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INDIANAPOLIS - The Butler volleyball team will host the season-opening Top Dawg Challenge on Friday and Saturday at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The Bulldogs, who are coming off an exhibition tuneup against Bradley, face Eastern Illinois (Noon) and Oakland (6 p.m.) on Friday and Akron (6 p.m.) on Saturday.

Bulldog Bites
- Jaymeson Kinley earned recognition on the 2022 Preseason All-Big East Team, which was announced by the conference office on Aug. 16.
- Kinley was one of 12 conference student-athletes selected to the team as part of the preseason coaches' poll. The reigning Big East Libero of the Year set Butler records in both total digs (610) and digs per set (5.40) during the Fall 2021 season.
- Sophomore outside hitter Mariah Grunze is the other returning Bulldog to earn a conference honor last season (All-Big East Freshman Team).
- The 2021 Bulldogs finished second in the conference and 18th nationally in digs/set with 16.97 with a total of 1,918 digs. The team led the conference and ranked eighth nationally in attacks per set at 38.90.
- Akron Connections: Three Zips have connections to Bulldogs from playing at the same high school or club system including Lauren Latka (Megan Sheridan, Zionsville HS and Team Indiana), Anne Lesure (Elana Brueggemann, Carmel and Circle City) and Gia Padilla (Amina Shackelford, OTVA).
- Eastern Illinois Connection: Mariah Grunze and EIU's Ella Collins both played for the Milwaukee Sting Club system in Wisconsin.
- Closest to Home: Megan Sheridan's hometown of Zionsville, Ind., is 106 miles (straight-line) from Charleston, Ill. (EIU), or about a 135-mile drive.
- Closest to Home: Brooklyne Darby's hometown of Mason, Ohio is 237 miles (straight-line) from Rochester, Mich. (Oakland), or about a 267-mile drive.
- Closest to Home: Brooklyne Darby's hometown of Mason, Ohio is 189 miles (straight-line) from Akron, Ohio, or about a 211-mile drive.

SCOUTING EASTERN ILLINOIS: The Panthers return 12 players from a team that reached the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament for the first time since the 2017 season with an 11-18 record (4-14 OVC). Among the returners are the team leaders in assists (Summerlyn Smith, 785), blocks (Emily Wilcox, 81) and digs (Christina Martinez Mundo, 313). Eastern Illinois led the OVC in aces/set with 1.54 (168 total) in 2021. Wilcox finished fourth in the conference in hitting percentage at .278 last season.

Butler leads the all-time series 14-6 after winning the last four matchups including a 3-0 win on Sept. 1, 2018 in the Top Dawg Challenge. The Panthers' last win in the series came in 2006.

SCOUTING OAKLAND: The Golden Grizzlies posted a 15-15 record (9-9 Horizon League) to finish sixth in the conference a season ago. Oakland returns team leaders in assists (AnnaBelle Tomei, 501), aces (Emily Wichmann, 25) and blocks (Jessica Riedl, 106). The 2021 roster finished second in the conference with 15.95 digs/set (1,771 total) and third with 2.15 blocks/set (239 total). Head coach Krista Rice enters her first season leading the program.

The all-time series is tied 1-1 after the Bulldogs won 3-2 on Aug. 25, 2017.

SCOUTING AKRON: The Zips went 10-20 (4-14 MAC) a season ago to finish sixth in the east division and 12th in the conference overall. Akron loses all of its major statistical leaders from the 2021 team that finished sixth in the MAC in blocks/set at 1.92 (215.5 total).

Butler leads the all-time series 4-1, winning the last four after the Zips won in 1984.

BIG-TIME BACKCOURT: Both Jaymeson Kinley and graduate transfer Maddie Renn won a major conference award last fall, with Kinley claiming the 2021 Big East Libero of the Year and Renn notching the Summit League Defensive Player of the Year.

The pair combined for 1,141 digs last season and have posted 2,215 digs combined in their college careers.

NEW SETTERS: Sophomore transfer Jenna Splitt and freshman Cora Taylor form a new duo of setters for the Bulldogs in 2022. Splitt transferred from Iowa for the spring semester after tallying 223 assists, 70 digs and seven aces in her freshman season. Taylor was a 2021 Third Team AVCA All-American while leading her high school team to the school's first state championship in 40 years to cap off her senior season.

Butler returns only 132 total assists from 2021 after two setters transferred.

SOPHOMORE STAR: Outside hitter Mariah Grunze will look to build on a breakout rookie campaign that saw her land on the All-Big East Freshman Team, which was the first time a Bulldog has been awarded the honor since joining the conference in 2013.

Grunze's 296 kills, 273 digs and 21 aces all were good for second on the team last season. She finished fourth in blocks (48) and assists (23).

REPLACING A LEGEND: Three-time All-Big East selection Melody Davidson's production will be difficult to replace. She redshirted in 2017 before playing the last four seasons.

The middle blocker put up a team-leading 369 kills (3.27/set), 140 blocks (1.24/set) and a .331 hitting percentage for the 2021 season.

STEPPING UP AT THE NET: Middle blocker Amina Shackelford and outside hitter Megan Sheridan will be tasked with filling in some of the void left by Davidson's departure. Shackelford was a steady contributor in 2021, totaling 199 kills and 74 blocks. Sheridan put up 136 kills and 20 blocks to increase her career totals to 339 kills and 74 blocks.

Other returning Bulldogs who will also look to step up include middle blockers Autumn Flowers, Marisa Guisti and Grace Boggess and outside hitters Elana Brueggemann and Destiny Cherry.

BUILDING ON SUCCESS: The Butler volleyball team won double-digit conference games in the Big East for the fifth time in eight full seasons with a 10-8 league record in 2021.

The Bulldogs had big road wins at Georgetown, Seton Hall, St. John's, Xavier, Providence and UConn last year.

FRESH FACES: Renn, Splitt and sophomore transfer Daniella Russo-Lolas are the three transfers added to this year's roster. Russo-Lolas is a Miami, Fla., native who comes from Eckerd College in Florida.

Taylor, Brooklyne Darby and Rylie Tam are the three true freshmen on team. Darby is an OH/DS from Mason, Ohio, while Tam is an OH from High Springs, Fla.