KOKOMO, Ind. - The top-20 IU Kokomo volleyball team set a new program record for consecutive regular season conference wins on Saturday, sweeping IU East for their 45th straight victory.

Head coach Heather Hayes's program closed out the 2022 season with three straight conference wins, then went undefeated in conference play in both 2023 (19-0) and 2024 (16-0), and has started the current season with seven consecutive victories.

FAST FACTS

• LOCATION: Student Activities & Events Center | Kokomo, IN 
• UPDATED RECORDS: IU East - 10-15 (3-4), IU Kokomo - 16-5 (7-0)
• NAIA TOP-25 RANKINGS: IU East - N/A, IU Kokomo - #20

THE RUNDOWN 

• IU Kokomo continued its recent trend of fast starts, racing out to an early 11-3 lead. IU East never mounted a serious threat, as the Cougars cruised to a 25-17 win in the opening set.
• The Cougars got off to another strong start in set two but hit a brief rough patch, allowing the Red Wolves to stay within striking distance. A timely 4-0 run pushed the IU Kokomo lead to 17-11, and a later 5-0 surge sealed a 25-20 win to take a two-set advantage.
• Trailing the 20th-ranked Cougars 11-7 midway through the third set, IU East responded with a six-point run to take a two-point lead and force a timeout. The Red Wolves fought off four match points, but IU Kokomo held steady to close out a 25-22 win and complete yet another sweep.

LEADING THE CHARGE

• Lexi Broyles powered the IU Kokomo offense, hitting an impressive .647 with a match-high 12 kills, while Mia Niekamp added 11 kills of her own.
• Cali Cummings contributed seven kills, and freshman Ryleigh Hamilton added six kills while hitting .455.
• On the day she was honored with a commemorative ball for surpassing 2,000 career assists, senior setter Allison Richman recorded a match-high 25 assists.
• Sophomore Avery Littrell anchored the IU Kokomo back row with 12 digs, while Chloe Carpenter added 10.

INSIDE THE HUDDLE

• "I thought our team came out with great energy at the start of the match. If we stay disciplined and focused, there's no limit to what we can achieve. We're extremely proud of this group and will continue putting in the work every day at practice to ensure we're playing our best by season's end." - Assistant Coach Lori Elson
• "Even though we were challenged today, we showed grit in the tough moments and ended with a good win. This game is always a fun one and we played as a team and showed relentless pursuit on defense." - Senior Lexi Broyles

THE ROAD AHEAD

• Next Match: 10/10 @ Shawnee State - 7:00 PM ET
• Next Home Match: 10/24 vs Oakland City - 7:00 PM ET

For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.