Youngstown State University
Butler
Volleyball Travels for First Road Tests at Butler, IU Indy Tournaments
9/2/2026 4:09:00 PM | Volleyball
After going 2-1 on its home court to start the 2026 campaign, Youngstown State's volleyball team faces its first road tests this week as it travels to Indianapolis for three matches. The Penguins will play two matches at Butler as part of the Indy Invite and one at IU Indy's Hampton Inn Invitational. The schedule begins Thursday at 7 p.m. against Butler at Hinkle Fieldhouse, and YSU will play Ohio at Butler on Friday at 1 p.m. The Penguins will finish the weekend in Indianapolis against Marshall at 1 p.m. at The Jungle on IU Indy's campus.
The matches against Butler and Marshall will be broadcast live on ESPN+, and Friday's contest against the Bobcats will be shown on Butler's YouTube channel. Live stats will also be available throughout the weekend via links on YSUsports.com.
The Week Ahead
Match 1 at Butler
- When: Thursday, Sept. 3 | 7 p.m.
- Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse | Indianapolis, Ind.
- Watch: ESPN+
- Stats: StatBroadcast
- Social: Instagram | Facebook | X
Match 2 vs. Ohio
- When: Friday, Sept. 4 | 1 p.m.
- Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse | Indianapolis, Ind. (at Butler)
- Watch: YouTube
- Stats: StatBroadcast
- Social: Instagram | Facebook | X
Match 3 vs. Marshall
- When: Saturday, Sept. 5 | 1 p.m.
- Where: The Jungle | Indianapolis, Ind. (at IU Indy)
- Watch: ESPN+
- Stats: SIDEARM Stats
- Social: Instagram | Facebook | X
A Glimpse at the Guins
- Youngstown State went 2-1 at the YSU Invitational, presented by Mercy Health, last week to open the 2026 campaign. The Penguins swept Mercyhurst and Canisius to start and end the tournament while falling 3-1 to Duquesne in between.
- Third-year head coach Riley Jarrett celebrated the 100th victory of her career on Saturday with the win over Canisius. Jarrett was 72-40 over four seasons at Division II West Liberty (West Virginia) from 2020-23, and she is 28-36 at YSU.
- After one week, the Penguins rank second in the country with 2.90 aces per set and 10th with 29 total aces. The Penguins had 14 aces against Mercyhurst, which were tied for the second-most in a match nationally last week. Stonehill leads the nation with 3.13 aces per set and 47 total aces. Individually, YSU junior Ava Prince ranks ninth nationally 0.89 aces per set.
- Eight letterwinners and five players who started at least 14 matches return from last season's squad that went 17-14 overall while winning a school-record 11 Horizon League matches. Three of those returners — Kameron Blizniak, Layne Graffice and Abbie Householder — earned all-conference accolades in 2025.
- Junior outside hitter Kylie Surratt, a transfer from UT Martin, highlighted the efforts of YSU's newcomers last week, averaging 4.0 kills and 0.6 aces per set in her first tournament as a Penguin. Freshman Korina Barber started all three matches at middle blocker and led YSU with a block per set.
- After opening the season at Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center, the Penguins are in a stretch of playing seven straight road matches. YSU plays its three matches in Indianapolis this week before heading to Ohio State for the Sports Imports Classic on Sept. 11-13. The Penguins will conclude the road stretch at Akron on Sept. 17 before hosting Kent State on Sept. 18 to conclude nonconference play.
Upcoming Milestones
- Sophomore Kameron Blizniak is 23 assists shy of 1,200 for her career, and she needs seven digs to reach 300.
- Sophomore Layne Graffice needs five kills and 13 digs to reach career totals of 300 in both categories.
- Sophomore Brie Habeeb is 33 digs shy of 400 for her career.
- Junior Kylie Surratt enters this week needing 21 kills to reach 600 for her career.
Recapping Last Week
YSU scores are listed first
Aug. 28 vs. Mercyhurst » W, 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-13) | Box Score | Recap
Aug. 28 vs. Duquesne » L, 3-1 (25-23, 25-19, 21-25, 25-15) | Box Score | Recap
Aug. 29 vs. Canisius » W, 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-20) | Box Score | Recap
- Two school records were set and another was tied in YSU's season-opening victory over Mercyhurst. As a team, YSU's 14 aces were the most in program history in a three-set, rally-scoring match, surpassing the previous mark of 11 at Canisius in 2022. Individually, Ava Prince tied the record for aces in a three-set, rally-scoring match with six, equaling the effort of teammate Brie Habeeb (2025) and Colleen Royer (2001). Ava Stratton set the individual record for hitting percentage in a match by hitting .857 with 12 kills on 14 attempts without an error.
- Stratton's .857 hitting percentage was the best in the country last week among players with a minimum of 10 attempts. For the week, Stratton recorded 26 kills and seven blocks, which is already an improvement from her freshman campaign when she had 13 kills and one block over 13 sets.
- Prince was one of six players in the country last week to have at least six aces in a three-set match.
- Sophomore libero Brie Habeeb averaged 3.70 digs per set last week, highlighted by 21 digs in the four-setter against Duquesne. She also had five aces in the win over Mercyhurst.
- Fifth-year senior Abbie Householder surpassed 1,300 career digs in the match against Canisius on Saturday. She needs 15 more digs to move into second place on YSU's career digs list.
- Junior Kylie Surratt led the Penguins with 4.0 kills and 4.65 points per set last week to earn All-Tournament Team honors at the YSU Invitational, presented by Mercy Health. Her 22 kills against Duquesne set a new career high and were the most by any player at the tournament. She also recorded her 400th career dig on Friday night against the Dukes.
- Sixteen different players appeared in a match last week, and eight made their Penguins debuts. Division I transfers Ashlee Gnau (Syracuse), Wrigley Takats (Eastern Michigan) and Surratt (UT Martin) joined freshmen Korina Barber, Natalie Carr, Makayla Keibler, Journey Nicola and Hayden Rodriguez as newcomers to appear. Surratt and Barber both started all three matches.
- The Penguins used a 6-2 offense for at least part of nine of the 10 sets last week. Kameron Blizniak and Prince combined to lead the Penguins to a .250 attack percentage and 11.70 assists per set. YSU's .375 mark in the season-opening win over Mercyhurst was its best percentage in a match since 2022.
Scouting Opponents
Butler
Record: 2-1
Last Week: Went 2-1 at the Clemson Invitational, beating Western Carolina and Clemson 3-2 while falling 3-2 to Charleston Southern
Preseason Poll: Ninth of 11 in the BIG EAST
Noteworthy: YSU and Butler were members of the Horizon League together from 2001-02 through 2011-12. The Penguins and Bulldogs have played twice since Butler moved on to the Atlantic 10 and BIG EAST, with the Bulldogs winning 3-0 in 2015 and 3-1 in 2021. Butler is 25-0 against the Penguins all-time and 12-0 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Elise Ward was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
Stat Leaders:
- Kills — Raegan Durbin (2.40 per set)
- Assists — Sarah Kempf (5.21 per set)
- Aces — Marin Thaxton (0.33 per set)
- Digs — Jersey Loyer (3.73 per set)
- Blocks — Carly Slusser (1.60 per set)
Ohio
Record: 3-0
Last Week: Swept all three matches at the Marshall Invitational with 3-0 wins over Bucknell, Niagara and Marshall.
Preseason Poll: Tied for fourth of 11 in the Mid-American Conference
Noteworthy: The Penguins and Bobcats are meeting on the volleyball court for the first time since the 1995 season. Ohio has won all 14 previous meetings in a series dating back to 1978. Ohio is the first of three opponents from the Mid-American Conference on YSU's schedule, joining Akron (Sept. 17) and Kent State (Sept. 18). Bailey Blair and Emily Waddell were both named to the Preseason All-MAC Team.
Stat Leaders:
- Kills — Bailey Blair (4.22 per set)
- Assists — Rowan Kelly (12.22 per set)
- Aces — Lacy Marx (0.33 per set)
- Digs — Rosse Mahin (3.33 per set)
- Blocks — Olivia Gardner (1.22 per set)
Marshall
Record: 2-1
Last Week: Won two of its three matches at the Marshall Invitational, sweeping Niagara and Bucknell before falling 3-0 to Ohio.
Preseason Poll: Fifth of seven in the Sun Belt East Division
Noteworthy: Youngstown State and Marshall have not played since 1993, and the Penguins have a 2-1 all-time record against the Herd. Emma Barnett was voted to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team.
Stat Leaders:
- Kills — Emma Barnett (3.44 per set)
- Assists — Kahea Carvalho (6.33 per set)
- Aces — Emma Sayre (0.67 per set)
- Digs — Emma Sayre (3.33 per set)
- Blocks — Lilly Howell (0.75 per set)
Penguins In Depth — Preseason Notes
Building on Last Season's Success
Youngstown State enters 2026 as a driven group with a large core of players returning from last season's squad that moved the program from last in the Horizon League preseason poll to the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament. Eight letterwinners and five players who started at least 14 matches last season are back with a mission to take another step forward in the third season under head coach Riley Jarrett. Three of those returners — Kameron Blizniak, Layne Graffice and Abbie Householder — earned All-Horizon League accolades in 2025.
The Penguins went 17-14 overall while winning a school-record 11 Horizon League matches in 2025, and they advanced to the semifinals of the Horizon League Championship for the first time since 2014. The 11 conference wins were the second most in program history and the most since the 1999 squad was 13-1 in the Mid-Continent Conference. YSU's highest win total in its first 24 years in the Horizon League was eight, set in 2022. Youngstown State was particularly strong inside Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center, posting a 10-4 record to tie the program record from 1999.
Contract Extension, New Titles Awarded for Coaching Staff
On the heels of last season's success, YSU head coach Riley Jarrett earned a three-year contract through June of 2029. Her extension was announced in July, and additional titles for assistant coaches Grace Wilson and Maddie Clayton were announced in February. Wilson is now also the Director of Operations, and Clayton is also the Recruiting Coordinator. The trio of Jarrett, Wilson and Clayton is entering its third season together on the Penguins bench.
In 2025, YSU posted a 17-14 overall record, which was an eight-win improvement from the year before and the most victories by the program since 2014. Youngstown State also won three more Horizon League matches than it had in any previous season since joining the conference in 2001.
Four Comprise Leadership Group
Youngstown State has a junior and three sophomores as its leaders this season as junior Ava Prince and sophomores Kameron Blizniak, Layne Graffice and Brie Habeeb comprise the leadership team. The group was elected by their teammates, and each member of the quartet is in a leadership role for the first time.
Strong Sophomore Class Looks for Second-Year Jump
Youngstown State's strong five-member sophomore class of Kameron Blizniak, Layne Graffice, Brie Habeeb, Izzy Henry and Ava Stratton is looking to provide the foundation for a solid 2026 and beyond. The group combined for 88 starts in 2025, and Blizniak and Graffice headlined the accomplishments by being named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team. Blizniak started every match and set a new school record for the 25-point rally scoring era with 1,116 assists. Graffice was a six-rotation left side who averaged 2.67 kills and 2.60 digs per set in her freshman season.
Householder Returns After Record-Breaking 2025
Abbie Householder returns to the Penguins as a fifth-year senior after a record-breaking 2025 campaign. The outside hitter from nearby Canfield, Ohio, is YSU's career record holder with 1,436 kills and one of six players in program history with at least 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs. Among her long list of accomplishments in 2025, she was an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, the Horizon League Player of the Year, the YSU Female Student-Athlete of the Year and the Horizon League Female Fall Scholar-Athlete of the Season.
Penguins Add Three Division I Transfers in January
Youngstown State added experience before the 2026 spring semester as juniors Ashlee Gnau, Kylie Surratt and Wrigley Takats arrived from Division I institutions. Gnau, a defensive specialist, played in 34 matches over two seasons at Syracuse. Surratt had two prolific seasons as an outside hitter at UT-Martin, posting totals of 539 kills, 392 digs and 77 blocks while being named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference Second Team as a freshman. Takats, a middle blocker and right side hitter who arrived from Eastern Michigan, recorded 60 kills and 58 blocks as a sophomore.
Freshman Class of Five
Youngstown State has a talented and position-balanced class of five freshmen on this year's roster. The group includes pin hitter Natalie Carr, defensive specialist Journey Nicola, setter Hayden Rodriguez, and middle blockers Korina Barber and Makayla Keibler. Nicola, Rodriguez and Barber are Ohioans, and Carr and Keibler are from the Pittsburgh, Pa. area. Carr and Keibler were club teammates with Pittsburgh Elite Volleyball, and Nicola and Barber both played club ball with Mintonette.
Penguins Slotted Sixth in HL Preseason Poll
Youngstown State was selected to finish sixth in the Horizon League this season in a preseason poll of the conference's 11 head coaches. YSU received 68 points in the poll, which was just eight points behind fourth-place Milwaukee. Sixth place ties the highest preseason ranking for the Penguins since they joined the conference in 2001. The top eight teams in the regular season will advance to the Horizon League Volleyball Championship on Nov. 19-22.
AVCA Team Academic Award Regulars
Youngstown State earned the AVCA Team Academic Award for high achievement in the classroom for the 13th consecutive year during the 2025-26 campaign. YSU began the streak in 2013-14, and its 13-year run is tied for the longest streak in the Horizon League for maintaining a year-long grade-point average of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale. The Penguins registered a 3.411 team GPA during the 2025-26 academic year, posting a 3.329 in the fall and a 3.505 in the spring.
Up Next
Youngstown State will play three matches at Ohio State's Sports Imports Classic on Sept. 11-13. The Penguins will play Southern Indiana at 3 p.m. on Sept. 11, Winthrop at 1 p.m. on Sept. 12, and Ohio State at 2 p.m. on Sept. 13. All three matches are slated to be broadcast on B1G+. For news and updates throughout the season, follow the Penguins @ysuvolleyball on Instagram, Facebook and X.
