ROCHESTER, Mich. — The Oakland University volleyball program will commence its 2021 home slate by hosting the Golden Grizzlies Invitational from Sept. 3-5 at the Athletics Center O'rena. OU will face Bradley on Sept. 3 (Friday) at 6 p.m. for its home opener, followed by in-state foe Eastern Michigan on Sept. 5 (Sunday) at 2 p.m. for Family Day. Live stats will be available for both matches. 

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

---

September 3 vs. Bradley | 6 p.m. | Live Stats | Tickets | Match Program
September 5 vs. Eastern Michigan | 2 p.m. | Live Stats | Tickets | Match Program

* Per Oakland University guidelines, all spectators are required to wear face coverings/masks while in attendance.

THOUGHTS FROM COACH BEAM

---

"It is exciting to host two traditionally strong programs as we open our home season with the Golden Grizzlies Invitational. Both Bradley and Eastern Michigan will test us in new ways. In week one, we learned some valuable things and glimpsed what we are capable of doing at our best. I am looking for our team to step forward and build on those things this weekend."

SCOUTING BRADLEY

---

The Braves are off to an 0-3 start to the new season following losses to Central Michigan, Southeast Missouri State (SEMO), and DePaul at the CEFCU Invitational. In exhibition play, Bradley won four-straight sets against UIC, a program that advanced to the Horizon League Championship match last season. The Braves went 12-7 overall during the 2021 winter, which included an 8-1 home record. Senior outside hitter Hannah Thompson highlights the Bradley returners, as she has earned Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) All-Conference honors on three different occasions. 

ALL-TIME VS. BRADLEY

---

Oakland is winless in two career meetings against the Braves. The two programs last met during the 2019 season, where the Golden Grizzlies lost in four sets.

SCOUTING EMU

---

The Eagles began the season with a 2-1 record at the College of Charleston Invitational. EMU opened the tournament with a straight-set victory over the College of Charleston, but lost its next match to Indiana State, 3-1. EMU closed its weekend with a bounce-back victory against Montana in five sets. Last season, Eastern Michigan played to an 8-12 record against Mid-American Conference (MAC) competition. 

ALL-TIME VS. EMU

---

The Golden Grizzlies hold an all-time record of 5-25 against EMU. OU came out on top, 3-1, in the schools last meeting during the 2017 campaign. Jamie Walling, a freshman at the time, tallied 10 kills with a .294 hitting percentage and added two blocks in the win. 

CONFERENCE LEADERS

---

Fifth-year senior Lindsay Wightman leads the Horizon League in digs per set (5.92) and total digs (71). Additionally, she ranks among the best in NCAA Division I in both categories, as she sits eighth nationally in digs and 10th nationally in digs per set. Walling ranks second in the HL in kills (51) and kills per set (4.25). Both totals are the highest through three matches since she joined the Golden Grizzlies in 2017. 

CHASING HISTORY

---

Two fifth-year players in Walling and Wightman have the chance to break individual career records in their final season sporting the Black and Gold. Walling sits third in school history with 1,189 career kills. Hall of Honor inductee Meghan Bray (2009-12) leads the category with 1,578 career spikes, while Melissa Deatsch (2013-16) ranks second with 1,244 kills. Wightman has accumulated 1,719 career digs, good for third in the history of Oakland volleyball. Lauren Duquette (2005-08) tallied a program-best 1,841 digs in her career, followed by Alli Kirk (2009-12) in second with 1,769 career digs.

NEARING A MILESTONE

---

Junior setter AnnaBelle Tomei is 64 assists away from becoming the eighth player in school history to reach the 1,000-assist plateau. The setter totaled 548 assists in her debut season with the Golden Grizzlies, followed by 315 assists in her sophomore campaign, and 73 assists through three matches this season. 

IN THIS TOGETHER

---

The Golden Grizzlies bring back all 17 student-athletes on their roster from a season ago. In addition to Walling and Wightman, Madison Ross, Brittany Welch, Jessica Riedl, Patti Cesarini, and Tomei appeared in every set last season. 

WELCOME TO THE FAM

---

OU welcomes three newcomers to the program in Emily Wichmann, Kira Buza, and Clarke Adams. The freshman trio arrives in Rochester from Houston, Texas (Adams), Crescent Springs, Ky. (Wichmann), and nearby Shelby Township, Mich. (Buza).

PRESEASON POLL

---

Oakland was picked seventh in the 2021 Horizon League preseason coaches poll, which the league's 11 head coaches voted on. Fresh off an HL regular-season title and tournament crown, Wright State was selected to win the conference with 119 points and a league-high nine first-place votes. Full Release

FIRST FOR EVERYTHING

---

Last season, Wightman became the first player in program history to tab AVCA All-Region First Team honors. Wightman was voted to the 14-player All-Region Team by coaches who are AVCA members. The Lake Orion, Mich., native was one of just three individuals on the First Team from a non-Power Five program. She was the first Oakland player since Taylor Humm in 2014 (All-Region Honorable Mention) to earn All-Region honors.

MORE THAN AN ATHLETE

---

As a team, the Golden Grizzlies have earned the AVCA Team Academic Award for six-straight years. The award honors volleyball teams that maintain a year-long grade-point average of 3.30 on a 4.0 scale or 4.10 on a 5.0 scale. OU compiled an impressive 3.56 GPA to close out the 2020-21 academic year. Sixteen members of the Golden Grizzly volleyball program earned a GPA above 3.0, highlighted by Haley Brown and Katelyn Johnson, who turned in a perfect 4.0 GPA in the spring.

THAT'S OUR COACH

---

Head coach Rob Beam is in his 15th season with the Golden Grizzlies. As the longest-tenured volleyball coach in school history, Beam has guided Oakland to nine winning seasons and a berth to the NCAA Volleyball Tournament in 2014. He has accumulated 207 victories, second in school history, reaching the 200-win plateau during the 2019 campaign. Most recently, Beam helped OU to a 7-9 record during the Covid-19 shortened 2021 winter season.

MEET THE STAFF

---

Amber Hildebrandt enters her first year as an associate coach with the Golden Grizzlies. No stranger to Rochester, Hildebrandt (then Miehlke) competed at OU from 2009-12 and later served as a volunteer assistant under Beam in 2014. In addition to her time at Oakland, she has coached at Appalachian State (2015-16, 2019-21) and Xavier (2016-17). Graduate assistant Bekah Strange is set to go for her second season with the Black and Gold. As a four-year starter at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Strange totaled 1,812 career digs, good for third place in school history. As a senior, she was named Atlantic 10 Libero of the Year and an AVCA All-East Region selection.

NEXT UP

---

Following the Golden Grizzlies Invitational, Oakland will head to Chicago for the DePaul Invitational from Sept. 10-11. OU will take on Penn, Akron, and DePaul at the tournament.