ACU Opens New Era in UAC On Road Versus North Alabama, West Georgia

Thursday, September 24

Florence, Ala.

6 p.m.

Abilene Christian

North Alabama

Rachel Koss celebrates a point in ACU's 3-1 win over Stephen F. Austin at Moody Coliseum on Sept. 19, 2026.

Photo by: Kate Evans

ACU Opens New Era in UAC On Road Versus North Alabama, West Georgia

9/24/2026 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

By: Luke White

FLORENCE, Ala. — Amidst its best start since 2010, Abilene Christian volleyball opens United Athletic Conference play with a pair of road matches this week. The Wildcats visit North Alabama at 6 p.m. Thursday before taking on West Georgia in Carrollton, Ga. at 12 p.m. (CT) Saturday.

Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+, with Benjamin Ray (play-by-play) and Ande Jones (analyst) on the call for Thursday's match versus the Lions.

At 8-4, the Wildcats are off to their hottest start in the Division I era as winners of seven of its last eight matches. ACU is coming off a 3-0 showing at the Wildcat Classic, where it took down Louisiana Tech, Prairie View A&M and Stephen F. Austin. The Wildcats earned their first win over the Ladyjacks since 2017.

Hannah Gonzalez, Rachel Koss and Brennan Ramirez each landed on the All-Tournament, with Gonzalez further recognized as the UAC Co-Player of the Week for the second week in a row. She totaled 33 kills at a .431 hitting percentage with 11 blocks.

Koss leads the UAC with 444 assists, while Ramirez is second in the conference and 12th nationwide with 4.87 digs per set. Gonzalez ranks in the UAC's top six for hitting percentage (.339), blocks (48) and points (155.5).

ACU will meet North Alabama and West Georgia each for the first time in Division I history. The Wildcats' previous meeting with the Lions came on Aug. 29, 2009, when ACU picked up a 3-1 victory in Omaha, Neb.

HISTORICALLY HOT START – ACU has opened the 2026 campaign roaring out of the gates with its best start in nearly two decades. The Wildcats went 8-4 through nonconference play, their hottest start since 2010 and throughout the Division I era (since 2013). ACU is 7-2 in the month of September and won seven of its last eight nonconference matches. The 2010 squad opened the year with a 10-2 start.

ACING IT – Senior libero Abby Christian has established herself as a force at the service over four seasons in Abilene. Across 99 matches, she's totaled 102 career service aces and is one away from matching the Wildcats' Division I record of 103, established by Madeline Guffy from 2022-24. Guffy and Christian are the only DI Wildcats to surpass 100 aces.

MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME – The Wildcats have received early contributions from a pair of newcomers in freshman Alyssa Todd and Westmont transfer Maddie Finnegan. Todd has emerged as one of the top freshmen in the conference with 106 kills and a team-best 2.86 kills per set. The Aledo, Texas native 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 72 kills, seven aces and 90 digs.

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 EKU topping the poll with seven of eight first place votes.

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.

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.