Otterbein Claims Fifth Straight OAC Volleyball Tournament Championship

No. 14 Cardinals sweep Muskingum, 3–0, for eighth tournament title in program history

Game Recap

Top-seeded Otterbein won its fifth consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament championship on Saturday at the Rike Center in Westerville, sweeping Muskingum 25–22, 25–10, 25–17. It's the Cardinals' eighth OAC Tournament title, and it sends them to the NCAA Division III Championship with the league's automatic bid.

How It Happened

The opening set was the tightest of the night, with 13 ties and five lead changes. Otterbein hit .308 with 17 kills in the set and pulled away late to win it 25–22.

The Cardinals took control in the second set. They hit .370 while holding the Muskies to a negative hitting percentage (-.030), as Muskingum committed seven attack errors against six kills. Otterbein won the set 25–10.

Muskingum hit .258 in the third set, but Otterbein had an answer each time. The Cardinals put down 21 kills on .375 hitting and closed out the match 25–17.

Otterbein finished with a 50–28 edge in kills and outhit Muskingum .351 to .146. The Cardinals also held advantages in aces (10–4), digs (56–44) and block assists (10–6).

Top Performers

Otterbein

• Emerson Baum – 11 kills (.423), 6 aces, 2 block assists, match-high 18 points
• Lexi Scott – match-high 12 kills (.360)
• Elise Adelman – 32 assists, 8 kills (.500), 9 digs

Muskingum

• Mackenzie Krous – team-high 6 kills, 8 digs
• Mya Leach – 5 kills, match-high 15 digs
• MJ Rupp – team-high 11 assists, 1 ace

Noteworthy

• Otterbein won its eighth OAC Tournament title. The others came in 2012, 2017, 2020–21, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
• The five straight tournament titles (2022–2026) extend the longest run in program history.
• The Cardinals won the double: they also took the 2026 OAC regular-season title outright after going 8–0 in league play.
• Otterbein improves to 27–3 overall and has won 14 straight matches. The Cardinals also swept Muskingum 3–0 in the regular-season meeting in Westerville on Oct. 7.
• Chandler Crowell added 8 kills and 14 digs. Courtney Post had 7 kills on .462 hitting with 3 block assists.
• Muskingum (22–7) beat Baldwin Wallace 3–1 in the quarterfinals and won a five-set semifinal at Heidelberg, 3–2, to reach the final. The Muskies were picked second in the OAC preseason coaches poll.
• The NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship selection show airs Monday, Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. on NCAA.com.

All-Tournament Team

Lexi Scott | Otterbein (MVP)

Elise Adelman | Otterbein

Emerson Baum | Otterbein

Alexis Bradley | Muskingum

Mackenzie Krous | Muskingum

Sophia Simon | Heidelberg

Molly McKee | Mount Union