Friday, October 30
Springfield
6:00 p.m.
Missouri State University
vs
Middle Tennessee
October 29, 2026 | Volleyball
| Missouri State vs. MTSU | |
| Location | Springfield, Mo. |
| Site | Hammons Student Center |
| Match 1 | Friday, Oct. 30, 6 p.m. ESPN+ | Live Stats | Tickets CUSA Green Game |
| Match 2 | Saturday, Oct. 31, 1 p.m. ESPN+ | Live Stats | Tickets Halloweekend | Trick or Treat |
| Program | Roster Card |
| Missouri State | Game Notes Volleyball Home Page Media Guide Promotional Calendar |
| Opponent | Volleyball Home Page |
| Follow the Bears | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook #GoBears | #NoStateLikeMoState |
| Bears Mobile App | App Store (Apple Devices) Google Play Store (Android Devices) |
Storylines for the Middle Tennessee Series
1) Missouri State (17-5, 8-2 Conference USA) hosts Middle Tennessee (15-7, 6-4) this weekend at Hammons Student Center for a pair of top-three CUSA matchups. The Bears, who sit at 57th in the latest NCAA RPI, and Blue Raiders tangle at 6 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday.
  Head coach Steven McRoberts enters the weekend with 99 career victories at Mo State, meaning his next would make him the fourth active coach with 100 wins at three different Division I schools, and the only active head coach with 100-plus victories at four separate four-year institutions with his years at Lubbock Christian included.
2) The Bears owns a 7-1 series lead over MTSU with a 4-0 mark at home. The teams split last season in Murfreesboro in the first meetings as league foes.
3) Sophomore and Preseason all-CUSA selection Hannah Gardner is one of two Division I players this season with at least 205 kills, 425 assists and 185 digs.Â
  The CUSA Setter of the Week on Sept. 14, Gardner already has three triple-doubles this season and five in her career, tying for the most at MSU in the rally scoring era (since 2001).
4) Senior Brooke Eslinger surpassed 1,000 career digs on Sept. 17 and now ranks 17th in program history with 1,208. She won CUSA Defensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 7 and ranks second in CUSA with 4.40 digs per set this season.
5) The Bears rank among CUSA leaders in kills per set (3rd - 13.43), assists per set (2nd - 12.56) and hitting percentage (4th - .244). Mo State has hit .200 or better in 19 of 22 matches, and the current .244 efficiency is on pace for the Bears' highest since a .247 mark in 2017.
6) MSU has ranked in the top 32 nationally in total digs in four of the last six seasons, finishing 10th in 2020-21, 11th in 2023, 32nd in 2022, and fourth in 2024. The Bears lead CUSA and rank 35th nationally with 15.62 digs per set in 2026.
7) Head coach Steven McRoberts is in his seventh season in Springfield and 30th overall as a head coach with 686 victories to his credit, good for fifth among active Division I coaches.
  The Bears have played the top three coaches in active wins this season, facing Stephen F. Austin (Debbie Humphreys, 1st, 883), Western Kentucky (Travis Hudson, 2nd, 823) and Sam Houston (Brenda Gray, 3rd, 801).Â
8) Though it's only year two for Missouri State in CUSA, Coach McRoberts is entering his fifth season in the conference after spending 2011-13 as the head coach at Tulsa. McRoberts owns a career 58-18 record in CUSA contests.
9) Second-year Missouri State assistant coach Lori Endicott-Vandersnick helped Team USA to a bronze medal in volleyball at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and was named the best setter at the '92 Games.
10) Hammons Student Center turned 50 this year, with its official opening on Sept. 17, 1976. Missouri State has posted 46 winning seasons in 50 years in the facility, starting with a 10-0-2 record in 1976, and has won 75 percent of its matches at HSC. The Bears own a 7-0 home mark this season.
Players Mentioned
Defensive Specialist
/ Volleyball
Setter/Opposite
/ VolleyballThursday, October 29
Wednesday, October 28
Thursday, October 22
Thursday, October 22
