MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan volleyball team is back at home inside Vandament Arena this weekend, taking on Davenport and Saginaw Valley State.
After splitting its opening weekend of conference play with a 3-1 victory over Purdue Northwest and a 3-1 defeat to Roosevelt, the Green and Gold return home on Homecoming weekend with a chance to get back on track in front of its home crowds.
The Wildcats will first take on the Davenport Panthers on Friday, September 18, at 4 p.m. ET. Northern will then turn its attention to the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals on Saturday, September 19, at 4 p.m. ET.
Both matches can be listened to on 100.3 The Point, with Austin Graham on the call.
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
"If we're seeing results from the change in our approach, good things will happen. Davenport is a good defensive team and we will have to improve our block and find ways to score."
About the Wildcats
Ten matches into the season, the Wildcats are 4-6 and 1-1 in the GLIAC. Last weekend, the Wildcats knocked off the Purdue Northwest Lions in four sets, with
Anna O'Keefe's 12 kills leading the way. NMU then dropped a disappointing four-set match at Roosevelt.
Balance is the name of the game so far for the 'Cats.
Kaylie McIntosh leads the team with 105 kills,
Anna O'Keefe follows with 93,
KC Fortune sits at 79, and
Laynie Russell has 77.
Larsen Bonnstetter has added 41 while leading the defensive charge at the net with 24 blocks.
It was two other Wildcats who came on the scene last weekend, however. Freshman
Olivia Ziemer recorded 20 kills and 21 digs over the weekend, while
Grace Allen put down 10 kills against Roosevelt.
With O'Keefe, Russell, Bonnstetter, Ziemer, and Allen all seeing their first meaningful collegiate action, 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 377 assists this season and her 9.92 assists per set is third in the GLIAC. Barlow is approaching the 3,000 career-assist milestone, currently at 2.937 entering Friday's match. 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 2,937 career assists, eighth in program history.
Haugen, a senior libero from Maple Grove, Minnesota, has 157 digs this season. She is closing in on 1,500 career digs, sitting at fourth in program history with 1,463. 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
Davenport
The Panthers are off to a hot start this season, sitting at 8-1 overall and 2-0 in the GLIAC after a 3-2 win over Michigan Tech and a sweep of Purdue Northwest. They are third in the GLIAC with a .269 hitting percentage and second in both assists/set (12.91), which is 16th nationally, and blocks/set (1.87). The Panthers have also been the best in the conference at the service line, averaging 1.80 aces/set.
Abby Alan (97 kills) is hitting .270 while Jaide Wirth (86 kills) leads the team with a .330 attack percentage. Alan's 18 aces and 0.56 aces/set pace the GLIAC. Mariya Montgomery is third in the conference with 32 blocks.
The Wildcats have won three of the past four against the Panthers. NMU was victorious 3-1 last season in Marquette.
Saginaw Valley State
The Cardinals have also started the season strong, sitting at 7-3 overall. They defeated Wayne State 3-1, then fell to Michigan Tech 3-1 to open conference play at 1-1. SVSU is hitting .216 offensively while limiting opponents to .137. The Cardinals are top-30 nationally at the net, averaging 2.25 blocks/set.
Leading that effort is Marissa Roe. Her 1.31 blocks/set leads the conference and ranks 14th in the country. Offensively, Rachel Townsend leads the way with 106 kills.
NMU has won nine straight over the Cardinals, with a most recent 3-1 victory in Marquette last season.
