- Ottawa was defeated 3-0; 25-21, 25-14, 25-14; to open the season against no. 8 Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa on Tuesday night. The Braves finished the match with 20 kills, a .035 attacking percentage, 18 assists, two service aces, 39 digs, and two team blocks.
Radaisy Valdez led OU with six kills. She had two blocks.
Kaitlyn Haller finished the game with 12 assists and five digs.
Kayla Smocks led OU with 10 digs.
- The Braves return four starters from last season's, KCAC Champions, KCAC Tournament Champions, and NAIA National Tournament qualifying team: Katelyn Elsturn (First Team All-KCAC),
Kaitlyn Haller (Second Team All-KCAC),
Megan Wall (Third Team All-KCAC), and
Kayla Smocks.
- OU has seven newcomers at its varsity team:
Katarina Montoya (Albuquerque, N.M./Cibola),
Haylee O'Meara (Kansas City, Mo./Liberty North),
Jadore Hayes (Arlington, Texas/Morgan State University),
Radaisy Valdez (Bani Dominican Republic/Lindsey Wilson College),
Lillian Holden (Platte City, Mo./St. Pius X),
Aaliyah Durant (Bridgetown, Barbados/Columbia College),
Sydney Scott (Augusta, Kan./Augusta).
- In Ottawa's first 11 games, seven of those opponents are ranked in the NAIA Top 25. That includes no. 1 Missouri Baptist University on Sept. 9 in Columbia, Mo.
*Aug. 23 (8) Northwestern L, 3-0
*Aug. 26 (12) Eastern Oregon
*Aug. 27 (21) Grand View
*Aug. 27 (14) Central Methodist
*Sept. 2 (22) Taylor
*Sept. 9 (20) Columbia
*Sept. 9 (1) Missouri Baptist
- This will be the first meeting between Ottawa and no. 12 Eastern Oregon University. John Brown leads the series against the Braves 5-3 but OU has won two straight against the Eagles and three out of the last four meetings. (21) Grand View University has a record of 3-1 against the Braves and have won three straight versus OU. It is the 15th meeting between Ottawa and no. 14 Central Methodist. The Eagles lead the series 9-5 and won the meeting last year on Aug. 27, 3-1.
- Ottawa had two players named to the 2022 KCAC Preseason Volleyball Team,
Kaitlyn Haller and Katelyn Elsun. Elstun, an outside hitter from Overland Park, Kan., earned First Team All-KCAC honors in 2021. She was also named Honorable Mention AVCA All-West Central Region. Elstun played in 24 matches, finishing with 225 kills, a .240 attacking percentage, 10 assists, two service aces, 158 digs, and 32 blocks.Haller, a setter from Blue Springs, Mo., earned Second Team All-KCAC and was named KCAC Setter of the Week three times in 2021. She played in 27 matches, had 66 kills, a .189 attacking percentage, 726 assists, 16 service aces, 287 digs, and 10 blocks. Haller had a career high 37 assists against McPherson College. She finished the season with 17 double-doubles.
