Michigan State University Athletics
Spartan Volleyball Reveals 2023 Schedule
6/14/2023 12:00:00 PM | Volleyball
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State head volleyball coach Leah Johnson and the Big Ten Conference revealed the 2023 schedule on Wednesday. In addition to a 20-match B1G slate, the Spartans will play an 11-match non-conference schedule that features five Power 5 opponents and the inaugural Kathy DeBoer Invitational presented by Auto-Owners Insurance.
For a link to the digital schedule, click here.
"In 2022 we laid down the cultural foundation of the Michigan State volleyball program with our train to peak process and our core values of serve, grow and honor," said Johnson. "We will continue building upon the foundation that was set last season by chasing our potential all year long. Our team made a leap skill wise over the spring and we can't wait to showcase that throughout the upcoming season."
The Spartans start their 2023 campaign on the road at the Razorback Classic in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on August 25-26. MSU opens its season against 2022 NCAA Tournament qualifier Arkansas on Friday, August 25 before facing Tulsa the following day. Michigan State is 1-0 all-time against the Razorbacks, last playing in Wichita, Kansas on Sep. 10, 2004, at the Green Mill Restaurant Classic where the Spartans won 3-1. Saturday, August 26 marks the first meeting between MSU and Tulsa.
Michigan State will travel to Conway, Arkansas for a match against Central Arkansas, separate from the Razorback Classic, on Sunday, August 27 for a first-time meeting against the Sugar Bears.
MSU returns to the Breslin Center for the first time in 2023 hosting the inaugural Kathy DeBoer Invitational presented by Auto-Owners Insurance on September 2-3. Named after the recently inducted Michigan State Athletics hall of famer, Title IX advocate and former AVCA Executive Director Kathy DeBoer, the Spartans welcome Belmont, Syracuse and Delaware State to East Lansing for the event. The Spartans will host Belmont and Syracuse on Saturday, September 2 before rounding out the invitational against Delaware State on Sunday, September 3.
"Our program could not be more excited to host the first Kathy DeBoer Invitational in the Breslin Center this season," said Johnson. "Being able to honor Kathy's legacy, not just within the sport of volleyball or at Michigan State, but in women's athletics as a whole is something we are extremely proud of. Playing this invitational in one of the premier venues in college athletics is a testament to Kathy's impact on women's athletics."
Michigan State is 1-0 all-time against Belmont, last facing the Bruins at the Tennessee Classic on August 25, 2018, where they won 3-1. The Spartans have met Syracuse three times previously, but not since a 3-2 victory over the Orange at the Cleveland State Invitational on September 4, 2009. MSU is 1-0 in the all-time series against 2022 NCAA Qualifier Delaware State, taking down the Hornets 3-0 at the Harvard Invitational on September 8, 2007.
ACC opponents Duke and North Carolina arrive on the banks of the Red Cedar River one week later to face Michigan State for the second consecutive season. MSU gets the weekend started against Duke on Friday, September 8 before matching up with North Carolina on Sunday, September 10. The two teams have been a staple on the Spartan schedule in recent years, playing Duke three times in the last five seasons and North Carolina in four of the last six. This is the third year of a four-year series between the three programs.
The non-conference portion of the schedule wraps up in Storrs, Connecticut at the Dog Pound Challenge on September 15-17. Michigan State challenges host UConn the night of Friday, September 15 before matches against Brown on Saturday, September 16 and Binghamton on Sunday, September 17. MSU is 2-0 all-time against UConn, last playing at the 2012 UConn Classic. Brown and Binghamton are both first-time meetings for the Spartans. Michigan State has faced an Ivy League opponent just three times in the program's 51-year history, defeating Harvard (2-0) and Dartmouth (1-0).
Big Ten competition kicks off for the Spartans on Friday, September 22 as MSU starts conference play with a road rivalry match-up at Michigan.
Included in the B1G slate are six one-time opponents and seven two-time opponents. Two-time opponents (home and away) include Iowa, Penn State, Michigan, Purdue, Nebraska, Rutgers and Northwestern. Michigan State will meet Indiana, Wisconsin and Maryland each once from the Breslin Center while hitting the road to play single matches against Illinois, Ohio State and Minnesota.
"The Big Ten is primed to be better than ever in 2023," said Johnson. "Not only is our league the premier volleyball conference in the country, it's also the deepest. With the level of talent in the Big Ten, anyone can beat anybody, and our program will be challenged to be at its best on a nightly basis."
The first weekend of conference action continues for the Spartans on Sunday, September 24 at Illinois. Michigan State splits road and home contests in week two traveling to Northwestern for a match on Friday, September 29 to preclude its B1G home opener against Rutgers on Sunday, October 1 to start a three-match homestand.
MSU will host 2022 Big Ten runner-up Nebraska on Friday, October 6 before concluding the season series against Northwestern in the Breslin Center on Saturday, October 7. The Spartans will make the return trip to Nebraska on Friday, October 13 then head to Iowa for a match on Saturday, October 14.
Michigan State's second-annual Battle at Breslin is set for Wednesday, October 18 as Michigan arrives in East Lansing. MSU broke program attendance records at last season's battle with 7,326 fans packing the Breslin Center to shatter the previous record of 6,838 set in 2016.
The Spartans hit the road for a single game against Minnesota on Sunday, October 22 before starting a stretch of four-straight home matches. Michigan State will face 2022 Big Ten champion Wisconsin and Penn State on back-to-back days Friday, October 27 and Saturday, October 28. MSU opens the month of November at home with games against Maryland on Friday, November 3 and Iowa on Saturday, November 4.
Michigan State then hits the road for four straight starting with a mid-week meeting at Ohio State on Wednesday, November 8. The Spartans will test Purdue in West Lafayette on Sunday, November 11. Continuing the road trip, MSU will take on Penn State and Rutgers back-to-back on Friday, November 17 and Saturday, November 18.
Michigan State's regular season comes to a close at home with matches against Indiana on Friday, November 24 and Purdue on Saturday, November 25 from the Breslin Center.
A comprehensive schedule of fan engagement and promotions surrounding the program's core values of serve, grow, honor will be announced at a later date.
For a link to the digital schedule, click here.
"In 2022 we laid down the cultural foundation of the Michigan State volleyball program with our train to peak process and our core values of serve, grow and honor," said Johnson. "We will continue building upon the foundation that was set last season by chasing our potential all year long. Our team made a leap skill wise over the spring and we can't wait to showcase that throughout the upcoming season."
The Spartans start their 2023 campaign on the road at the Razorback Classic in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on August 25-26. MSU opens its season against 2022 NCAA Tournament qualifier Arkansas on Friday, August 25 before facing Tulsa the following day. Michigan State is 1-0 all-time against the Razorbacks, last playing in Wichita, Kansas on Sep. 10, 2004, at the Green Mill Restaurant Classic where the Spartans won 3-1. Saturday, August 26 marks the first meeting between MSU and Tulsa.
Michigan State will travel to Conway, Arkansas for a match against Central Arkansas, separate from the Razorback Classic, on Sunday, August 27 for a first-time meeting against the Sugar Bears.
MSU returns to the Breslin Center for the first time in 2023 hosting the inaugural Kathy DeBoer Invitational presented by Auto-Owners Insurance on September 2-3. Named after the recently inducted Michigan State Athletics hall of famer, Title IX advocate and former AVCA Executive Director Kathy DeBoer, the Spartans welcome Belmont, Syracuse and Delaware State to East Lansing for the event. The Spartans will host Belmont and Syracuse on Saturday, September 2 before rounding out the invitational against Delaware State on Sunday, September 3.
"Our program could not be more excited to host the first Kathy DeBoer Invitational in the Breslin Center this season," said Johnson. "Being able to honor Kathy's legacy, not just within the sport of volleyball or at Michigan State, but in women's athletics as a whole is something we are extremely proud of. Playing this invitational in one of the premier venues in college athletics is a testament to Kathy's impact on women's athletics."
Michigan State is 1-0 all-time against Belmont, last facing the Bruins at the Tennessee Classic on August 25, 2018, where they won 3-1. The Spartans have met Syracuse three times previously, but not since a 3-2 victory over the Orange at the Cleveland State Invitational on September 4, 2009. MSU is 1-0 in the all-time series against 2022 NCAA Qualifier Delaware State, taking down the Hornets 3-0 at the Harvard Invitational on September 8, 2007.
ACC opponents Duke and North Carolina arrive on the banks of the Red Cedar River one week later to face Michigan State for the second consecutive season. MSU gets the weekend started against Duke on Friday, September 8 before matching up with North Carolina on Sunday, September 10. The two teams have been a staple on the Spartan schedule in recent years, playing Duke three times in the last five seasons and North Carolina in four of the last six. This is the third year of a four-year series between the three programs.
The non-conference portion of the schedule wraps up in Storrs, Connecticut at the Dog Pound Challenge on September 15-17. Michigan State challenges host UConn the night of Friday, September 15 before matches against Brown on Saturday, September 16 and Binghamton on Sunday, September 17. MSU is 2-0 all-time against UConn, last playing at the 2012 UConn Classic. Brown and Binghamton are both first-time meetings for the Spartans. Michigan State has faced an Ivy League opponent just three times in the program's 51-year history, defeating Harvard (2-0) and Dartmouth (1-0).
Big Ten competition kicks off for the Spartans on Friday, September 22 as MSU starts conference play with a road rivalry match-up at Michigan.
Included in the B1G slate are six one-time opponents and seven two-time opponents. Two-time opponents (home and away) include Iowa, Penn State, Michigan, Purdue, Nebraska, Rutgers and Northwestern. Michigan State will meet Indiana, Wisconsin and Maryland each once from the Breslin Center while hitting the road to play single matches against Illinois, Ohio State and Minnesota.
"The Big Ten is primed to be better than ever in 2023," said Johnson. "Not only is our league the premier volleyball conference in the country, it's also the deepest. With the level of talent in the Big Ten, anyone can beat anybody, and our program will be challenged to be at its best on a nightly basis."
The first weekend of conference action continues for the Spartans on Sunday, September 24 at Illinois. Michigan State splits road and home contests in week two traveling to Northwestern for a match on Friday, September 29 to preclude its B1G home opener against Rutgers on Sunday, October 1 to start a three-match homestand.
MSU will host 2022 Big Ten runner-up Nebraska on Friday, October 6 before concluding the season series against Northwestern in the Breslin Center on Saturday, October 7. The Spartans will make the return trip to Nebraska on Friday, October 13 then head to Iowa for a match on Saturday, October 14.
Michigan State's second-annual Battle at Breslin is set for Wednesday, October 18 as Michigan arrives in East Lansing. MSU broke program attendance records at last season's battle with 7,326 fans packing the Breslin Center to shatter the previous record of 6,838 set in 2016.
The Spartans hit the road for a single game against Minnesota on Sunday, October 22 before starting a stretch of four-straight home matches. Michigan State will face 2022 Big Ten champion Wisconsin and Penn State on back-to-back days Friday, October 27 and Saturday, October 28. MSU opens the month of November at home with games against Maryland on Friday, November 3 and Iowa on Saturday, November 4.
Michigan State then hits the road for four straight starting with a mid-week meeting at Ohio State on Wednesday, November 8. The Spartans will test Purdue in West Lafayette on Sunday, November 11. Continuing the road trip, MSU will take on Penn State and Rutgers back-to-back on Friday, November 17 and Saturday, November 18.
Michigan State's regular season comes to a close at home with matches against Indiana on Friday, November 24 and Purdue on Saturday, November 25 from the Breslin Center.
A comprehensive schedule of fan engagement and promotions surrounding the program's core values of serve, grow, honor will be announced at a later date.
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