Landed an offer from Alabama earlier this week and is now planning to visit Tuscaloosa for the Mercer game on Nov. 16.

Check out our episode this week, as we break down our thoughts from Monday night's win versus Monmouth! Would love your feedback and if you have time would a follow, rating, like, subscription!

Niagara coach Greg Paulus brings an entirely new roster to East Lansing
Kevin Thomas
Guest Writer

Greg Paulus, a former basketball player for Coach K at Duke, is the head coach for Niagara. After going 16-15 last season, he has had to rebuild his entire roster from a year ago.

There are other storylines worth mentioning:

- Frankie Fidler will go against one of his former teammates from Omaha, Jaeden Marshall
- Paulus added a freshman from the state of Michigan, Landon Williams.

We'll get into all three of these shortly. But first, a bit about the coach.

GREG PAULUS AS A PLAYER
Former Duke player and current Niagara head coach Greg Paulus had a successful four-year playing career at Duke (2005-09).
A three-year starter and two-time captain, he played on three ACC Championship teams and four NCAA Tournament teams, helping Duke to a combined 112-28 record while leading the team in assists in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

GREG PAULUS AS AN ASSISTANT COACH
Paulus was on the staff at George Washington for the 2018-19 season and spent the 2017-18 season at Louisville, where he helped the Cardinals to an NIT Quarterfinals appearance and helped develop two NBA players, Deng Adel and Ray Spalding.
No stranger to the Big Ten, he also coached at Ohio State from 2013-2017.

GREG PAULUS, AS A HEAD COACH AT NIAGARA
Paulus has improved yearly at Niagara despite constant roster turnover.
2019-20: (12-20, 9-11 MAAC)
2020-21: (9-11, 7-9 MAAC)
2021-22: (14-16, 9-11 MAAC)
2022-23: (16-15, 10-10 MAAC)

Gone are the 12 players that played for Niagara last year
- Braxton Bayless (11.5 points)
- Ahmad Henderson (11.2)
- Harlan Obioha (10.3)
- Yaw Obeng-Mensah (10.0)
- Luke Bumbalough (8.9)
- Dre Bullock (8.5)
- Kwane Marble (8.0)
- Malik Edwards (3.6)
- Randy Tucker (2.9)
- Aime Rutayisire (2.1)
- Lance Irving (1.4)
- Jalen Brown (0.6)

THE NEWCOMERS
Olumide Adelodun
Senior | Wing | 6-5 | Winona State
He averaged 13.6 points and 6.8 points per game. Paulus: "His ability to shoot the ball and guard multiple positions allows him to stretch the defense."

Josiah Davis
Junior | Guard | 6-3 | Tennessee Tech
He averaged 12.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per contest and shot 50.3 percent from the field. Paulus: "He is a tough and physical two-way player who puts a lot of pressure on defenses with his ability to get the ball to the paint."

James Henderson Jr.
Junior | Center | 6-9 | Bethune-Cookman
He averaged 1.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per contest while shooting over 50.0 percent from the field. Paulus: "A physical big whose energy is contagious."

Jaeden Marshall
Senior | Wing | 6-4 | Omaha
Two seasons at Omaha. Marshall played in 49 games, making 20 starts and averaging 7.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. Paulus: "Brings experience and defense." (Marshall was a teammate of Frankie Fidler at Omaha).

Jhaylon Martinez
Grad Student Center | 6-11 | UC Riverside
Martinez spent the last three seasons at UC Riverside, appearing in 94 games for the Highlanders, averaging 3.0 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. Paulus: "Dynamic around the rim."

Damondre McKnight
Sophomore | Guard | 6-2 Paris (NJCAA)
McKnight, averaging 15.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per contest. Paulus: "Versatile and can score in a multiple of ways."

Justin Page
Sophomore | Guard | 6-5 | Cal Poly
Page tallied 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. Paulus: "Justin has great size for a versatile guard. He can create opportunities for himself and others."

Zion Russell
Redshirt Junior | Guard | 6-2 | NIU
Russell played the last three seasons at Northern Illinois (NIU), appearing in 64 games, including 14 starts. As a Huskie, Russell averaged 3.0 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game. Paulus: "He brings quickness and energy to the court."

Justice Smith
Graduate Student | Wing | 6-6 | East Tennessee State
Smith played two seasons at East Tennessee State. In 2023-24, he appeared in 13 games and averaged 4.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 14.2 minutes per game. In 2022-23, he played in all 32 games, averaging 7.4 points and 3.5 rebounds. Paulus says he is a "two-way player with the ability to make plays at multiple positions."

Jahari Williamson
Sophomore | Guard | 6-1 | Valparasio
Williamson played his freshman campaign at Valpo, averaging 7.9 points and 1.9 rebounds per game while dishing out 28 assists and 17 steals. Paulus: "Jahari is a quick guard and excellent passer."

Will Shortt
Freshman | Forward | 6-8 | IMG Academy
Shortt is a 6-foot-8 forward from Aukland, New Zealand, who played basketball at IMG Academy in Florida. Paulus: "He is a tough and physical player who loves to compete."

Landon Williams
Freshman | Guard | 6-4 | Farmington Hills, MI

Williams is from the state of Michigan. Farmington head coach Todd Negoshian said Williams' upside is huge, and he'll be playing his best basketball when he's in college. He has a very high basketball IQ, and he's crafty. On the court, he's a second coach and a natural leader. Central Michigan came in with Williams' first DI offer back in June.

AJ McBride
Freshman | Wing | 6-5 | Cincinnati, OH

--
Niagara's first game was a 100-65 victory over Houghton, in which Niagara had seven players in double figures:
- Jahari Williamson: 16 points
- Olumide Adelodum: 15 points
- Justin Page: 12 points
- Josiah Davis: 11 points
- Jhaylon Martinez: 11 points/nine rebounds
- Justice Smith: 11 points
- Jaeden Marshall: 10 points

AS A TEAM
Niagara had 22 assists and 10 steals but added 14 turnovers, while shooting 57.4% from the field and 44.4% from 3-point land.

CONCLUSION
Niagara has more athleticism than a year ago but has yet to gain much experience playing together. It will be an interesting game to watch.

While Niagara is not a great rebounding team, they can shoot the ball. We will see how Coach Izzo and MSU counter a team that has put little on tape so far this year.

Senior guard Jaden Akins is stepping into a leadership role for Michigan State as the 2024-2025 season is now underway.

Akins led the Spartans with 23 points in MSU’s season-opening win over Monmouth on Monday.

“I feel like I had good looks (on Monday) that (felt) good," Akins said. "That's all I can ask for."

More here, via @SydneyPadgett:

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State volleyball hits the road for a pair of B1G matches this week, first heading to College Park, Maryland for an 8:00 p.m. match at Maryland on Thursday, November 7 before meeting Rutgers at 7:00 p.m. in Piscataway, N.J. the next night on Friday, November 8. Both matches will stream live on B1G+.

ABOUT MARYLAND​

Led by seventh year head coach Adam Hughes, Maryland enters the week with a record of 10-13 (1-11 B1G) with a B1G victory over Rutgers. The Terrapins have lost eight straight.
Nationally, Maryland ranks No. 8 in aces per set (2.05) led by Samantha Schnitta who is the nation's leader with 0.74 aces/set and 61 total aces this season. The Terps also rank No. 128 in hitting percentage (.218), No. 168 in blocks/set (2.08), No. 227 in opponent hitting percentage (.219), No. 232 in kills/set (12.08), No. 259 in assists/set (10.93) and No. 288 in digs/set (12.99).
Schnitta also ranks tenth in the B1G with 4.30 points/set and is eighth with 353 total points this season on .220 hitting. Middle blocker's Eva Rohrbach and Anastasia Russ are hitting .305 and .337 respectively. Russ leads the team in blocking with 1.02 blocks/set. Libero Lilly Gunter is posting 3.25 digs/set this season. The offense runs through Sydney Dowler (5.59 assists/set) and Zoe Huang (5.02 assists/set).

SERIES HISTORY​

Maryland
- Michigan State is 15-3 all-time against Maryland dating back to 1976. The Spartans are 7-2 when facing the Terps in College Park.
- MSU has won back-to-back matches over Maryland in each of the last two seasons, winning 3-0 on Nov. 3, 2023 at home and 3-2 on Sept. 30, 2022 on the road. The Spartans trailed 8-5 in set five before rattling off 10 straight points to win.
- Last season, Taylah Holdem led MSU with 10 kills, while Amani McArthur added eight with six blocks. Nalani Iosia posted a team-high 17 digs in the sweep.

ABOUT RUTGERS​

Led by fifth-year head coach Caitlin Schweihofer, Rutgers is 5-18 (0-12 B1G) this season. Nationally, the Scarlet Knights rank No. 98 in blocks/set (2.27), No. 179 in aces/set (1.50), No. 255 in hitting percentage (.180), No. 284 in assists/set (10.47), No. 293 in kills/set (11.14), No. 308 in opponent hitting percentage (.244) and No. 326 in digs/set (11.85).

Natalie Robinson is among the better blockers in the B1G with 1.31 blocks/set to rank fourth in the conference and No. 34 nationally. Rutgers is led offensively by Alissa Kinkela who averages 3.90 points/set and 3.28 kills/set on .222 hitting. Setter Aly Borellis averages 6.71 assists/set, and Lexi Visintine has a team-high 27 service aces. Libero Kenzie Dyrstad has posted 2.99 digs/set this season.

SERIES HISTORY​

Rutgers
- Michigan State is 16-3 all-time against Rutgers dating back to 2000. The Spartans are 7-1 when facing the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway.
- MSU has won three consecutive matches against the Scarlet Knights, winning 3-2 and 3-1 in matches during the 2023 season.
- The Spartans completed a reverse sweep of Rutgers on Nov. 18, 2023 (20-25, 17-25, 25-17, 25-13, 15-10).

IN THE B1G RANKINGS
​

Nalani Iosia is #1 in digs/set in the B1G at 4.43 and ranks #1 in total digs with 372.

Iosia is #2 in B1G only matches with 4.43 digs/set on 195 total digs.

Last week Iosia ranked #1 in digs/set with 6.29 on 44 total digs.

Zuzanna Kulig ranks #3 in the B1G in blocks thus far at 1.43 blocks/set, only behind Purdue's Raven Colvin (1.52) and Minnesota Phoebe Awoleye (1.51).

Kulig's total blocks (114) rank third in the conference behind Colvin's 125 and Awoleye's 118, and her solo blocks (21) lead the league.

In B1G only matches Kulig ranks #3 in blocks/set with 1.36.

Kulig is #8 in the B1G in overall season hitting at .363 (110-19-251).

Last week, Akasha Anderson was #7 in the B1G in kills/set (4.43).

LAST ONE BEST ONE​

Fifth-year libero Nalani Iosia saved her best for last, averaging a career-high 4.43 digs per set. Her previous career-high was 4.16 in 2023.

Iosia posted a career-best 34 digs against Ohio State on Nov. 3, the most digs by a B1G libero this season. It's the most digs by an MSU player ever in a four set match and the third-most digs in a match at MSU all time.

If the season ended today, Iosia's 4.43 digs/set would rank No. 6 in the program history book for a single season.

Iosia moved into No. 6 in career digs at MSU and now has 1,322 in a Spartan jersey. Allyson Karaba is No. 5 all-time with 1,335 career digs. Jamye Cox is No. 4 with 1,424.

Iosia ranks No. 26 in active career dig leaders among all DI players with 1,876.

Iosia is one the most experienced players in DI ranking No. 1 in matches played (143) and No. 14 in sets played (509).

Iosia leads the B1G in digs per set (4.43) and total digs (372).

Iosia entered the season ranked second in the B1G in career digs among active players with 1,504 (now 1,876).

Iosia ranked fifth in the B1G last season in digs/set at 4.16.

Iosia was an AVCA All-North Region honorable mention following the conclusion of the 2023 season, the first Spartan to earn a regional honor since 2017 and the first libero since 2014.

Iosia's 483 digs last season ranked No. 8 all-time for a single season at MSU.

KASH MONEY​

Over her last five matches junior outside hitter Akasha Anderson leads MSU with 4.58 kills/set and 4.97 points/set on .250 hitting.
Anderson has posted 20 or more kills in two of her last five matches with a career-high tying 26 kills in a win over #16 USC and 24 kills in a four set match against Ohio State last weekend.
Anderson tallied a career-best 30.5 total points against USC.

KULIG AS A CUCUMBER​

Sophomore middle blocker Zuzanna Kulig inserted herself into the conversation as one of the best in the country.

Kulig ranks No. 17 nationally and No. 3 in the B1G in blocks per set (1.43).

Kulig's 114 total blocks rank No. 26 nationally and No. 3 in the B1G.

Kulig posted a new career-high 12 blocks against Illinois on Oct. 12, 2024.

12 blocks in a match is the fourth-most single match blocks in program history and was last accomplished by Alexis Mathews on Nov. 24, 2010 against Michigan.

Kulig's 1.43 blocks/set would rank No. 7 in program history for a single season. No Spartan has posted 1.40 blocks/set since 2016 (Alyssa Garvelink, 1.40).

Kulig's current career 1.24 blocks/set would rank No. 5 in program history.

Kulig is No. 8 in the B1G in hitting % (.363).

Anderson tallied a career-best 30.5 total points against USC.

Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.

East Lansing, Mich. -- Michigan State freshman Carmen Pucheta (Cordoba, Argentina) has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, as announced by the Conference office on Wednesday.

Pucheta was not only the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, but also earned a spot on the All-Big Ten First Team as well as a on the All-Freshman Team. She is the first Spartan in program history to earn a spot on the First Team and Freshman of the Year honors in the same season.

In addition to Pucheta's honors, senior Ellie Wheatley (Louisville, Ky.) has been selected as the team's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner. Sportsmanship Award winners have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior, are in good academic standing and must have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.

Pucheta joins Emma Fernandez (1994), Bridget Cooper (1998) and Jantine Steinmetz (2007) as MSU's Big Ten Freshmen of the Year honorees. While the Freshman of the Year has been awarded in the conference since 1992, 2024 is the first time that the coaches have selected an All-Freshman Team.

She is also the first MSU player to earn a spot on the First Team since 2017, when Simone Vagnoni earned the honor for the second consecutive season. (The Spartans have had six players earn Second Team kudos from 2017-2023). Steinmetz earned First Team All-Big Ten honors in 2010 after her Freshman of the Year honor in 2007.

Pucheta started all 18 games for MSU one of eight Spartans and three freshmen to do so. She was a force both offensively and defensively for the Spartans throughout the season – compiled a 4-2-10 scoring line (tied with Lilian Knorr as the team's top-scoring first-year player) but her presence was felt far more than just on the scoreboard.

"We knew Carmen was an exceptionally talented hockey player when we recruited her and were excited when she came to MSU," said head coach Helen Knull. "Receiving First Team accolades as well as being selected the Big Ten Freshman of the Year is an incredible honor and well-deserved accomplishment considering the talent and level of play in our league. We're thankful that she's been recognized by the coaches in the Conference – all of NCAA field hockey will see what an incredible player she is and how much of an asset she is to our program.


Ellie has been an incredible part of our program for five years," continued Knull. "She has represented the Spartan culture both on and off the field. As a captain and mainstay in our defensive unit, this recognition is well earned for her as well. She's been an impressive representative of our program in the classroom, too – she will leave MSU as both a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and a member of the NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad."


2024 Big Ten Post-Season Field Hockey Honors

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Maddie Zimmer, Sr., M, Northwestern

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ashley Sessa, So., F, Northwestern

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Josie Hollamon, So., B, Maryland

GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Annabel Skubisz, Gr., GK, Northwestern

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Carmen Pucheta, Fr., M, Michigan State

COACH OF THE YEAR
Tracey Fuchs, Northwestern


FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG TEN (+ - unanimous selection)
Inés Garcia Prado (So. , M, Indiana)
Emma Deberdine (Gr. , M, Maryland)
Josie Hollamon (So. , B, Maryland)
Hope Rose + (Sr. , M, Maryland)
Lora Clarke (Gr. , M, Michigan)
Abby Tamer + (Jr. , F, Michigan)
Carmen Pucheta (Fr. , M, Michigan State)
Ashley Sessa + (So. , F, Northwestern)
Annabel Skubisz + (Gr. , G, Northwestern)
Ilse Tromp (So. , B, Northwestern)
Lauren Wadas + (Gr. , M, Northwestern)
Maddie Zimmer + (Sr. , M, Northwestern)
Katie Fichtner (Jr. , B, Ohio State)
Makenna Webster + (Gr. , F, Ohio State)
Sophia Gladieux + (Sr. , F, Penn State)
Paulina Niklaus (Sr. , B, Rutgers)

SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Sofia Arrebola Garcia (Sr. , M, Indiana)
Yip van Wonderen (Sr. , B, Indiana)
Milly Short (Jr. , B, Iowa)
Dionne van Aalsum (So. , F, Iowa)
Gia Whalen (So. , M, Iowa)
Ella Gaitan (Fr. , F, Maryland)
Alyssa Klebasko (So. , GK, Maryland)
Annemijn Klijnhout (Fr. , F, Maryland)
Rayne Wright (5th , B, Maryland)
Kate McLaughlin (Gr. , F, Michigan)
Erin Reilly (So. , M, Michigan)
Olivia Bent-Cole (So. , F, Northwestern)
Greta Hinke (Jr. , M, Northwestern)
Anne Marie Krebs (So. , M, Ohio State)
Guillermina Causarano (Sr. , F, Rutgers)
Puck Winter (Jr. , B, Rutgers)

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Sadie Canelli (Fr. , GK, Indiana)
Sabrina McGroarty (Fr. , M, Iowa)
Ella Gaitan (Fr. , F, Maryland)
Annemijn Klijnhout (Fr. , F, Maryland)
Anjolie Northon (Fr. , B, Michigan)
Carmen Pucheta (Fr. , M, Michigan State)
Emilie Kirschner R-(Fr. , M, Northwestern)
Nadia Nemeth (Fr. , F, Northwestern)
Laura Salamanca (Fr. , M, Northwestern)
Cam Standish R-(Fr. , M, Ohio State)
Anna Cogdell (Fr. , B, Rutgers)

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARDS
Meredith Lee (Sr. , F, Indiana)
Mia Magnotta (Sr. , GK, Iowa)
Kylee Niswonger (Sr. , M, Maryland)
Lindsey Stagg (Gr. , B, Michigan)
Ellie Wheatley (Gr. , B, Michigan State)
Lane Herbert (Sr. , F, Northwestern)
Cameryn Forgash (Sr. , F, Ohio State)
Julia Lamb (5th , M, Penn State)
Vicky Jure (Sr. , M, Rutgers)

Release courtesy of MSU Athletics.