QUICK SETS
The Cleveland State volleyball team will open its 18-match Horizon League slate on the road this week, traveling to Northern Kentucky for a two-match series on Friday, September 26 and Saturday, September 27.
 
ENTERING #HLVB PLAY…
Cleveland State owns a 14-11 record in #HLVB openers under head coach Chuck Voss, including five straight wins…The Vikings will be on the road to start Horizon League action for the sixth time over the last seven years…Cleveland State will be facing Northern Kentucky in the #HLVB opener for the second straight year.
 
VIKINGS ENTER 2025 AS REIGNING #HLVB CHAMPIONS
Cleveland State entered the 2025 campaign as the reigning Horizon League Tournament Champions, capturing the program's sixth tournament title last year. The Vikings picked up wins against IU Indy, Milwaukee and Green Bay during #HLVB tournament play, earning their sixth trip to the NCAA Tournament.
 
…TABBED FOURTH IN #HLVB PRESEASON POLL
Prior to the 2025 campaign starting, the Vikings were tabbed to finish fourth in the #HLVB Preseason Poll. Earning 65 points and a pair of first-place votes, Cleveland State finished behind league favorite Wright State, Milwaukee, and Green Bay.
 
SCOUTING THE NORSE
This weekend's matches will be the 28th and 29th meetings between Cleveland State and Northern Kentucky, with the Norse owning 16-11 edge in the all-time series. Last season, the two teams split the weekend series, including a five-set win from the Vikings in the #HLVB opener.
 
VOSS RECORDS 1,000TH CAREER KILL
With an 11-kill performance against Kent State last week, senior Laken Voss eclipsed the 1,000-kill mark for her career, entering this weekend's matches at NKU with 1,022 total kills. Voss, who is averaging 2.91 kills per set so far this season, became the second Viking in as many years to reach the milestone. After last weekend's matches against Kent State and Akron, Voss also moved into fifth place in the CSU Career Record Book with 3,759 Career Attack Attempts.
 
DELVENTHAL AMONG #HLVB PLAYERS
Entering the fifth week of the 2025 season, sophomore libero Vayda Delventhal ranks second among Horizon League players averaging 4.69 digs per set on the year. Delventhal, who has posted double-digit digs in 10 of 11 matches this season, has recorded 20+ digs twice so far this year.
 
VANVLEET & VOSS LEADING THE VIKING OFFENSE
Through the non-league portion of the 2025 schedule, freshman Bryn VanVleet and senior Laken Voss have been leading the Viking offense, combining for 55-percent of Cleveland State's kills. Entering Friday's contest at NKU, VanVleet ranks sixth among Horizon League players averaging 3.24 kills per set, while Voss ranks 10th with a 2.91 kills per set average.
 
JOZEFOV ON THE BLOCK
To begin #HLVB play, sophomore Julia Jozefov ranks fourth among league players averaging 1.15 blocks per set on the season. So far this year, Jozefov has combined for 38 total blocks, recording five or more during four matches, including a career-high tying eight against Kent State last time out.
 
NEW LOOK VIKINGS
This year's edition of the Vikings features just eight returners from last year's team, while they are joined by seven newcomers – six true freshmen and one senior transfer. Throughout the first three weeks of play, 14 Vikings have been on the court, including 11 that have appeared in the starting lineup at least once.
 
…NEWCOMERS MAKING AN IMPACT
Through the first 11 matches, Cleveland State's newcomers have been making an impact, including Madisyn Green who has appeared in every set for the Vikings. Green, who is part of Cleveland State's defense, is averaging 2.00 digs per set on the year. Bryn VanVleet has been a large part of the Viking offense so far this season, averaging a team-best 3.24 kills per set, while Isabella Gibbons (7.25 assists/set) and Allison Salazar (3.86 assists/set) have been captaining the CSU offense.
 
#HLVB PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
So far this season the Vikings have been honored once by the Horizon League, as Vayda Delventhal was named one of the #HLVB Players of the Week on September 15. Delventhal earned the honor after being named to the Wolfpack Invitational All-Tournament Team, combining for 56 digs on the weekend including a pair of 20-dig efforts against Coastal Carolina and Duke.
 
TOUGH NON-LEAGUE SLATE
Cleveland State started the 2025 season with a tough non-league slate, facing a trio of Power Four opponents and another four opponents from Group of Five conferences. This marked the toughest non-league slate for the Vikings since the 2019 season, when they faced five Power Four opponents.
 
…POWER FOUR VICTORY
Earlier this year, the Vikings picked up their first win of the season in dramatic fashion, earning a 3-1 victory over Power Four opponent Duke at the Wolfpack Invitational. Cleveland State has now picked up a Power Four win in each of the last two seasons after defeating Virginia Tech during the 2024 campaign.
 
HEAD COACH CHUCK VOSS
Chuck Voss is in his 26th season at the helm of the Vikings, and owns a 432-312 (.580) overall record at Cleveland State. Under Voss the Vikings have recorded 19 winning seasons, including a streak of 10 straight from 2009-2018. Cleveland State has eclipsed the 20-win mark nine times since Voss took over the program, and has captured Horizon League Tournament titles six times under his guidance.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Cleveland State will continue #HLVB play with a trio of matches next week, traveling to Oakland on Tuesday, September 30, before hosting Wright State on Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4.