Friday, October 30
New York, N.Y.
6:00 PM
Columbia
vs
Penn
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Alicia Yu
10/29/2026 12:18:00 PM | Volleyball
Friday’s match against Penn will be Columbia’s annual Dig Pink Night
NEW YORK - The Columbia volleyball program looks to return to the win column, with two chances on the home court when Penn and Princeton come to Levien Gym this weekend.
The Lions host Penn on Friday, first serve at 6 p.m. They follow it up by hosting Princeton on Halloween at 5 p.m. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+. Perri Kitei and Chrystal Stone will have the call live courtside. Fans can also follow the action via live stats.
All fans planning to attend either of the matches will need to use the entrance to Levien Gymnasium located on 120th Street.
INITIATIVES
Friday's match against Penn will be Columbia's annual "Dig Pink" game, and the Lions will be raising funds for the Side Out Foundation. Funds raised will go towards a clinical trial specifically for patients with stage 4 breast cancer, the most advanced form of the disease and the least funded area of research. For more information or how you can contribute to the Lions' fund, click here.
QUICK HITS
• The Lions lost to Cornell in three sets last Saturday in their only action of the week.
• On the year, Columbia is 7-10 overall and 1-7 in Ivy League action. At home, the Lions are 4-2.
• After the 3-0 loss at the hands of Cornell, the Lions are currently mired in a three-match skid, following losses at the hands of Brown (Oct. 17) and Yale (Oct. 16).
• Friday and Saturday will be the second and third matches in a season-long five-match homestand. Columbia wraps up the homestand next weekend, hosting Brown and Yale Nov. 6 and 7.
• As a team, the Lions are hitting .196 and averaging 11.52 kills per set. Their opponents are hitting .238 and averaging 12.31 kills per set.
LAST TIME OUT
Columbia battled but couldn't slow Cornell's potent attack, falling in three sets (18-25, 23-25, 20-25) last Saturday at Levien Gym. The Lions were led by Elena Maynulet, who had a team-high 12 kills along with 11 digs for her sixth double-double of the year. As a team, the Lions hit .144 overall, finishing with 33 kills on 104 swings. Cornell countered by hitting .260 (42 kills on 100 swings). Sophomore middle blocker Mackenzie Parsons led the Big Red with a match-high 18 kills on 26 swings.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR ELENA
Against Cornell last Saturday, sophomore Elena Maynulet notched her team-leading sixth double-double of the year and 14th of her career. Maynulet led the Lions with 12 kills and 11 digs. This season, Maynulet averages 2.66 kills per set (top on the team) and 2.46 digs per set (second on the team).
MILESTONE WATCH
• Elena Maynulet is three kills away from her 400th career kill.
• Delaney Seaman has 748 career digs - she is 16 shy of cracking Columbia's top-10 for digs in a career.
• Avery Jones is one kill shy of a new career-high. Her current career-high is 87, set in 2025.
• Charlotte Gravlee is nine total blocks away from 100 total blocks in her career.
WHO IS HOT
• Over the last three matches, setter Clara Yu has been tremendous for Columbia. Yu averages 4.89 assists per set and 1.33 digs per set. She has a pair of service aces and four kills.
• On the attack, first-year outside hitter Alexia Cornea is averaging a team-high 2.71 kills per set while hitting .228. Last time out, she notched 10 kills in the three-set loss to Cornell.
LAST TIME OUT VS. PENN
In Philadelphia, the Quakers got the better of the Lions 3-1. Columbia took the opening set 25-23 and led all four sets but couldn't close it out, with the Quakers winning 23-25, 25-22, 25-19, 26-24. The tightly contested match featured 23 ties and 13 lead changes. Charlotte Gravlee and Danica Nordlicht set the tone for the Lions with 13 and 9 kills, respectively, and both hit over .300. Gravlee's 13 kills were a new career high. Penn overcame a slow start and was led by Zada Sanger and Jenna Garner, who tallied 16 and 14 kills, respectively.
SERIES AT A GLANCE
Friday will be the 73rd meeting between the Lions and Quakers since the series officially began in 1983. The Quakers lead 59-13 and are 8-2 in their last 10 matches against the Lions. At home, Columbia is 8-22 against Penn. Columbia's last win against Penn came on Nov. 12, 2022, when the Lions defeated the Quakers 3-2 at Levien Gym.
LAST TIME OUT VS. PRINCETON
Princeton made quick work of the Lions in their previous encounter, defeating Columbia 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-21) on Oct. 2 at Dillon Gymnasium. Elise Hiemstra was sensational off the bench for the Lions, finishing with nine kills on 17 swings. Delaney Seaman also had a strong evening, finishing with a team-high seven digs and seven assists. Princeton hit .346 as a team with two Tigers hitting north of .525. Shelby Burris tallied a match-high 10 kills on 17 swings; Ashtyn Simms had seven kills on 12 swings.
SERIES AT A GLANCE
Saturday will be the 72nd meeting between the Lions and Tigers in a series that dates back to 1983. Princeton has won 17 straight against the Lions and holds a 64-7 series lead. At home, the Lions are 5-24 all-time against the Tigers. Columbia's last win came on Oct. 14, 2017, when it defeated Princeton 3-2 in New York.
OPPONENT INFO
Rosters, Schedules, and Stats for all opposing teams are below.
PENN: Roster, Schedule, Stats
PRINCETON: Roster, Schedule, Stats
ON DECK
Columbia wraps up its season-long five-match homestand next weekend, hosting Brown and Yale. The Lions face the Bears on Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. That match will be televised on SNY. Columbia wraps up the weekend by taking on Yale on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 5 p.m. Saturday's match against the Bulldogs will be Senior Day at Levien Gym.
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
For the latest on Columbia volleyball, follow @CULionsVB on Twitter and Instagram, and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
The Lions host Penn on Friday, first serve at 6 p.m. They follow it up by hosting Princeton on Halloween at 5 p.m. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+. Perri Kitei and Chrystal Stone will have the call live courtside. Fans can also follow the action via live stats.
All fans planning to attend either of the matches will need to use the entrance to Levien Gymnasium located on 120th Street.
INITIATIVES
Friday's match against Penn will be Columbia's annual "Dig Pink" game, and the Lions will be raising funds for the Side Out Foundation. Funds raised will go towards a clinical trial specifically for patients with stage 4 breast cancer, the most advanced form of the disease and the least funded area of research. For more information or how you can contribute to the Lions' fund, click here.
QUICK HITS
• The Lions lost to Cornell in three sets last Saturday in their only action of the week.
• On the year, Columbia is 7-10 overall and 1-7 in Ivy League action. At home, the Lions are 4-2.
• After the 3-0 loss at the hands of Cornell, the Lions are currently mired in a three-match skid, following losses at the hands of Brown (Oct. 17) and Yale (Oct. 16).
• Friday and Saturday will be the second and third matches in a season-long five-match homestand. Columbia wraps up the homestand next weekend, hosting Brown and Yale Nov. 6 and 7.
• As a team, the Lions are hitting .196 and averaging 11.52 kills per set. Their opponents are hitting .238 and averaging 12.31 kills per set.
LAST TIME OUT
Columbia battled but couldn't slow Cornell's potent attack, falling in three sets (18-25, 23-25, 20-25) last Saturday at Levien Gym. The Lions were led by Elena Maynulet, who had a team-high 12 kills along with 11 digs for her sixth double-double of the year. As a team, the Lions hit .144 overall, finishing with 33 kills on 104 swings. Cornell countered by hitting .260 (42 kills on 100 swings). Sophomore middle blocker Mackenzie Parsons led the Big Red with a match-high 18 kills on 26 swings.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR ELENA
Against Cornell last Saturday, sophomore Elena Maynulet notched her team-leading sixth double-double of the year and 14th of her career. Maynulet led the Lions with 12 kills and 11 digs. This season, Maynulet averages 2.66 kills per set (top on the team) and 2.46 digs per set (second on the team).
MILESTONE WATCH
• Elena Maynulet is three kills away from her 400th career kill.
• Delaney Seaman has 748 career digs - she is 16 shy of cracking Columbia's top-10 for digs in a career.
• Avery Jones is one kill shy of a new career-high. Her current career-high is 87, set in 2025.
• Charlotte Gravlee is nine total blocks away from 100 total blocks in her career.
WHO IS HOT
• Over the last three matches, setter Clara Yu has been tremendous for Columbia. Yu averages 4.89 assists per set and 1.33 digs per set. She has a pair of service aces and four kills.
• On the attack, first-year outside hitter Alexia Cornea is averaging a team-high 2.71 kills per set while hitting .228. Last time out, she notched 10 kills in the three-set loss to Cornell.
LAST TIME OUT VS. PENN
In Philadelphia, the Quakers got the better of the Lions 3-1. Columbia took the opening set 25-23 and led all four sets but couldn't close it out, with the Quakers winning 23-25, 25-22, 25-19, 26-24. The tightly contested match featured 23 ties and 13 lead changes. Charlotte Gravlee and Danica Nordlicht set the tone for the Lions with 13 and 9 kills, respectively, and both hit over .300. Gravlee's 13 kills were a new career high. Penn overcame a slow start and was led by Zada Sanger and Jenna Garner, who tallied 16 and 14 kills, respectively.
SERIES AT A GLANCE
Friday will be the 73rd meeting between the Lions and Quakers since the series officially began in 1983. The Quakers lead 59-13 and are 8-2 in their last 10 matches against the Lions. At home, Columbia is 8-22 against Penn. Columbia's last win against Penn came on Nov. 12, 2022, when the Lions defeated the Quakers 3-2 at Levien Gym.
LAST TIME OUT VS. PRINCETON
Princeton made quick work of the Lions in their previous encounter, defeating Columbia 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-21) on Oct. 2 at Dillon Gymnasium. Elise Hiemstra was sensational off the bench for the Lions, finishing with nine kills on 17 swings. Delaney Seaman also had a strong evening, finishing with a team-high seven digs and seven assists. Princeton hit .346 as a team with two Tigers hitting north of .525. Shelby Burris tallied a match-high 10 kills on 17 swings; Ashtyn Simms had seven kills on 12 swings.
SERIES AT A GLANCE
Saturday will be the 72nd meeting between the Lions and Tigers in a series that dates back to 1983. Princeton has won 17 straight against the Lions and holds a 64-7 series lead. At home, the Lions are 5-24 all-time against the Tigers. Columbia's last win came on Oct. 14, 2017, when it defeated Princeton 3-2 in New York.
OPPONENT INFO
Rosters, Schedules, and Stats for all opposing teams are below.
PENN: Roster, Schedule, Stats
PRINCETON: Roster, Schedule, Stats
ON DECK
Columbia wraps up its season-long five-match homestand next weekend, hosting Brown and Yale. The Lions face the Bears on Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. That match will be televised on SNY. Columbia wraps up the weekend by taking on Yale on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 5 p.m. Saturday's match against the Bulldogs will be Senior Day at Levien Gym.
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
For the latest on Columbia volleyball, follow @CULionsVB on Twitter and Instagram, and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
Players Mentioned
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