OAKLAND OPENS REGULAR SEASON WITH THREE MATCHES THIS WEEKEND

The Golden Grizzlies will kick off the season Friday in Ann Arbor, followed by their home opener Saturday

Oakland vs. Tennessee Tech Preview graphic

Oakland vs. Northern Arizona Preview Graphic

ROCHESTER, Mich. -- The Oakland volleyball team begins its 2019 season with three matches beginning Friday, Aug. 30 against No. 15 Michigan at 11 a.m. and Tennessee Tech at 5 p.m. at Cliff Keen Arena in Ann Arbor.

The Golden Grizzlies will finish the weekend with their home opener Saturday, Aug. 31 against Northern Arizona at 4 p.m. Saturday's match will be streamed live on ESPN+ and the first 100 fans will receive a free 2019 team schedule poster.

Last time out, Lindsay Wightman recorded a match high 23 digs and added five assists as Oakland fell in five sets at Eastern Michigan on Aug. 24 in exhibition play.

INSIDE THE SERIES

Oakland is 1-13 all-time against Michigan and last faced the Wolverines in 2018 at Cliff Keen Arena (3-0 loss).
The Golden Grizzlies are 2-27 all-time vs. Big Ten opponents (wins: Michigan, 2-0, 1977; Rutgers, 3-1, 2013).
Last ranked opponent Oakland faced: No. 20 Michigan, Sept. 7, 2018 in Ann Arbor (3-0 loss).
Oakland will face Tennessee Tech and Northern Arizona for the first time in school history.

NOTES

Rob Beam enters his 13th season as the head coach at Oakland compiling a 185-169 (.523) record.
Oakland has finished fourth or higher in its league standings in eight of the last nine seasons.
The Golden Grizzlies were picked fourth in the 2019 Horizon League Volleyball Preseason Poll announced by the league office on Aug. 28 and voted on by the league's nine head coaches. Oakland earned one first-place vote and 49 points overall.
Oakland returns first team all-league selection Jamie Walling. She was the only player to appear in all 27 matches and play in all 108 sets last season and ranked second in the Horizon League in hitting percentage at .290.
Walling also ranked third in the conference in points per set (3.87), fourth in kills per set (3.37) and recorded 20 kills or more in four matches.
Wightman returns for her junior season as one of the league's top defensive specialists, ranking fourth in the conference last season in digs per set.
Wightman also ranked inside the NCAA's top-50 in digs per set (45th) in 2018.
Mackenzie Schneider returns for her senior campaign after playing in 84 sets a season ago and recording 1.70 kills and 0.63 blocks per set.
The Golden Grizzlies also return key contributors Abby Neidinger, Jessica Riedl, Sydney Mann and Kenzie Dunn.
Oakland added eight newcomers to the 2019 team, including three transfers in Taylor Dellinger (Western Kentucky), Kerra Cornist (Evansville) and Brittany Welch (New Mexico State).