Freshman Team honoree Caroline smith. Daufeldt currently leads Drake with 3.4 kills per set, followed closely by Brown at 3.3.
UNI will aim to defend its home court and secure the MVC Tournament title, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Key players for Drake include Addison Beagle,Emaline Handzel,and brown,each with 21 service aces this season,while Bliss Beck anchors the Bulldogs’ defense with 122 total blocks,supported by Aniyah Davis’ 109 blocks.
2025 MVC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE / RESULTS
Opening Round (nov. 19)
* #5 Illinois State def. #4 UIC, 3-2
* #3 Drake def. #6 Belmont, 3-2
Semifinals (Nov.22)
* #1 UNI def. #5 Illinois State, 3-2
* #3 Drake def. #2 Valparaiso, 3-1
Championship (Nov. 25)
* #3 Drake at #1 UNI – 6 p.m. CT
Fans can follow UNI volleyball action on Facebook (UNI Volleyball), X (@UNIVolleyball), and Instagram (@univolleyball). The full schedule, roster, and news are available at UNIpanthers.com.
