Friday, August 28
Abilene, Texas
7:30 p.m.
Abilene Christian
vs
Lamar
Photo by: Kevan Albright
Wildcats Kick Off 2026 Campaign With ACU Invitational at Moody Coliseum
8/27/2026 3:35:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
ABILENE — Abilene Christian volleyball lifts the lid on its 2026 campaign this weekend with the hosting of the ACU Invitational at Moody Coliseum. The Wildcats will take on Lamar at 7:30 p.m. Friday before meeting Cal State Bakersfield and North Texas on Saturday at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., respectively.
Admission is free to all home volleyball matches this season, with each ACU contest of the weekend broadcast on ESPN+. Friday night will feature a "Meet the Cats" postgame autograph signing at the Moody Coliseum South entrance.
Friday, Aug. 28
The Wildcats will meet the Cardinals for the second season in a row, leading the teams' Division I series 8-5. ACU is aiming for its third season-opening victory in the past four years and its third win in its past four regular-season home matches.
ACU and Cal State Bakersfield match up for the first time in each program's history. The Wildcats will look for their second straight victory over the Mean Green to cap the weekend. An undefeated tournament for ACU would result in its first 3-0 start in the Division I era and its first since 2008. It would be the Wildcats' first sweep of a three-game tournament since 2023.
ON THE HEELS OF HISTORY – The Wildcats look to build a historic 2025 campaign as they collected 13 victories, their most since 2018. ACU hosted the Western Athletic Conference Tournament at Moody Coliseum, where it secured the fourth seed to match its highest conference tournament seeding in the Division I era. With a five-set win over reigning WAC champion UT Arlington, the Wildcats captured their first WAC Tournament victory and first win in a conference tournament since 2017. ACU returns 84.9% of its point production from 2025.
Four Wildcats garnered All-Conference honors, the most in the program's DI history. Hannah Gonzalez led the way with All-WAC First Team distinction, becoming the first Wildcat to be named to the First Team since 2020-21. Rachel Koss collected All-WAC Second Team recognition, and Brennan Ramirez and Hadlee Welch represented ACU on the All-WAC Freshman Team. It was the first time two Wildcats had been named amongst the top freshmen in the WAC.
NEW CONFERENCE ON THE BLOCK – ACU makes its debut in the United Athletic Conference in 2026, welcoming six new conference opponents along with Tarleton State and UT Arlington in the rebranding of the WAC. Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama and West Georgia join from the Atlantic Sun, while Little Rock makes the move from the Ohio Valley. This season's UAC Tournament is set for the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock, Ark. on Nov. 19-21.
PRESEASON RECOGNITION – Gonzalez was named to the Preseason All-United Athletic Conference Team as the Wildcats' first preseason all-conference selection since 2019. ACU landed in fifth in the UAC's Preseason Coaches Poll. The Wildcats received 52 votes from the conference's head coaches, with Eastern Kentucky topping the poll with seven of eight first place votes. Last season, Gonzalez was the lone Wildcat to appear in all 117 sets while starting all 30 matches. She led the team in kills (295), hitting percentage (.283), blocks (93.0) and points (369.0).
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 UAC foe 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. The Wildcats also partnered with local churches to offer volleyball clinics while volunteering with Hillsong Church.
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.
Admission is free to all home volleyball matches this season, with each ACU contest of the weekend broadcast on ESPN+. Friday night will feature a "Meet the Cats" postgame autograph signing at the Moody Coliseum South entrance.
Friday, Aug. 28
- 1:30 p.m.: Cal State Bakersfield vs. Lamar
- 5:30 p.m.: North Texas vs. Cal State Bakersfield
- 7:30 p.m.: ACU vs. Lamar
- 11 a.m.: ACU vs. Cal State Bakersfield
- 1 p.m.: Lamar vs. North Texas
- 5 p.m.: ACU vs. North Texas
The Wildcats will meet the Cardinals for the second season in a row, leading the teams' Division I series 8-5. ACU is aiming for its third season-opening victory in the past four years and its third win in its past four regular-season home matches.
ACU and Cal State Bakersfield match up for the first time in each program's history. The Wildcats will look for their second straight victory over the Mean Green to cap the weekend. An undefeated tournament for ACU would result in its first 3-0 start in the Division I era and its first since 2008. It would be the Wildcats' first sweep of a three-game tournament since 2023.
ON THE HEELS OF HISTORY – The Wildcats look to build a historic 2025 campaign as they collected 13 victories, their most since 2018. ACU hosted the Western Athletic Conference Tournament at Moody Coliseum, where it secured the fourth seed to match its highest conference tournament seeding in the Division I era. With a five-set win over reigning WAC champion UT Arlington, the Wildcats captured their first WAC Tournament victory and first win in a conference tournament since 2017. ACU returns 84.9% of its point production from 2025.
Four Wildcats garnered All-Conference honors, the most in the program's DI history. Hannah Gonzalez led the way with All-WAC First Team distinction, becoming the first Wildcat to be named to the First Team since 2020-21. Rachel Koss collected All-WAC Second Team recognition, and Brennan Ramirez and Hadlee Welch represented ACU on the All-WAC Freshman Team. It was the first time two Wildcats had been named amongst the top freshmen in the WAC.
NEW CONFERENCE ON THE BLOCK – ACU makes its debut in the United Athletic Conference in 2026, welcoming six new conference opponents along with Tarleton State and UT Arlington in the rebranding of the WAC. Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama and West Georgia join from the Atlantic Sun, while Little Rock makes the move from the Ohio Valley. This season's UAC Tournament is set for the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock, Ark. on Nov. 19-21.
PRESEASON RECOGNITION – Gonzalez was named to the Preseason All-United Athletic Conference Team as the Wildcats' first preseason all-conference selection since 2019. ACU landed in fifth in the UAC's Preseason Coaches Poll. The Wildcats received 52 votes from the conference's head coaches, with Eastern Kentucky topping the poll with seven of eight first place votes. Last season, Gonzalez was the lone Wildcat to appear in all 117 sets while starting all 30 matches. She led the team in kills (295), hitting percentage (.283), blocks (93.0) and points (369.0).
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 UAC foe 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. The Wildcats also partnered with local churches to offer volleyball clinics while volunteering with Hillsong Church.
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.
Players Mentioned
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
L
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's VolleyballTuesday, August 25
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Tuesday, August 04
Thursday, July 30
