West Central Reporter

The Western Illinois University Leathernecks volleyball team is set to host the UT Martin Skyhawks in Macomb, Illinois, on Friday and Saturday. The Leathernecks are looking to build on their recent success at home, where they have a 4-1 record in conference play this season. Their only home loss came against Lindenwood, the current Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) leader.

WIU has surpassed preseason expectations, having been projected to finish ninth in the OVC. They currently hold a 6-3 conference record and an overall record of 12-8, marking their most successful season since 2013. They are three wins away from achieving their first winning season since 2005.

Three players from WIU, Maggie Craker, Karli Wenzel, and Keyana Cruse, have collectively won eight Player of the Week awards this season. This achievement sets a new program record. Cruse has been honored four times this season alone.

UT Martin arrives in Macomb following a victory over Southern Indiana earlier this week. Freshman Outside Hitter Kylie Surratt leads the Skyhawks offensively with two Freshman of the Week honors and 186 kills this season. Defensively, Senior Libero Dylan Mott leads with an average of 5.16 digs per set.

Looking ahead, WIU will face Little Rock next weekend in Arkansas as part of their continued conference play.

For updates on WIU volleyball, fans can visit GoLeathernecks.com or follow them on social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.