Friday, October 3
Los Angeles, Calif.
10 p.m.
Indiana University
at
#17 USC
Volleyball Central: USC and UCLA
9/30/2025 11:30:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – A grueling five-game stretch away from Wilkinson Hall begins this weekend as the Indiana volleyball team (11-1, 2-0 B1G) heads to California for its west coast swing. The Hoosiers will play USC on Friday (Oct. 3, 10 p.m. ET) and UCLA on Saturday (Oct. 4, 10 p.m. ET) to begin the month of October.
It will be a homecoming for a large portion of IU's roster. Four different players, including senior opposite hitter Avry Tatum, were raised in California. Associate coach Rachel Morris is also a native of Manhattan Beach while head coach Steve Aird and assistant coach Kevin Hodge spent multiple years living in The Golden State.
Much of IU's early success this season can be contributed to a well-balanced offense. All three of IU's primary pin attackers are averaging between 3.46 and 3.66 kills per set. On top of that, sophomore middle blocker Ella Boersema is providing 1.87 kills per set for a fourth threat for the Hoosiers. Freshman setter Teodora Kričković is offering up 11.05 assists per set.
The Hoosiers will be tested heavily over the next two weeks as they play four-straight road games against stiff competition. At this point in the year, IU has already matched its road win total from last season (3). Any win from here on out will only surpass that mark further.
Both matches this weekend will be broadcasted on B1G+ at 10 p.m. ET. IU will arrive in Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon and will have a whole day to adjust to the change in time zone. The Hoosiers will get two cracks at ranked opponents and will look for their eighth all-time road victory over a ranked program.
Gameday Info
at #17 USC (Friday, October 3rd – 10 p.m. ET)
Live Video: bit.ly/46CxxYs
Live Stats: bit.ly/42Ui1G9
at #24 UCLA (Saturday, October 4th – 10 p.m. ET)
Live Video: bit.ly/4nRhBbA
Live Stats: bit.ly/42Ui1G9
Stat and Trends
• The Hoosiers have learned to score in different ways this year – adding to their offensive prowess. IU is the only Big Ten school to average at least 2.75 blocks per set (2.78) and 1.75 aces per set (1.78). On top of that, head coach Steve Aird's group is one of four conference teams still hitting above .300 on the season.
• Senior opposite Avry Tatum continues her chase towards 1,000 career kills. She's got 934 over four years of college volleyball and needs just 66 more to reach the milestone. If she provides around 10 per match for the Hoosiers, it's likely she hits the mark by the home contest with Ohio State (Oct. 19).
• Underclassmen have led the charge for the Hoosiers this year. A freshman or sophomore is leading IU in assists, digs, aces and blocks. The upperclassmen, led by senior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles and senior opposite hitter Avry Tatum have led the charge in kills and hitting percentage.
Notable
CALIFORNIA KIDS: The Hoosiers have four players from the state of California on their roster in 2025. As well, associate head coach Rachel Morris is from Manhattan Beach. IU will have quite the crowd of family and friends to support the senior opposite Avry Tatum, freshman outside hitter Jaidyn Jager, sophomore setter Sade Ilawole and graduate student outside hitter Jessica Smith.
CANDE LOVES THE B1G: No one has been better in conference play over the last few years than senior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles. The Madrid native has had double-digit kills in 39 of her 62 career conference matches. Dating back to last year, she's had at least 10 kills in 11 of the last 13 league contests. On Saturday, she moved into 16th in program history in career kills (1,134).
HOT START: IU is off to its first 2-0 start in Big Ten play since 2003. On top of that, the Hoosiers already have 11 wins on the year. Last year it took the program until November 1st to earn its 11th win of the season. Head coach Steve Aird is looking for the team's first postseason appearance since 2010.
THREE PINS: Entering the week, IU has perhaps the most balanced trio of established pin hitters. The Hoosiers are the only program in the conference with three players averaging at least 3.45 kills per set. All three are providing between 3.46 and 3.66 kills per set for IU's potent attack. Senior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles leads the way with 3.66 per set.
BIG TIME BOERSEMA: Sophomore middle blocker Ella Boersema is enjoying a massive breakout performance this year. In the last six games heading into the weekend, she's averaging 2.14 kills per set and 1.29 blocks per set. She's hitting .407 in that stretch of time as well. The Indiana native has had eight-or-more kills on four occasions this year.
JAGER IS A GAMER: Freshman outside hitter Jaidyn Jager has stepped up under the bright lights of conference play. She averaged 4.14 kills per set in two victories last week. More impressive was the end of each match. In the last two sets of each win, she went for 11 (Northwestern) and nine (Washington) kills respectively. She's gone for at least 10 kills in nine of IU's 12 contests this year.
FLIP THE SCRIPT: IU is 0-5 on the west coast over the last two seasons and will try to fix that quickly to pick up an important win out in California. The Hoosiers went 0-3 in Long Beach two seasons ago and 0-2 in the Pacific Northwest in 2024. The last win in the state of California came in 2016. IU won just two road games last season in the Big Ten and is looking to reach that mark by the second weekend in 2025.
JESS COMES HOME: Graduate student outside hitter Jessica Smith gets the chance to come home this weekend. The former UCLA beach volleyball player, and the 2022 Pac-12 Beach Volleyball Freshman of the Year, played four seasons in Westwood. She's averaging 1.71 digs per set as a defensive specialist in the last five matches.
Scouting the Opponent
USC (10-2, 1-1 B1G)
• Head coach Brad Keller and the Trojans have gotten off to a great start this year. Their only losses of the year were to top-20 foes BYU and Penn State. At home, USC is 7-0 with impressive wins over LSU, San Diego and Creighton.
• Much like the Hoosiers, USC also features a lethal collection of freshman talent. Setter Reese Messer is averaging 10.20 assists per set and leading the team to a .250 hitting percentage. Opposite Abigail Mullen is leading the team with 3.16 kills per set.
• A staple of USC's program has been a dominant block. The Trojans are averaging 2.96 blocks per set. Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Leah Ford was an All-Big Ten selection last year and has provided 47 rejections this season. Five different players have at least 34 blocks.
UCLA (8-4, 2-0 B1G)
• The Bruins are coming off their best win of the season after beating Penn State in four sets last Sunday in Happy Valley. UCLA has won seven of its last eight matches heading into the weekend. Before it plays IU, UCLA will have to deal with a talented Purdue side on Thursday.
• Senior outside hitter Cheridyn Leverette and freshman outside hitter Eliana Urzua have been leading the offense this season. The two are combining for almost six kills per set. Leverette, the reigning Honorable Mention All-American, paces the Bruins with 3.48 kills per set.
• Former Wisconsin libero, and Indiana native, Lola Schumacher leads the defensive charge with 4.25 digs per set. The Bruins are holding their opponents to just a .190 hitting percentage. Offensively, UCLA is hitting at an improving .230 clip.
Inside the Series
USC
• Of the four west coast Big Ten programs, no team's history against Indiana dates back further than USC's. The two sides first met in 1998. The most notable matchup was IU's only regional semifinal appearance in program history - a straight-set defeat to USC in 2010.
• In its time in the Big Ten, USC owns a 1-0 advantage over IU. The Trojans managed to finish out a pair of close sets to come away with a victory in Bloomington last season. IU is looking for its first win in the series.
UCLA
• Much like its series with Washington, IU's all-time tangles with UCLA have both come in the past two years. The sides played a tight matchup in Long Beach in 2023 before the Hoosiers got on the board with a sweep in Bloomington last season.
• The two will now head to Pauley Pavilion to play the first meeting on UCLA's home court in the series. Last year's win over the Bruins was the first all-time against any of the new west coast programs.
It will be a homecoming for a large portion of IU's roster. Four different players, including senior opposite hitter Avry Tatum, were raised in California. Associate coach Rachel Morris is also a native of Manhattan Beach while head coach Steve Aird and assistant coach Kevin Hodge spent multiple years living in The Golden State.
Much of IU's early success this season can be contributed to a well-balanced offense. All three of IU's primary pin attackers are averaging between 3.46 and 3.66 kills per set. On top of that, sophomore middle blocker Ella Boersema is providing 1.87 kills per set for a fourth threat for the Hoosiers. Freshman setter Teodora Kričković is offering up 11.05 assists per set.
The Hoosiers will be tested heavily over the next two weeks as they play four-straight road games against stiff competition. At this point in the year, IU has already matched its road win total from last season (3). Any win from here on out will only surpass that mark further.
Both matches this weekend will be broadcasted on B1G+ at 10 p.m. ET. IU will arrive in Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon and will have a whole day to adjust to the change in time zone. The Hoosiers will get two cracks at ranked opponents and will look for their eighth all-time road victory over a ranked program.
Gameday Info
at #17 USC (Friday, October 3rd – 10 p.m. ET)
Live Video: bit.ly/46CxxYs
Live Stats: bit.ly/42Ui1G9
at #24 UCLA (Saturday, October 4th – 10 p.m. ET)
Live Video: bit.ly/4nRhBbA
Live Stats: bit.ly/42Ui1G9
Stat and Trends
• The Hoosiers have learned to score in different ways this year – adding to their offensive prowess. IU is the only Big Ten school to average at least 2.75 blocks per set (2.78) and 1.75 aces per set (1.78). On top of that, head coach Steve Aird's group is one of four conference teams still hitting above .300 on the season.
• Senior opposite Avry Tatum continues her chase towards 1,000 career kills. She's got 934 over four years of college volleyball and needs just 66 more to reach the milestone. If she provides around 10 per match for the Hoosiers, it's likely she hits the mark by the home contest with Ohio State (Oct. 19).
• Underclassmen have led the charge for the Hoosiers this year. A freshman or sophomore is leading IU in assists, digs, aces and blocks. The upperclassmen, led by senior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles and senior opposite hitter Avry Tatum have led the charge in kills and hitting percentage.
Notable
CALIFORNIA KIDS: The Hoosiers have four players from the state of California on their roster in 2025. As well, associate head coach Rachel Morris is from Manhattan Beach. IU will have quite the crowd of family and friends to support the senior opposite Avry Tatum, freshman outside hitter Jaidyn Jager, sophomore setter Sade Ilawole and graduate student outside hitter Jessica Smith.
CANDE LOVES THE B1G: No one has been better in conference play over the last few years than senior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles. The Madrid native has had double-digit kills in 39 of her 62 career conference matches. Dating back to last year, she's had at least 10 kills in 11 of the last 13 league contests. On Saturday, she moved into 16th in program history in career kills (1,134).
HOT START: IU is off to its first 2-0 start in Big Ten play since 2003. On top of that, the Hoosiers already have 11 wins on the year. Last year it took the program until November 1st to earn its 11th win of the season. Head coach Steve Aird is looking for the team's first postseason appearance since 2010.
THREE PINS: Entering the week, IU has perhaps the most balanced trio of established pin hitters. The Hoosiers are the only program in the conference with three players averaging at least 3.45 kills per set. All three are providing between 3.46 and 3.66 kills per set for IU's potent attack. Senior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles leads the way with 3.66 per set.
BIG TIME BOERSEMA: Sophomore middle blocker Ella Boersema is enjoying a massive breakout performance this year. In the last six games heading into the weekend, she's averaging 2.14 kills per set and 1.29 blocks per set. She's hitting .407 in that stretch of time as well. The Indiana native has had eight-or-more kills on four occasions this year.
JAGER IS A GAMER: Freshman outside hitter Jaidyn Jager has stepped up under the bright lights of conference play. She averaged 4.14 kills per set in two victories last week. More impressive was the end of each match. In the last two sets of each win, she went for 11 (Northwestern) and nine (Washington) kills respectively. She's gone for at least 10 kills in nine of IU's 12 contests this year.
FLIP THE SCRIPT: IU is 0-5 on the west coast over the last two seasons and will try to fix that quickly to pick up an important win out in California. The Hoosiers went 0-3 in Long Beach two seasons ago and 0-2 in the Pacific Northwest in 2024. The last win in the state of California came in 2016. IU won just two road games last season in the Big Ten and is looking to reach that mark by the second weekend in 2025.
JESS COMES HOME: Graduate student outside hitter Jessica Smith gets the chance to come home this weekend. The former UCLA beach volleyball player, and the 2022 Pac-12 Beach Volleyball Freshman of the Year, played four seasons in Westwood. She's averaging 1.71 digs per set as a defensive specialist in the last five matches.
Scouting the Opponent
USC (10-2, 1-1 B1G)
• Head coach Brad Keller and the Trojans have gotten off to a great start this year. Their only losses of the year were to top-20 foes BYU and Penn State. At home, USC is 7-0 with impressive wins over LSU, San Diego and Creighton.
• Much like the Hoosiers, USC also features a lethal collection of freshman talent. Setter Reese Messer is averaging 10.20 assists per set and leading the team to a .250 hitting percentage. Opposite Abigail Mullen is leading the team with 3.16 kills per set.
• A staple of USC's program has been a dominant block. The Trojans are averaging 2.96 blocks per set. Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Leah Ford was an All-Big Ten selection last year and has provided 47 rejections this season. Five different players have at least 34 blocks.
UCLA (8-4, 2-0 B1G)
• The Bruins are coming off their best win of the season after beating Penn State in four sets last Sunday in Happy Valley. UCLA has won seven of its last eight matches heading into the weekend. Before it plays IU, UCLA will have to deal with a talented Purdue side on Thursday.
• Senior outside hitter Cheridyn Leverette and freshman outside hitter Eliana Urzua have been leading the offense this season. The two are combining for almost six kills per set. Leverette, the reigning Honorable Mention All-American, paces the Bruins with 3.48 kills per set.
• Former Wisconsin libero, and Indiana native, Lola Schumacher leads the defensive charge with 4.25 digs per set. The Bruins are holding their opponents to just a .190 hitting percentage. Offensively, UCLA is hitting at an improving .230 clip.
Inside the Series
USC
• Of the four west coast Big Ten programs, no team's history against Indiana dates back further than USC's. The two sides first met in 1998. The most notable matchup was IU's only regional semifinal appearance in program history - a straight-set defeat to USC in 2010.
• In its time in the Big Ten, USC owns a 1-0 advantage over IU. The Trojans managed to finish out a pair of close sets to come away with a victory in Bloomington last season. IU is looking for its first win in the series.
UCLA
• Much like its series with Washington, IU's all-time tangles with UCLA have both come in the past two years. The sides played a tight matchup in Long Beach in 2023 before the Hoosiers got on the board with a sweep in Bloomington last season.
• The two will now head to Pauley Pavilion to play the first meeting on UCLA's home court in the series. Last year's win over the Bruins was the first all-time against any of the new west coast programs.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
OPP
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