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Vincennes University

Trailblazers Set for Region 24 Tournament as Top Seed

Trailblazers Set for Region 24 Tournament as Top Seed
October 30, 2025

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Women's Volleyball team will enter the NJCAA Region 24 Tournament this weekend as the number 1 overall seed, following a standout 2025 regular season that saw the Trailblazers finish 28–8 overall and 15–3 in Region 24 play while capturing the Region 24 regular-season championship.

Under 10th-year Head Coach Gary Sien, VU found its rhythm late in the year — closing the regular season on a four-match win streak that included back-to-back sweeps of league contenders John A. Logan College and Kaskaskia College. The Trailblazers posted an impressive 15-1 record at home, showcasing the balance, depth, and maturity of a roster featuring four sophomores and 11 freshmen.

VU enters postseason play ranked among the top five nationally in several categories — 1st in total kills (1,564), 2nd in total blocks (357), 3rd in total digs (2,095), 4th in total assists (1,406), and 4th in service aces (267) — highlighting the team's all-around strength. Individually, Adaline Eisenmann ranks 2nd in the nation in total digs (634), while Nicole De La Cruz stands 3rd nationally in service aces per set (0.73). Taryn Thuis leads the Trailblazers with 335 kills, a .342 hitting percentage, and 139 blocks, while Kenli Sullivan adds 350 kills, 273 digs, and 43 aces. De La Cruz contributes 228 kills and 118 blocks, with Paulina Krawczyk and Martyna Sadowska each surpassing 200 kills to give VU one of the most balanced attacks in Region 24.

"It's been a great season of growth," Sien said. "We've had to battle through injuries, lineup changes, and a lot of tough matches, but this team just kept working. Winning the region title was a huge step for our program, but now the real challenge begins. Everyone is 0–0 again, and we're focused on playing our best volleyball this weekend."

Tournament Overview

The NJCAA Region 24 Tournament will be hosted by Lake Land College in Mattoon, Illinois, on November 1–2. The Region 24 Tournament Champion will host the NJCAA Midwest District A Championship, while the remaining teams will compete in either the District A or District B Championships, with the latter hosted by the Region 16 Tournament Champion. Both district tournaments will take place November 7–9, with the winners advancing to the NJCAA Division I Volleyball National Championship, set for November 19–22 at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Saturday, November 1

  • Match 1 – Quarterfinal #1 – 1:00 p.m. ET: #4 Southwestern Illinois vs. #5 Kaskaskia (Watch Live)
  • Match 2 – Quarterfinal #2 – 3:30 p.m. ET: #3 Lake Land vs. #6 Frontier (Watch Live)
  • Match 3 – Semifinal #1 – 6:00 p.m. ET: #1 Vincennes vs. Winner of Match 1 (Watch Live)
  • Match 4 – Semifinal #2 – 8:30 p.m. ET: #2 John A. Logan vs. Winner of Match 2 (Watch Live)

Sunday, November 2

  • Match 5 – Championship – 3:00 p.m. ET: Winner of Semifinal #1 vs. Winner of Semifinal #2 (Watch Live)

The Trailblazers will open tournament against the winner of Southwestern Illinois College and Kaskaskia College. VU split its two meetings with Southwestern Illinois this season — winning 3–1 at home on September 5 before falling 3–2 on the road on October 9 — and swept the season series with Kaskaskia, earning a 3–2 win on the road (September 24) and a 3–0 victory at home (October 27). Sien said the team's recent play has given them confidence heading into postseason competition.

"We're healthy, we're confident, and we're playing together," he said. "We've worked hard to earn that No. 1 seed, but our focus now is on consistency and execution. If we keep doing the little things right — serving tough, passing clean, and trusting our system — we'll give ourselves a great chance to win."

Join the Journey

As always, fans can keep up with the Vincennes University Volleyball squad all year long through a number of ways: