Women's Volleyball | 8/25/2026 4:36:00 PM

Matches 1-4
(RV) Emporia State Hornets (0-0)
vs (RV) Minnesota State Mavericks (0-0)
Thursday, August 27 • 2:00 p.m. • Big Rapids, Mich.
Series History: ESU leads 2-0 • Last Meeting: ESU 3, MSU 0 (8/29/09)

vs Illinois-Springfield Prairie Stars (0-0)
Friday, August 28 • 8:00 a.m. • Big Rapids, Mich.
Series History: Series tied 1-1 • Last Meeting: UIS 3, ESU 1 (9/19/24)

at #10 Ferris State Bulldogs (0-0)
Friday, August 28 • 7:00 p.m. • Big Rapids, Mich.
Series History: FSU leads 1-0 • Last Meeting: FSU 3, ESU 0 (9/14/13)

vs Purdue Northwest Lions (0-0)
Saturday, August 29 • 10:00 a.m. • Big Rapids, Mich.
Series History: First Meeting • Last Meeting: First Meeting

BIG WEEKEND IN BIG RAPIDS
Emporia State will open the 2026 season in The Wolverine State with four matches at the Ferris State Invitational. The Hornets will open the trip with (RV) Minnesota State before a morning matchup against Illinois-Springfield in match two. The final two games will come against GLIAC opponents, including the hosts Ferris State along with Purdue Northwest.

ABOUT THE COACHES
Ken Murczek is entering his fourth season at Emporia State and has a 51-33 record through the first three years. Prior to Murczek's arrival in 2023, the Hornets last made a trip to the MIAA Tournament in 2018, and have made the trip in each of the first three seasons in his tenure.
Corey Phelps is 75-63 entering his sixth season as the head coach at Minnesota State.
Laura Ulrich is 12-14 heading into year two as the head coach for Illinois-Springfield. 
Tia Brandel-Wilhelm is entering year 31 leading Ferris State volleyball and has a 697-252 record with the Bulldogs.
Sean Douglas is 44-68 heading into year five at Purdue Northwest.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is coming off a 21-7 record last season, which marked their first 20-plus win season since 2012 and is receiving votes in the AVCA Preseason Poll for the first time since the beginning of that 2012 campaign. The Hornets return six players that played in 25 or more matches last season and three who played over 100 sets. Senior Brailee Bogle has played in over 300 sets over the first three years and returns along with sophomore Delainee Dexter as the two combined for 1,100 assists last season. Lavra Krizanic returns on the outside as she was the 2025 MIAA Freshman of the Year and had 236 kills. In the middle, two of the best net defenders in the conference return in Mia Frisbie and Brooklynn Weaver as they both had over 100 total blocks a year ago.

SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS
Minnesota State is coming off a 23-6 season in which they also went 15-5 in the competitive NSIC. The Mavericks were picked sixth in the conference heading into the 2026 campaign. Junior Jadyn Lester is the most notable returner for Minnesota State this fall, after tallying 1,067 assists in 2025. Avery Klein and Avery Rosenberg will return in attack as they posted 292 and 259 kills respectively.

SCOUTING THE PRAIRIE STARS
Illinois-Springfield is coming off a 12-14 season in 2025 in year one under head coach Laura Ulrich. The Prairie Stars will likely be led by Makenna Cox and Kendall Johnson who combined for 586 kills last season, with Cox averaging 3.84 kills per set, a top three mark in the GLVC.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Ferris State is coming off a 27-8 season which included a 13-3 GLIAC record and a Midwest Region Championship. The Bulldogs return Emily May and Gabby Piazza who were Honorable Mention AVCA All-Americans, while also adding impact transfers in Ava Irvin and Ana Colon.

SCOUTING THE LIONS
Purdue Northwest is coming off a 13-13 campaign last year where they went 7-9 in the GLIAC. Anika Huelskamp leads the returners from last season as she had 260 kills and 2.95 kills per set last season. Kennedy Rowzee will also make an impact after she totaled 83 blocks and 136 kills in the 2025 season.