MARQUETTE, Mich. – Conference play has arrived, and the Northern Michigan volleyball team is set to begin its play within the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) this weekend. 

The Wildcats will first take on the Purdue Northwest Lions on Friday, September 11, at 7 p.m. ET. NMU will then make a stop at Roosevelt in the Windy City on Saturday, September 12, at 3 p.m. ET. 


Follow the Action
Stay connected with @NMU_Wildcats and @NMU_Volleyball on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) for updates throughout the weekend.


From Coach Mike Lozier
"Purdue Northwest has always been a thorn in our side. They play a different style of volleyball, and we have to be able to pass the ball against them. Roosevelt has a new coach and has been playing much better. It's a unique environment. We have to play clean volleyball this weekend and make our opponents beat us."



About the Wildcats
Through eight matches, the Wildcats sit at 3-5 after a 1-3 trip to California last weekend. NMU defeated Cal State East Bay in a five-set marathon, then fell to Colorado School of Mines in five before being swept by Westmont and San Francisco State. 

NMU has been all about balance to this point. Kaylie McIntosh leads the team with 96 kills, Anna O'Keefe follows with 76, KC Fortune sits at 67, and Laynie Russell has 58. Larsen Bonnstetter has added 34 while leading the defensive charge at the net with 22 blocks.

With O'Keefe, Russell, Bonnstetter, and Olivia Ziemer all seeing their first action this season, along with McIntosh only in her second season, the youth of the 'Cats should have fans excited for what's ahead both this season and the coming years.

In 2025, NMU finished third in the GLIAC standings in with a 12-4 conference record. Northern was picked fourth in the 2026 GLIAC Preseason Coaches Poll heading into this season, behind preseason favorites Ferris State, Grand Valley State, and Wayne State.

Northern Michigan returns 14 of the 19 players from last season's team, including All-GLIAC Second Team selections Allie Barlow and Liesl Haugen.

Barlow, a senior setter from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, recorded 149 assists this past weekend and her 10.64 assists per set is second in the GLIAC. She is coming off a standout junior season in which she recorded 1,088 assists and averaged 10.06 assists per set, with both marks ranking second in the GLIAC. She sits at 2,856 career assists, eighth in program history. 

Haugen, a senior libero from Maple Grove, Minnesota, has 76 digs and 5.43 digs per set through four matches. She anchors a veteran defensive unit after one of the conference's top defensive seasons in 2025. A three-time GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week, Haugen recorded at least 20 digs in 12 of 24 matches and finished second in the GLIAC with 4.98 digs per set while ranking seventh with 0.40 aces per set.

Northern lost five players from last year's roster, including All-GLIAC First Team selection McKenzie Gruner. The Wildcats will look to fill those roles with a combination of returning players stepping into larger roles and five newcomers, including four freshmen and transfer Cece Huizingh.

Head coach Mike Lozier is in his 10th season at the helm in 2026. 


A Quick Look at the Opponents
Purdue Northwest
Now nicknamed the Lions, Purdue Northwest has started the season 2-5, most recently defeating Nova Southeastern, who was receiving votes in the AVCA Poll, in four sets. The Lions have been strong at the net through seven matches, as their 1.91 blocks/set sit fourth in the conference. Kennedy Rowzee (1.04 blocks/set) and Ainsley Johnson (0.94) lead the way, while Anika Huelskamp leads the team with 56 kills. 

The Wildcats have won four straight over the Lions and are 10-1 overall in the series.


Roosevelt
The Lakers are 3-5 this season and opened the GLIAC season at home against No. 1 Ferris State on Tuesday, where they fell in straight sets. Abigail Wutka (58 kills) and Alessia Isgro (56) lead the way on offense. Roosevelt is under the guidance of first-year head coach Jasmine Chambers, who was one of 85 coaches selected for the 2025 NCAA Women's Coaches Academy.

NMU is 3-0 against the Lakers since entering the conference in 2024.