Upstart Spartans Return Home for Green & White Classic

Upstart Spartans Return Home for Green & White Classic

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State volleyball program is set to welcome Oakland, Chicago State and Evansville to East Lansing this weekend for the Green & White Classic. Michigan State will host six matches over the course of two days from the Breslin Center as the Spartans take on Oakland on Friday, Sep. 16 at 6:30 p.m., Chicago State on Saturday, Sep. 17 at 10:00 a.m. and Evansville on Saturday, Sep. 17 at 5:30 p.m.

All matches from the Green & White Classic will be streamed live on B1G+. Radio broadcasts will be available on MSUSpartans.com and on the Spartan Media Network. Tickets for the weekend are on sale now and can be purchased through MSUSpartans.com or by calling the Michigan State athletics ticket office.

THE OPPONENTS

Oakland is 3-9 this season with wins over Akron, Southern Indiana and Cornell. The Golden Grizzlies have lost four consecutive matches heading into the weekend, recently dropping a close 5-setter to Queens University (20-18 fifth set). Oakland is coached by first-year head coach Krista Rice, who was a volunteer assistant coach at Michigan State from 2012-2014.

Oakland ranks No. 8 nationally in digs per set at 17.50, while Emily Wichmann is No. 10 in DI with 5.40 per set and No. 9 in total digs (189). Patti Cesarini is No. 25 in DI with 11.54 attacks per set. Cesarini averages 3.40 kills per set on .198 hitting.

Three setters see frequent time for Oakland with AnnaBelle Tomei (4.87), Madison Ross (3.42) and Rachel Rossman (4.53) all averaging more than 3.00 assists per set. Jessica Riedl leads the team in total blocks (16).

Chicago State is 3-6 this season with wins over Indiana State, Eastern Illinois and Central Michigan. The Cougars are coming off of a 3-1 win over CMU on Saturday, Sep. 10. CSU is coached by Tony Trifonov in his third season.

The Cougars are headlined by All-American Yanlis Feliz, an outside hitter from the Dominican Republic. Feliz is No. 5 in Division I in points (190), No. 5 in total kills (162), No. 13 in points per set (5.28) and No. 14 in kills per set (4.50). Feliz is hitting .204 on 416 total attacks.

Chicago State runs a 5-2 with Yunju Lee and Laclyn Inclan handling the setting. Lee leads the team with 5.26 assists per set compared to a 4.33 for Inclan. CSU ranks No. 18 nationally in total blocks (93) and are led by Mesalina Severino's 33. A total of four Cougar players have more than 20 blocks through nine matches.

Evansville is 2-9 this season with wins over Marshall and Southern Indiana. The Purple Aces have lost seven straight and are coached by fourth-year head coach Fernando Morales. Evansville is coming off one its best seasons in program history, winning 21 matches in 2021 and playing in the NIVC postseason tournament.

Giulia Cardona ranks No. 13 nationally in points per set (172.5), No. 8 in service aces (22), No. 21 in total attacks (401) and No. 24 in total kills (143). Cardona is hitting .162 on the season. Setter Kora Ruff ranks No. 14 nationally in total assists (372), averaging 9.54 assists per set for the Purple Aces. Madisyn Steele leads the team in blocks with a total of 28.

MICHIGAN STATE NOTES

The Spartans return to East Lansing after facing two formidable ACC opponents last weekend in UNC and Duke. Michigan State lost both matches but earned valuable experience against opponents that gave a closer look as to what they will face week-in and week-out in Big Ten competition.

Michigan State played in both a 6-2 and a 5-1 rotation last weekend at UNC and Duke. The Spartans experimented with several different lineups throughout the weekend as the team looks to solidify its lineup heading into Big Ten play.

Michigan State's starting lineup has featured three freshmen during the non-conference portion of the schedule with Maradith O'Gorman, Evie Doezema and Nil Okur all playing significant roles. Jayhlin Swain has also made several starts for the Spartans at DS. Only one player (Emma Monks) on MSU's 2021 team started against Duke, with six newcomers rounding out the lineup.

Several season bests were attained for the Spartans last weekend at UNC and Duke. Grace Danziger set a new season-best in digs (4). Grace Kelly set career-highs in kills (5) and digs (4). O'Gorman had a season-high 13 digs against Duke along with her first career double-double (14k-13d). Nil Okur had a season-best seven kills at Duke.

A number of Spartans have earned All-Tournament Team nods this season as the team shoots for more accolades this upcoming weekend. Graduate student Rebecka Poljan was named tournament MVP of the Kristen Dickmann Invitational, while Doezema and O'Gorman were named to the All-Tournament Team. Junior Nalani Iosia was named tournament MVP of the Auto-Owners Insurance Spartan Invitational, while graduate student Zoe Nunez and O'Gorman were selected for the All-Tournament team.

Michigan State boasts one of the youngest teams in the country with just four total upperclassmen (Nalani Iosia - Jr., Emma Monks - Sr., Rebecka Poljan - Grad, Zoe Nunez - Grad). The Spartans roster seven sophomores and six freshmen. Nine Michigan State student-athletes have relatives that were also collegiate athletes.

UP NEXT

Michigan State opens up Big Ten play next weekend traveling to No. 2 Nebraska and Rutgers. Nebraska is 7-1 this season and plays Kentucky this weekend. Rutgers is off to a 5-4 start and hosts Fairleigh Dickinson, FIU and Princeton at a home tournament over the weekend.

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Players Mentioned

Grace Danziger

Evie Doezema

Nalani Iosia

Grace Kelly

Emma Monks

Zoe Nunez

Maradith O'Gorman

Nil Okur

Rebecka Poljan

Jayhlin Swain