Thursday, October 8
Abilene, Texas
6 p.m.
Abilene Christian
vs
UT Arlington
Photo by: Kate Evans
ACU Looks to Continue Win Streak Versus UT Arlington, Tarleton State
10/7/2026 5:26:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
ABILENE — Abilene Christian volleyball looks to continue its three-match win streak as it takes on a pair of in-state foes this week. The Wildcats close out their homestand at Moody Coliseum versus UT Arlington at 6 p.m. Thursday, then travel to Stephenville to meet Tarleton State at Wisdom Gym at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Admission is free to all ACU volleyball matches at Moody Coliseum. Thursday's contest is a Purple Match with a purple wig giveaway for fans. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+, with Caysson Higgins (play-by-play), Londyn Gray (analyst) and Alexis Stanley (sidelines) on the call against the Mavericks.
The Wildcats have opened United Athletic Conference action at 3-1. They swept Austin Peay last week to open a three-match homestand before picking up a 3-1 victory over Little Rock. It's ACU's best start to conference play since 2020-21's spring season, when it went 4-1 for its best start since 2010.Â
ACU never trailed in a sweep of the Governors as Hannah Gonzalez and Avery Thaler combined for 21 kills. The Wildcats collected their most kills and assists in three sets this season.
ACU's offense exploded against the Trojans with 71 kills, the program's most in a Division I four-set match. The Wildcats tied the program's DI record with 67 assists in four sets. Beaver led the attack with 20 kills and six blocks, while Rachel Koss totaled 52 assists, tied for the second-most in four sets in ACU's DI history.
At 11-5 with wins in 10 of their past 12 matches, the Wildcats remain in the midst of their hottest start to a season since 2010. They've done so with a 6-2 mark at Moody Coliseum, where they've won five matches in a row.
ACU aims for its fourth win in a row over UT Arlington after beating the Mavericks three times in 2025, including in the WAC quarterfinals at Moody Coliseum. The Wildcats are looking for their first triumph over Tarleton State since 2024.
Three Wildcats lead the UAC statistically, with Avery Thaler touting a .368 hitting percentage, Koss collecting 612 assists and Brennan Ramirez tallying 5.10 digs per set.
HISTORICALLY HOT START – ACU has opened the 2026 campaign roaring out of the gates with its best start in nearly two decades. The Wildcats are 11-5, their hottest start since 2010 (13-3) and throughout the Division I era (since 2013). ACU's 3-1 mark in conference play is its best opening since 2020-21's spring season when it started 4-1. ACU went 8-3 in the month of September and has won 10 of its last 12 matches.
MOODY MAGIC – The Wildcats have played some of their best volleyball at Moody Coliseum this season with a 6-2 record at home. They've already matched their total in home wins from last season. ACU has won its last five matches in Abilene, and a sixth straight victory would mark its most since 2018, when it won seven in a row.
ACING IT – Senior libero Abby Christian has established herself as a force at the service over four seasons in Abilene. She is the Wildcats' DI leader in career aces with 108 across 103 matches. Christian surpassed ACU's DI record of 103 aces, established by Madeline Guffy from 2022-24. Guffy and Christian are the only DI Wildcats to surpass 100 aces. Christian is third in the DI record book with 0.28 aces per set.
WELCOME TO ABILENE – The Wildcats have received early contributions from a pair of newcomers in freshman Alyssa Todd and Westmont transfer Maddie Finnegan. Todd has emerged as arguably the top freshman in the conference with 160 kills and a team-best 3.08 kills per set. She set ACU's DI single-match freshman kills record with 21 at North Alabama on Sept. 24. Todd became the fastest freshman in ACU's DI era to reach 100 career kills, doing so in just 10 matches. She was named the UAC Freshman of the Week on Sept. 8. Finnegan, a junior, has been versatile with 78 kills, 11 aces and 106 digs.
WEEKLY HONORS – The Wildcats have been the recipients of five UAC weekly accolades this season between three student-athletes. Hannah Gonzalez was named the Player of the Week on Sept. 14 and 21, and Brennan Ramirez was named the Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 14 and 28. Alyssa Todd received Freshman of the Week distinction on Sept. 8. Ramirez was the three-time WAC Libero of the Week last season.
STAYING THE COURSE – A rarity in today's world of college athletics, ACU's roster touts seven seniors, including five that have spent their entire four-year careers in Abilene. Gonzalez, Koss, Abby Christian, Izabelle Larson and Alexis Strong each arrived at ACU in 2023 alongside head coach Ijeoma Moronu Alstrup. The group of five has combined to play in 386 matches and 1,246 sets entering the 2026 campaign. Also beginning her fourth season as head coach of the Wildcats, Moronu Alstrup described this year as a "senior season" of her own.  Additionally, Avery Thaler, Annaleise Sevier and Courtney Church are each in their third seasons at ACU.
FAMILY AFFAIR – Head coach Ijeoma Moronu Alstrup and assistant coach Chris Alstrup are one of six known Division I coaching duos that are married. The two met while Moronu Alstrup was playing professional volleyball in Alstrup's home country of Denmark. They have a daughter, Charlie, and a son, Jude. Other married coaching duos include Little Rock, Eastern Michigan, Montana State, Southern Utah and West Virginia. Other family ties on the Wildcats' roster include freshman OH/RS Garrah Prox and her sister, student manager Zoey Prox.
WILDCATS AROUND THE GLOBE – Much of ACU's team chemistry and camaraderie was built this summer on the program's international tour to Europe. From June 4-14, the Wildcats globetrotted across Sweden, Denmark and Germany, immersing themselves in local cultures while competing against overseas programs and taking part in volunteer work. ACU competed against Holte, one of the top programs in Denmark, the Danish National Team and the U17 German Regional National Team.Â
NATIONWIDE WILDCATS – Eight states are represented on ACU's 18-person roster (Texas, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, California, Missouri, Louisiana, Washington and Kentucky). Ten Wildcats hail from the Lone Star State. Beyond the United States, assistant coach Chris Alstrup is Danish.
Admission is free to all ACU volleyball matches at Moody Coliseum. Thursday's contest is a Purple Match with a purple wig giveaway for fans. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+, with Caysson Higgins (play-by-play), Londyn Gray (analyst) and Alexis Stanley (sidelines) on the call against the Mavericks.
The Wildcats have opened United Athletic Conference action at 3-1. They swept Austin Peay last week to open a three-match homestand before picking up a 3-1 victory over Little Rock. It's ACU's best start to conference play since 2020-21's spring season, when it went 4-1 for its best start since 2010.Â
ACU never trailed in a sweep of the Governors as Hannah Gonzalez and Avery Thaler combined for 21 kills. The Wildcats collected their most kills and assists in three sets this season.
ACU's offense exploded against the Trojans with 71 kills, the program's most in a Division I four-set match. The Wildcats tied the program's DI record with 67 assists in four sets. Beaver led the attack with 20 kills and six blocks, while Rachel Koss totaled 52 assists, tied for the second-most in four sets in ACU's DI history.
At 11-5 with wins in 10 of their past 12 matches, the Wildcats remain in the midst of their hottest start to a season since 2010. They've done so with a 6-2 mark at Moody Coliseum, where they've won five matches in a row.
ACU aims for its fourth win in a row over UT Arlington after beating the Mavericks three times in 2025, including in the WAC quarterfinals at Moody Coliseum. The Wildcats are looking for their first triumph over Tarleton State since 2024.
Three Wildcats lead the UAC statistically, with Avery Thaler touting a .368 hitting percentage, Koss collecting 612 assists and Brennan Ramirez tallying 5.10 digs per set.
HISTORICALLY HOT START – ACU has opened the 2026 campaign roaring out of the gates with its best start in nearly two decades. The Wildcats are 11-5, their hottest start since 2010 (13-3) and throughout the Division I era (since 2013). ACU's 3-1 mark in conference play is its best opening since 2020-21's spring season when it started 4-1. ACU went 8-3 in the month of September and has won 10 of its last 12 matches.
MOODY MAGIC – The Wildcats have played some of their best volleyball at Moody Coliseum this season with a 6-2 record at home. They've already matched their total in home wins from last season. ACU has won its last five matches in Abilene, and a sixth straight victory would mark its most since 2018, when it won seven in a row.
ACING IT – Senior libero Abby Christian has established herself as a force at the service over four seasons in Abilene. She is the Wildcats' DI leader in career aces with 108 across 103 matches. Christian surpassed ACU's DI record of 103 aces, established by Madeline Guffy from 2022-24. Guffy and Christian are the only DI Wildcats to surpass 100 aces. Christian is third in the DI record book with 0.28 aces per set.
WELCOME TO ABILENE – The Wildcats have received early contributions from a pair of newcomers in freshman Alyssa Todd and Westmont transfer Maddie Finnegan. Todd has emerged as arguably the top freshman in the conference with 160 kills and a team-best 3.08 kills per set. She set ACU's DI single-match freshman kills record with 21 at North Alabama on Sept. 24. Todd became the fastest freshman in ACU's DI era to reach 100 career kills, doing so in just 10 matches. She was named the UAC Freshman of the Week on Sept. 8. Finnegan, a junior, has been versatile with 78 kills, 11 aces and 106 digs.
WEEKLY HONORS – The Wildcats have been the recipients of five UAC weekly accolades this season between three student-athletes. Hannah Gonzalez was named the Player of the Week on Sept. 14 and 21, and Brennan Ramirez was named the Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 14 and 28. Alyssa Todd received Freshman of the Week distinction on Sept. 8. Ramirez was the three-time WAC Libero of the Week last season.
STAYING THE COURSE – A rarity in today's world of college athletics, ACU's roster touts seven seniors, including five that have spent their entire four-year careers in Abilene. Gonzalez, Koss, Abby Christian, Izabelle Larson and Alexis Strong each arrived at ACU in 2023 alongside head coach Ijeoma Moronu Alstrup. The group of five has combined to play in 386 matches and 1,246 sets entering the 2026 campaign. Also beginning her fourth season as head coach of the Wildcats, Moronu Alstrup described this year as a "senior season" of her own.  Additionally, Avery Thaler, Annaleise Sevier and Courtney Church are each in their third seasons at ACU.
FAMILY AFFAIR – Head coach Ijeoma Moronu Alstrup and assistant coach Chris Alstrup are one of six known Division I coaching duos that are married. The two met while Moronu Alstrup was playing professional volleyball in Alstrup's home country of Denmark. They have a daughter, Charlie, and a son, Jude. Other married coaching duos include Little Rock, Eastern Michigan, Montana State, Southern Utah and West Virginia. Other family ties on the Wildcats' roster include freshman OH/RS Garrah Prox and her sister, student manager Zoey Prox.
WILDCATS AROUND THE GLOBE – Much of ACU's team chemistry and camaraderie was built this summer on the program's international tour to Europe. From June 4-14, the Wildcats globetrotted across Sweden, Denmark and Germany, immersing themselves in local cultures while competing against overseas programs and taking part in volunteer work. ACU competed against Holte, one of the top programs in Denmark, the Danish National Team and the U17 German Regional National Team.Â
NATIONWIDE WILDCATS – Eight states are represented on ACU's 18-person roster (Texas, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, California, Missouri, Louisiana, Washington and Kentucky). Ten Wildcats hail from the Lone Star State. Beyond the United States, assistant coach Chris Alstrup is Danish.
Players Mentioned
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
RS
/ Women's Volleyball
L
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballMonday, October 05
Sunday, October 04
Sunday, October 04
Tuesday, September 29
