DePaul University Athletics
Wednesday, September 2
Chicago, Ill.
7 p.m.
DePaul University
vs
Portland State
Volleyball Returns Home to Host Portland State
9/1/2026 5:20:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Blue Demons open an eight-match homestand at McGrath-Phillips Arena
CHICAGO – DePaul volleyball returns to the hardwood for its home opener Wednesday night, welcoming Portland State to McGrath-Phillips Arena for a 7 p.m. first serve. The Blue Demons are coming off their first opening weekend sweep in 13 seasons and look to carry that momentum back to Lincoln Park as they kick off an eight-match homestand.
"Portland State presents an excellent challenge for us," said head coach Marie Zidek. "First, it gives our team an opportunity to prepare for a midweek match following a very successful weekend. We will need to develop strategies to sustain our performance during stretches when we are playing more than we are training. The Vikings play at the fastest offensive pace we have faced this season, which will require our defense to adjust in new ways that will benefit us heading into BIG EAST play."
DePaul opened the year in style at the Drake Invitational, going 3-0 and taking nine of 10 sets across the weekend in Des Moines. The Blue Demons swept both Milwaukee and Drake before grinding out a four-set win over South Dakota to close the tournament. Kendall Timme and Isabela Tavares-Salomon powered the offense all weekend, while Leonor Polezzi ran the show from the setter spot and Nora Mannion anchored the back row.
That performance did not go unnoticed around the league. Polezzi picked up her first BIG EAST weekly honor Monday, landing on the conference's Weekly Honor Roll after totaling 93 assists across the weekend, an average of 9.30 per set that currently leads the BIG EAST. She also added six aces, 28 digs and four blocks in her Blue Demon debut.
Individual milestones fell throughout the weekend as well. Mannion set new career highs with six assists and 20 digs against South Dakota on Aug. 30, while Diana posted a career-high four blocks against Milwaukee on Aug. 28 to go with 14 digs.
Blue Demon Bits
Viking Vision
Series Notes
FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
Stay up to date with all things DePaul Volleyball at DePaulBlueDemons.com. For real-time updates, follow the Blue Demons on X, Instagram, and Facebook, or sign up for email updates and text alerts.
TICKET INFORMATION
Season ticket memberships are now live for the 2026 DePaul Volleyball season! Season ticket memberships include access to all 15 anticipated regular season matches at McGrath-Phillips Arena in Lincoln Park, plus an opportunity to purchase tickets for the Wintrust Arena match against Nebraska. Season tickets are available beginning at $79 for general admission and $129 for courtside seating! Want to bring your team to the match? Group ticket deposits are also available for parties of 10 or more. Visit DePaulBlueDemons.com/Tickets to reserve your seats today!
Tickets for DePaul's Sept. 4 matchup against Nebraska at Wintrust Arena are also on sale now. Courtside seating, premium options and group packages are available. Fans can purchase tickets through the DePaul Ticket Office or visit DePaulBlueDemons.com/Tickets for more information.
"Portland State presents an excellent challenge for us," said head coach Marie Zidek. "First, it gives our team an opportunity to prepare for a midweek match following a very successful weekend. We will need to develop strategies to sustain our performance during stretches when we are playing more than we are training. The Vikings play at the fastest offensive pace we have faced this season, which will require our defense to adjust in new ways that will benefit us heading into BIG EAST play."
DePaul opened the year in style at the Drake Invitational, going 3-0 and taking nine of 10 sets across the weekend in Des Moines. The Blue Demons swept both Milwaukee and Drake before grinding out a four-set win over South Dakota to close the tournament. Kendall Timme and Isabela Tavares-Salomon powered the offense all weekend, while Leonor Polezzi ran the show from the setter spot and Nora Mannion anchored the back row.
That performance did not go unnoticed around the league. Polezzi picked up her first BIG EAST weekly honor Monday, landing on the conference's Weekly Honor Roll after totaling 93 assists across the weekend, an average of 9.30 per set that currently leads the BIG EAST. She also added six aces, 28 digs and four blocks in her Blue Demon debut.
Individual milestones fell throughout the weekend as well. Mannion set new career highs with six assists and 20 digs against South Dakota on Aug. 30, while Diana posted a career-high four blocks against Milwaukee on Aug. 28 to go with 14 digs.
Blue Demon Bits
- Ranks second in the BIG EAST with 14.1 kills per set, third in hitting percentage (.271) and aces per set (2.10), third in digs per set (15.4)
- Jade Dudley-Epps leads the Conference with 1.70 blocks per set; Leonor Polezzi leads the league with 9.30 assists per set
- Isabela Tavares-Salomon (3.90 kills/set) ranks third in the BIG EAST, Timme (3.70) sixth; Timme and Polezzi tied for fourth in aces per set (0.60)
- Nora Mannion ranks second in the league with 4.80 digs per set
Viking Vision
- Enters at 1-1 after splitting five-set matches, a loss to Portland and a win over Nevada
- Alivia Eikenberg ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 3.80 kills/set; posted a 23-kill, 20-dig match against Nevada
- Setter Ava Blascziek opened with back-to-back double-doubles, tying career highs of 51 assists and four kills vs. Nevada
- Head coach Michael Seemann is in his 20th season and needs six wins to reach 300 for his career
Series Notes
- The all-time series between the Vikings and Blue Demons is tied at 1-1
- DePaul won the last meeting, a 3-0 sweep of Portland State at the San Diego State Invitational in 2024
- Portland State won the first meeting between the teams at the Bulldog Showdown in Fresno, Calif., in 2016
FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
Stay up to date with all things DePaul Volleyball at DePaulBlueDemons.com. For real-time updates, follow the Blue Demons on X, Instagram, and Facebook, or sign up for email updates and text alerts.
TICKET INFORMATION
Season ticket memberships are now live for the 2026 DePaul Volleyball season! Season ticket memberships include access to all 15 anticipated regular season matches at McGrath-Phillips Arena in Lincoln Park, plus an opportunity to purchase tickets for the Wintrust Arena match against Nebraska. Season tickets are available beginning at $79 for general admission and $129 for courtside seating! Want to bring your team to the match? Group ticket deposits are also available for parties of 10 or more. Visit DePaulBlueDemons.com/Tickets to reserve your seats today!
Tickets for DePaul's Sept. 4 matchup against Nebraska at Wintrust Arena are also on sale now. Courtside seating, premium options and group packages are available. Fans can purchase tickets through the DePaul Ticket Office or visit DePaulBlueDemons.com/Tickets for more information.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
L/DS
/ WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
S
/ WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
OH
/ WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALLThursday, September 03
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