EAST LANSING, Mich. – Coming off a 3-0 weekend at the second annual Kathy DeBoer Invitational presented by Auto-Owners Insurance, the Michigan State volleyball team looks to keep things rolling on Wednesday night when it welcomes Western Michigan to the Breslin Center for a 6:00 p.m. first serve. The Broncos are fresh off of a 31-3 (18-0 MAC) season that saw them advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament following a 3-0 sweep victory over Auburn in round one. Western Michigan Enters the weekend 3-2 in 2024 having defeated then No. 24-ranked Marquette in Milwaukee last weekend.
Wednesday night's match will stream live on B1G+ with MSU students Marin Klein and Ethan Hunter calling the action. Fans can listen in live through MSUSpartans.com or via the Michigan State Athletics app where John Kreger will call the match over the airwaves in his 20th season of MSU volleyball coverage.
Western Michigan comes into Wednesday night's match with a 3-2 record featuring victories over Loyola Marymount (3-1), Loyola Chicago (3-1) and Marquette (3-1). The Broncos two losses came at the hands of Clemson (3-1) and then No. 13-ranked Kansas (3-0). When WMU defeated then No. 24-ranked Marquette last weekend it marked the Broncos first victory over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 18 Ohio State in 2003.
The Broncos swept the weekly MAC volleyball awards this week with Andelyn Simkins earning Defensive Player of the Week, Keona Salesman earning Offensive Player of the week and Logan Case adding Setter of the Week accolades.
Colleen Munson is in her 20th season as head coach of Western Michigan, owning a 383-225 record in the Brown & Gold and a 435-324 career record. Since taking over, Munson has led the Broncos to 10 20+ win seasons and four NCAA tournaments.
Salesman leads the team in kills (74) hitting .280, followed by Julia Marr's 65 kills on .215 swinging. Mary Clare Brusek is hitting .333 in the middle averaging 2.95 kills/set. Simkins is No. 2 nationally in digs per set averaging 5.95, and Case has posted 11.95 assists per set to date. As a team the Broncos are No. 4 nationally in digs per set (19.00), No. 3 in attacks per set (41.37) and No. 16 in assists per set (13.37).
Western Michigan is a veteran-led team featuring one graduate student, three fifth years (Case, Salesman, Simkins) and two seniors.
SERIES HISTORY
Western Michigan
- Michigan State is 23-9-1 all-time against Western Michigan with an 11-2-1 mark when facing the Broncos in East Lansing.
- The Spartans have not met Western Michigan since August 27, 2021, winning 3-0 at Jenison Field House. MSU has won eight straight against the Broncos dating back to September 3, 1994.
• Fifth year libero Nalani Iosia was named B1G Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 9.
• Last week Iosia led MSU with 56 digs on 5.09 digs per set.
• Iosia posted 25 digs in Michigan State's 3-1 victory over receiving votes Western Kentucky on Friday night.
• Iosia becomes just the fourth Spartan all-time to earn two B1G defensive weekly honors in a career joining Allyson Karaba (2007-10), Alexis Mathews (2009-13) and two-time B1G Defensive Player of the Year Kori Moster (2011-14).
• Iosia crossed the 1,000 dig threshold in her Spartan career last weekend against Western Kentucky.
• Iosia last earned B1G Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 5, 2023 after her performance at the 2023 Kathy DeBoer Invitational.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
Wednesday night's match will stream live on B1G+ with MSU students Marin Klein and Ethan Hunter calling the action. Fans can listen in live through MSUSpartans.com or via the Michigan State Athletics app where John Kreger will call the match over the airwaves in his 20th season of MSU volleyball coverage.
ABOUT WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan comes into Wednesday night's match with a 3-2 record featuring victories over Loyola Marymount (3-1), Loyola Chicago (3-1) and Marquette (3-1). The Broncos two losses came at the hands of Clemson (3-1) and then No. 13-ranked Kansas (3-0). When WMU defeated then No. 24-ranked Marquette last weekend it marked the Broncos first victory over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 18 Ohio State in 2003.
The Broncos swept the weekly MAC volleyball awards this week with Andelyn Simkins earning Defensive Player of the Week, Keona Salesman earning Offensive Player of the week and Logan Case adding Setter of the Week accolades.
Colleen Munson is in her 20th season as head coach of Western Michigan, owning a 383-225 record in the Brown & Gold and a 435-324 career record. Since taking over, Munson has led the Broncos to 10 20+ win seasons and four NCAA tournaments.
Salesman leads the team in kills (74) hitting .280, followed by Julia Marr's 65 kills on .215 swinging. Mary Clare Brusek is hitting .333 in the middle averaging 2.95 kills/set. Simkins is No. 2 nationally in digs per set averaging 5.95, and Case has posted 11.95 assists per set to date. As a team the Broncos are No. 4 nationally in digs per set (19.00), No. 3 in attacks per set (41.37) and No. 16 in assists per set (13.37).
Western Michigan is a veteran-led team featuring one graduate student, three fifth years (Case, Salesman, Simkins) and two seniors.
SERIES HISTORY
Western Michigan- Michigan State is 23-9-1 all-time against Western Michigan with an 11-2-1 mark when facing the Broncos in East Lansing.
- The Spartans have not met Western Michigan since August 27, 2021, winning 3-0 at Jenison Field House. MSU has won eight straight against the Broncos dating back to September 3, 1994.
IOSIA NAMED B1G DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Fifth year libero Nalani Iosia was named B1G Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 9.
• Last week Iosia led MSU with 56 digs on 5.09 digs per set.
• Iosia posted 25 digs in Michigan State's 3-1 victory over receiving votes Western Kentucky on Friday night.
• Iosia becomes just the fourth Spartan all-time to earn two B1G defensive weekly honors in a career joining Allyson Karaba (2007-10), Alexis Mathews (2009-13) and two-time B1G Defensive Player of the Year Kori Moster (2011-14).
• Iosia crossed the 1,000 dig threshold in her Spartan career last weekend against Western Kentucky.
• Iosia last earned B1G Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 5, 2023 after her performance at the 2023 Kathy DeBoer Invitational.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
