Volleyball to Host Second Annual Kathy DeBoer Invitational
9/5/2024
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State volleyball is set to open the Breslin Center for the first time in 2024, hosting the second annual Kathy DeBoer Invitational presented by Auto-Owners Insurance on September 6-8. Action gets underway for the Spartans on Friday night when they face Western Kentucky at 7:00 p.m.
Every match this weekend will stream on B1G+, including neutral site matches. All three games will have a live radio broadcast on MSUSpartans.com with John Kreger calling the action in his 20th season.
Parking is $5 in Lot 63 and Ramp 7. Re-Entry is allowed each individual day if wanting to attend multiple matches.
NOTES TO KNOW
ABOUT WESTERN KENTUCKY (RV)
Entering the weekend at 2-1, Western Kentucky is garnering votes in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll following wins over Morehead State (3-1) and Northern Kentucky (3-0) last weekend. The Hilltoppers dropped their lone match of the weekend at then No. 9-ranked Kentucky, 3-1. WKU finished the 2023 season with a 30-5 record and an unblemished 16-0 mark in CUSA matches en route to a second round appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Under the direction of Travis Hudson, Western Kentucky is one of the premier mid-major teams in the country with a 754-228 record over the last 30 seasons.
Kaylee Cox and Alivia Skidmore paced WKU in kills last week with 32 apiece, with Cox leading the team in points per set at 3.45. Callie Bauer handled the setting with 115 assists on the weekend, good for 10.45 per set. As a team the Hilltoppers hit .240 on 391 attempts.
Izzy Van De Wiele put up a strong block all weekend tallying 21 blocks on 1.91 per set. Van De Wiele ranks No. 10 nationally in blocks per set and No. 11 in total blocks as WKU ranks No. 17 in blocks per set as a team (3.00). Libero Abby Schaefer led the team in digs with 40 on 3.64 per set.
ABOUT MARIST
Marist was 0-3 in its opening weekend of matches falling to Old Dominion (3-0), Virginia (3-0) and UTSA (3-0). The Red Foxes were 14-16, and 12-6 in the MAAC a year ago for head coach Sean Byron who is entering his sixth season at the helm.
Sara Dasic led Marist in kills last weekend with 15, hitting .104 on 48 attempts. Taylor Miller and Alyssa White both finished the weekend with 11 kills. White was the team's leading blocker with five blocks (three solo). As a team, Marist hit .008 over three matches. Jamison White tallied 54 assists on 6.00 per set. At libero, Katherine Thompson collected 21 digs for Marist on 2.63 digs per set.
ABOUT LOYOLA (CHICAGO)
Loyola is 1-2 after defeated Loyola Marymount (3-0) in Kalamazoo, Mich. last weekend. The Ramblers were defeated by Clemson (3-0) and Western Michigan (3-1) to open the 2024 season. Head Coach Amanda Berkley is no stranger to the B1G as a 2008 graduate from Wisconsin, now in her seventh season as head coach at Loyola owning a 115-67 overall record.
Libero Jae Fitting ranks No. 24 nationally in digs per set at 5.10, helping the Ramblers to rank No. 38 in digs per set nationally as a program (16.5). Avary DeBlieck led Loyola in blocks last weekend with 11 on 1.10 blocks per set.
Offensively Loyola hit .181 as a team in Kalamazoo, led by Marta Cvitkovic's 31 kills and 3.50 points per set. Kate Maley (23) and Ann Marie Remmes (22) each finished with 20+ kills last weekend, with Remmes hitting a team-best .306. Bree Borum tallied 89 assists on 8.90 assists per set and posted a double-double against Western Michigan (39 assists, 13 digs).
SERIES HISTORY
Western Kentucky
- Michigan State is 2-0 all-time against Western Kentucky, last facing the Hilltoppers on the road in 2016 in a 3-2 victory over the then No. 23-ranked WKU.
- This is the second time WKU has played in an Auto-Owners Insurance sponsored invitational, falling to MSU 3-0 at the Spartan Invitational in 2014.
Marist
- MSU is 1-0 all-time against Marist, winning 3-0 at the San Diego State Aztec Invitational in 2016.
Loyola
- Michigan State is 2-1 against Loyola all-time, having never hosted the Ramblers in East Lansing. MSU is 2-0 in neutral site matches and 0-1 on the road.
- The Spartans last faced Loyola at the Western Michigan Invitational in 1999, winning 3-1.
DEBOER IS DEBEST
- Michigan State will continue to honor Kathy DeBoer's career and service to the sport of volleyball in 2024. DeBoer was a dual-sport star at MSU on the women's basketball and volleyball teams.
- After being named to the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022, the Spartans named their in-season tournament after DeBoer in 2023.
- In 2024, DeBoer earned the USA Volleyball Harold T. Friermood "Frier" Lifetime Achievement Award, onsidered USA Volleyball's highest honor and recognizes longtime significant contributions to the sport of volleyball.
- DeBoer served as the Executive Director of the American Volleyball Coaches Association for 17 years before retiring from her post in 2023.
- Arriving on campus in 1975, DeBoer captured two Big Ten titles with the volleyball program in 1975 and 1976. On the basketball court she was a finalist for the Wade Trophy in 1978 and ranks No. 4 all-time in career rebounding average.
- After graduation, DeBoer went on to coach collegiate volleyball at Ferris State and Kentucky, winning four SEC titles and earning both SEC and National Coach of the Year honors before taking her position with the AVCA.
KULIG AS A CUCUMBER
- Sophomore middle blocker Zuzanna Kulig had a weekend to remember in Colorado setting multiple personal bests.
- Kulig's seven blocks at Northern Colorado was a new career-high, and her six service aces at Colorado State was a personal best.
- Kulig hit .600 (9-0-15) against Colorado State on 8/31 which is a career-best on 10+ attempts.
- Kulig recorded just one attacking error all weekend to hit a combined .545 (19-1-33).
- Against the Rams, Kulig finished with 19.0 points, topping her previous career-high of 13.5 set last season.
HOLDEM A RETURNING ALL-B1G SELECTION
- Sophomore outside hitter Taylah Holdem is Michigan State's lone returning All-B1G selection from 2023, aiming to improve upon her second-team designation from a year ago.
- Holdem also earned All-Freshman honors from the conference, the first MSU rookie to earn that honor since 2014 and one of nine all-time.
- Holdem finished last season ranked No. 9 in the B1G in kills/set (3.44) and No. 8 in kills (399). Holdem was No. 9 in points per set at 3.88.
- The leading scorer among all freshmen in B1G play, Holdem posted 4.03 points per set in 20 conference matches.
- Holdem's 25 kills on Sept. 29, 2023 were the most in a match by an MSU freshman since Erin Hartley (28, 1998).
SPARTANS GAIN INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Sophomore outside hitter Karolina Staniszewska (Poland) and freshman middle blocker Carmen Waye (Canada) each had the opportunity to represent their home countries over the summer playing with their age level national team programs.
- Staniszewska played with the U22 Polish National Team at the U22 European Championships, falling in the bronze medal match to Turkiye.
- Waye played with the U19 Canadian National team at the U19 NORCECA (North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation) Continental Championship, falling to the United States in the gold medal match.
- Waye led Team Canada with 16 points (12 kills, match-high four blocks) in the championship match despite the loss.
Spartans on the global stage ??
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) July 15, 2024
Karolina and Carmen are competing for their home countries on the international circuit this summer #GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/df1d9W1MQK
IOSIA AIMING TO MAKE MOST OF FIFTH YEAR
- Fifth-year libero Nalani Iosia enters the season ranked second in the B1G in career digs among active players with 1,504. Only Maryland's Lilly Gutner (1,611) has more career digs.
- Iosia ranked fifth in the B1G last season in digs/set at 4.16.
- Iosia was an AVCA All-North Region honorable mention following the conclusion of the 2023 season, the first Spartan to earn a regional honor since 2017 and the first libero since 2014.
- Iosia's 483 digs last season ranked No. 8 all-time for a single season at MSU. She will start the season with 950 digs as a Spartan, 50 away from 1,000.
- Iosia twice matched a career-best 27 digs in a match in 2023.
DOEZEMA DOES IT ALL
- Entering her third year with the program, junior middle blocker Evie Doezema has played every front row position for the Spartans.
- Doezema started her career as a six-rotation outside as a freshman, before playing middle and settling in on right side during her sophomore campaign. Now a junior, Doezema will move back inside and play middle for the Spartans in 2024.
- Head Coach Leah Johnson has lauded Doezema's willingness to do whatever it takes to help the team, and her drive to be the best at whatever position she is playing.
- Doezema's sophomore season saw her make drastic improvements as a player, hitting .257 with 143 kills. Doezema's 57 blocks ranked second on the team, good for .56 blocks per set in 102 sets played.
A lot of things happening in the Breslin Center this fall! We hope to see you at one of our matches this season! #GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/E15xJ6G4Sz
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) August 22, 2024
