ROCHESTER, Mich. — The Oakland University volleyball program wraps up non-conference play with a Friday doubleheader against Central Michigan and Michigan State at the Green and White Classic Tournament in East Lansing and a Sunday contest at Bowling Green. Both tournament matches will air on Big Ten Network Plus (BTN+). Live stats will be available for all three matches.
WEEKEND INFORMATION
September 17 vs. Central Michigan | 2:30 p.m. |
Watch |
Live Stats |
Tournament Central
September 17 at Michigan State | 7 p.m. |
Watch |
Live Stats |
Tournament Central
September 19 at Bowling Green | 2 p.m. |
Watch |Â
Live Stats
THOUGHTS FROM COACH BEAM
"This is an outstanding weekend of volleyball for us. Both Central Michigan and Bowling Green were selected as the preseason favorites to win their respective divisions in the MAC. Additionally, Michigan State is as physical at the net as any team in the country. Each of these teams is experienced, well-coached, and will test us in their own ways. I am excited for the challenge ahead."
SCOUTING CMU
Central Michigan is 5-4 with a tournament sweep at the Chippewa Invitational and victories over Bradley and Illinois State. CMU fell to DePaul in straight sets at the Bradley Invitational, a program that Oakland defeated in four sets last weekend. As a team, the Chippewas lead the nation in digs per set (21.32) and attacks per set while also ranking sixth nationally in total digs (661). Freshman libero Aly Gurtiza has shined as she leads the Mid-American Conference in digs per set (5.45) and total digs (169). Senior outside hitter Savannah Thompson has impressed with conference-leading marks in kills per set (3.68) and attacks per set (11.26). She was recently named Mid-American Conference West Division Defensive Player of the Week after tallying 48 digs (4.8 per set) in three matches at the Flyer-Raider Invitational.Â
SCOUTING MSU
Tournament host Michigan State holds a 4-2 record but has not played since September 4 due to match cancellations. The Spartans' two losses came against fellow HL competitor Wright State and BYU. Senior middle blocker Naya Gros has averaged 1.94 blocks per set, which leads the country. Another senior in Rebecka Poljan ranks third nationally with a .500 hitting percentage.
SCOUTING BGSU
Bowling Green has faced a challenging non-conference schedule featuring Indiana, Notre Dame, No. 12 BYU, and No. 4 Pittsburgh. The result so far is a 3-6 record with wins against Butler, Milwaukee, and the Fighting Irish. Last season, the Falcons went 22-2 and reached the NCAA Tournament before falling to Weber State in the first round. Projected to finish first in the MAC East Division, the Falcons return a trio of First Team All-MAC recipients in senior setter Hanna Laube, senior outside hitter Katelyn Meyer and junior outside hitter Petra Indrova.
WEEKEND RECAP
OU extended its win streak to five matches with a 3-0 record at the DePaul Invitational. The Golden Grizzlies took nine out of 10 sets, which included sweeps over Pennsylvania and Akron. Against Penn, Oakland hit .430 with 45 kills and just eight errors. The hitting percentage tied for the third-highest mark in school history. The offense stayed hot versus Akron, as OU recorded 31 kills on 90 attempts, suitable for a .400 striking percentage. While Oakland dropped its first set against tournament host DePaul, the Golden Grizzlies bounced back with three-straight set victories to clinch another win. Graduate senior
Jamie Walling was named DePaul Invitational MVP, while junior
AnnaBelle Tomei and senior
Jessica Riedl earned spots on the All-Tournament Team.
FIVE IN A ROW
Oakland's current five-match winning streak is its longest stretch since the 2019 season. The Golden Grizzlies' last winning streak of six or more matches transpired in 2017, all against Horizon League opponents.Â
CONFERENCE LEADERS
As a team, the Golden Grizzlies lead the Horizon League in hitting percentage (.249) and opponent blocks per set (1.52). Individually, Wightman's 5.48 digs per set rank second in the conference and 10th nationally. Walling is also near the top of the HL in points per set (3rd, 4.39) and kills per set (3rd, 3.78).Â
CHASING HISTORY
Two fifth-year players in Walling and
Lindsay Wightman have the chance to break individual career records in their final season sporting the Black and Gold. Wightman has accumulated 1,810 career digs, good for second in the history of Oakland volleyball and ninth in Horizon League history. Lauren Duquette (2005-08) remains first with a program-best 1,841 career digs. On the offensive side of things, Walling sits second in school history with 1,249 career kills. Last weekend, Walling surpassed Melissa Deatsch (2013-16), who previously ranked second with 1,244 kills. Hall of Honor inductee Meghan Bray (2009-12) leads the category with 1,578 career spikes.Â
1K CLUB
Tomei became the eighth Golden Grizzly in program history to reach 1,000 career assists in Oakland's tournament-opening sweep against Penn. Needing 17 assists to reach the 1,000 assist plateau, she finished with a team-best 20. The setter totaled 548 assists in her debut season with the Golden Grizzlies, followed by 315 assists in her sophomore campaign and 182 assists through eight matches this season.
LET'S GO STREAKING
Dating back to last season, Wightman has tallied 10-plus digs in 12 consecutive matches. She has reached 20 or more digs eight times in that span. Riedl had finished with five-plus kills and multiple blocks in seven straight contests. At the DePaul Invitational, she garnered five or more blocks in all three matches and double-digit kills twice.
SHE CAN DO IT ALL
Junior setter
Madison Ross enjoyed an all-around performance in OU's straight-set win over Akron last weekend, as she finished with a career-high seven blocks to go along with five kills on 13 swings (.385), 13 assists, and three digs. On the season, she ranks second on the team in assists (119) and third in blocks (21).Â
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,
Brittany Welch,
Patti Cesarini, Ross, Riedl, and Tomei appeared in every set last season.Â
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 with 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 212 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 this weekend's competition, the Golden Grizzlies will commence Horizon League play at Youngstown State on September 24 at 6 p.m. G
