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UNLEASH THE GRIZZ

Oakland University Athletics

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Dolmage vs Wright State
Skip Townsend

Women's Volleyball David Gibson

Badger State Battles Looming for Oakland

ROCHESTER, Mich. – This weekend, Oakland University Volleyball heads to Wisconsin for a badger state slate with Green Bay on Friday, October 7 and Milwaukee on Saturday, October 8. 

Oakland is coming off a three set loss on the road to Cleveland State last Saturday after completing a come-from-behind win over Youngstown State that previous Tuesday. Overall, the Golden Grizzlies stand at 6-11, 2-3 in the Horizon League for seventh-overall.

Patti Cesarini leads the team with 233 kills above Clarke Adams and Libby Gentile at 141 and 132, respectively. Jessica Riedl is a force at the net and continues to top the block category for Oakland with 30 on the year, four of which solo, as Gentile trails with 26 and Anna Nie with 24.

The team's assist leader continues to be AnnaBelle Tomei with 263 on the year over Rachel Rossman with 189 and Madison Ross with 156. Libero Emily Wichmann dominates digs with 321 on the year ahead of Cesarini who has 166 on the year.

Cesarini still sits second overall in the league in kills with 233 total through 64 sets for an average of 3.64/set as the only Golden Grizzly in the conference's top ten for that category. Wichmann is second overall in digs with 321 with 5.02 per set. 

The Golden Grizzlies are 281st in the latest NCAA RPI update on October 2. 

SCOUTING REPORT

GREEN BAY
On Friday night, Oakland will take on the second-place Phoenix at the Kress Center with the home green and red coming in at 14-6 overall, 5-1 in conference play though coming off a 3-0 loss to Wright State last weekend. The Phoenix have the best hitting percentage in the Horizon League at .252 while also posting the conference high in blocks at 177.5 total.

With the second-most mark in kills and assists, Green Bay is spearheaded by Alexandra Zakutney with 220 kills overall ahead of Tiffany Paalman at 194 and Cora Behnke at 173. As for assists, Calli Gentry is above-and-beyond one the team's best as well as in the conference with 682 total.

MILWAUKEE
The Panthers will take on Cleveland State with a 4-13 overall record with a 3-3 posted Horizon League mark with wins over Purdue Fort Wayne and Youngstown State. Milwaukee's lone non-conference win came against Bradley on September 2. Despite the record, MKE has the third-best hitting percentage in the league at .211. 

Ari Miller has the third-best individual hitting percentage in the conference at .322 with a team-leading 198 kills above Madi Malone and Natalie Schmitz with 154 and 152, respectively. With 332 assists, Kaley Blake leads the Panthers while Sarah Schrader leads in digs at 213.

 


RICE WINS FIRST CAREER GAME
On August 27, Head Coach Krista Rice won her first career game as the Golden Grizzlies' leader with a five set win over Akron at the Top Dawg Challenge in Indianapolis, Indiana.

START YOUR MVP CHANTS
Riedl was named the Kent State Invitational MVP following 21 kills and seven block assists as Oakland went a team-best 2-1 in the event.

OAKLAND SIXTH IN PRESEASON POLL
The Golden Grizzlies earned 51 points in the 2022 #HLVB Preseason Coaches Poll for sixth place. Northern Kentucky is predicted to be the champion with 96 points and six first-place votes.

RICE NAMED HEAD COACH
In March of 2022, Oakland welcomed Krista Rice as Head Coach of the Golden Grizzlies after a stint as Associate Head Coach at Central Michigan. Rice then filled out her staff with Kyle Stahl of Western Michigan and Rick Wootten-Smith already at Oakland.

THREE NEW FACES
Oakland adds three freshmen to the fold in a new era of Golden Grizzlies volleyball in Lyse Bates, Rachel Rossman, and Anika Prisby.
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Players Mentioned

Clarke Adams

#17 Clarke Adams

OH
5' 9"
Sophomore
Patti Cesarini

#21 Patti Cesarini

OH
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Libby Smith

#12 Libby Smith

MB
6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore
Anna Nie

#10 Anna Nie

MB
6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore
Jessica Riedl

#14 Jessica Riedl

MB
6' 0"
Graduate Student
AnnaBelle Tomei

#23 AnnaBelle Tomei

S
5' 6"
Senior
Emily Wichmann

#6 Emily Wichmann

DS/L
5' 3"
Sophomore
Madison Ross

#5 Madison Ross

S
Senior
Lyse Bates

#2 Lyse Bates

DS/L
Freshman
Anika Prisby

#16 Anika Prisby

MB
Freshman
Rachel Rossman

#9 Rachel Rossman

S
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Clarke Adams

#17 Clarke Adams

5' 9"
Sophomore
OH
Patti Cesarini

#21 Patti Cesarini

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
OH
Libby Smith

#12 Libby Smith

6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore
MB
Anna Nie

#10 Anna Nie

6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore
MB
Jessica Riedl

#14 Jessica Riedl

6' 0"
Graduate Student
MB
AnnaBelle Tomei

#23 AnnaBelle Tomei

5' 6"
Senior
S
Emily Wichmann

#6 Emily Wichmann

5' 3"
Sophomore
DS/L
Madison Ross

#5 Madison Ross

Senior
S
Lyse Bates

#2 Lyse Bates

Freshman
DS/L
Anika Prisby

#16 Anika Prisby

Freshman
MB
Rachel Rossman

#9 Rachel Rossman

Freshman
S