Great Lakes Wire

The Northern Michigan University (NMU) Volleyball team is preparing for two upcoming Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) matches. The Wildcats will face Wayne State University on Friday, October 20, at 7 p.m., followed by a match against Saginaw Valley State University on Saturday, October 21, at 5 p.m.

Mike Lozier, the team's coach, expressed confidence in the team's current status. "The idea is to keep pushing forward…I'm feeling really confident on the position we are at right now from a cultural and competitive standpoint," he stated.

Currently seventh in the GLIAC with a conference record of 4-5 and an overall record of 7-13, NMU features several standout players. Junior outside hitter Jacqueline Smith ranks fifth in the GLIAC for kills per set and leads in total attacks within conference play. Freshman libero Liesl Haugen is third in digs per set and second in total digs. Junior middle blocker Meghan Meyer holds third place in attack percentage and eighth in solo blocks during GLIAC matches. Sophomore middle blocker McKenzie Gruner ranks fifth in solo blocks within conference play.

Last weekend, NMU participated in the Midwest Crossover tournament held in Hammond, Indiana. The Wildcats finished with a 2-1 record after victories over Trevecca Nazarene and Cedarville but lost to Missouri S&T. Jacqueline Smith's performance earned her a spot on the GLIAC Midwest Region Volleyball Crossover All-Tournament Team.

Wayne State enters this weekend with a GLIAC record of 2-7 and an overall standing of 7-13. The Warriors are currently on a two-game winning streak but were swept by NMU during their last encounter.

Saginaw Valley State holds a GLIAC record of 0-9 and an overall standing of 3-17. The Cardinals recently won their last match but have struggled throughout the season.

Both matches can be followed through updates provided by @NMU_Volleyball and @NMU_Wildcats on X (formerly known as Twitter).