Wildcats Begin Three-Match Homestand Against Governors, Trojans

Thursday, October 1

Abilene, Texas

6 p.m.

Abilene Christian

Austin Peay

Avery Thaler and Hadlee Welch attempt to block an attack in ACU's matchup with Cal State Bakersfield at Moody Coliseum on Aug. 29, 2026.

Photo by: Kate Evans

Wildcats Begin Three-Match Homestand Against Governors, Trojans

9/30/2026 12:01:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

By: Luke White

ABILENE — Abilene Christian volleyball kicks off a three-match homestand at Moody Coliseum with a pair of matches versus Austin Peay and Little Rock this week. The Wildcats host the Governors at 6 p.m. Thursday for Greek Night before taking on the Trojans at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

Admission is free to all home ACU volleyball matches. Both contests will be streamed on ESPN+, with Caysson Higgins, Londyn Gray and Faith Poelstra on the call against Austin Peay. Saturday's match will be played before Wildcat football battles West Florida at 7 p.m. for Youth Day at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium.

Winners of eight of its past 10 matches, ACU aims to continue its hottest start since 2010. The Wildcats opened United Athletic Conference play on the road last week, dropping a five-set affair to North Alabama before sweeping West Georgia.

Starts of 2-1 and 3-1 to conference action would each mark ACU's best since 2020-21's spring season. The Wildcats will meet both the Governors and the Trojans for the first time in program history.

ACU's record-setting week began with Alyssa Todd's 21-kill performance versus the Lions, establishing the Wildcats' Division I single-match record for kills by a freshman with the most since 2008. Abby Christian then picked up a service ace against the Wolves to become ACU's DI career ace leader with 104 to her name.

Brennan Ramirez was named the UAC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time in the past three weeks. It marks the fifth weekly honor for ACU this season. Ramirez totaled 55 digs to average 6.88 per set, both the top marks in the UAC last week. With 27 digs at West Georgia, she tied ACU's Division I record for digs in a three-set match.

Ramirez has developed into one of the top defensive anchors in the nation, ranking sixth in the country with 279 total digs and 5.17 digs per set. She leads the conference in digs per set. Rachel Koss paces the UAC and is 16th nationally with 520 assists. She's second in the conference with 9.63 assists per set.

Avery Thaler and Hannah Gonzalez have showcased their efficiency in the UAC's top 10 for hitting efficiency. Thaler is second at .357, and Gonzalez is sixth at .314. Gonzalez is also in the top 10 for blocks (1.06) and points (3.26) 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 9-5, their hottest start since 2010 and throughout the Division I era (since 2013). ACU went 8-3 in the month of September and has won eight of its last 10 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. She is the Wildcats' DI leader in career aces with 104 across 101 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 0.27 aces per set.

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 arguably the top freshman in the conference with a team-best 136 kills and 3.02 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 76 kills, 10 aces and 100 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.

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.