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Volleyball 9/22/2022 2:34:00 PM Cameron Weidenthaler, Assistant Media Relations Director

Volleyball Continues Home Stand with LSSU and GVSU

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University volleyball program (8-5, 2-3 GLIAC) will meet Lake Superior State (1-12, 0-5 GLIAC) on Friday night and matchup against Grand Valley State (9-4, 3-2 GLIAC) on Saturday afternoon.

COACH KOTH
The 2021 GLIAC Coach of the Year, Tim Koth collected his 400th win as a women's volleyball coach last Saturday afternoon. The 2022 season is his 28th in collegiate coaching and ninth at Wayne State.

"We have two very different opponents this weekend in a much-improved Lake Superior team, and rival GVSU. In each case, we will need to try and carry over the mentality we had in our last match - of a high level of intensity on each individual play. It should be fun - these are the type of matches you come to WSU to play in."

LAST TIME OUT
The Warriors bounced back to sweep Saginaw Valley State, handing the Cardinals their first league loss of the season. Kayla Giroux (Flat Rock, Mich.) and Lauren VanderWal (Caledonia, Mich.) led a balanced offensive attack with nine kills each, while Giroux hit .389.  Kamryn Duffield (Romeo, Mich.) finished with 33 assists and Maddy Benoit (Farmington, Mich. / Mercy) posted 16 digs.

ANOTHER MILESTONE
Kamryn Duffield became the fourth Warrior ever to record 4,000 career assists. Recently, she moved into second place all-time in assists passing Cydney Biessel (4,089) and Amy Horgan (4,097) on Sunday. Duffield currently has 4,174 career assists, which is a modern program record. The program record belongs to Tracy Granger (1992-95) who recorded 5,136 helpers prior to the rally scoring era.

AWARD WINNERS
After the season-opening week of action, graduate outside hitter Lauren VanderWal (Caledonia, Mich.) earned Offensive Player of the Week accolades, while senior libero Maddy Benoit (Farmington, Mich. / Mercy) was selected as the Defensive Player of the Week. VanderWal totaled 60 kills (4.93/set), hit .280 and collected a pair of double-doubles in the four matches in Indianapolis. In a 3-0 sweep, she posted 18 kills and hit .500 for the match and notched 18 kills plus 16 digs in the five-set win over McKendree. VanderWal also tallied nine total blocks en route to collecting her third career weekly GLIAC honor. Benoit surpassed 1,000 career digs in the three-set win over Montevallo in the season opener. She totaled 86 digs (6.14/set) and 10 services aces. Benoit notched 26 digs vs. Anderson before finishing the tournament with 28 digs in the win over McKendree.

BENOIT'S MILESTONE
In the season-opening win over Montevallo, Maddy Benoit collected 24 digs to give her over 1,000 digs for her career, which ranks 10th all-time in program history.

RETURNING LEADERS
The roster will lean on 12 returners and much of of the starting lineup from last year. That group is highlighted by setter Kamryn Duffield, outside hitter Lauren VanderWal and middle blocker Halle Shell. Duffield was a First Team All-GLIAC selection in 2021 and ranks fourth all-time in assists with 3,726. She totaled 1,098 helpers last season, which is thw 10th most all-time in the school record books. Her 10.35 assists per set total for her career is third in program history.

VanderWal was also a First Team All-GLIAC honoree and also was named to the AVCA All-Midwest Regional Team. She totaled 238 kills and led WSU with 3.13 kills per set last season. Shell will continue to be a keu part of the defense efforts for the Green & Gold. She totaled 109 total blocks last season and was a Second Team All-GLIAC selection.  Jenna Kray was also a 2021 First Team All-GLIAC honoree at middle blocker after she posted 228 kills and 61 total blocks. Other names to keep an eye on will be Maddy Benoit, Maddie Morrison and Alexa Withun.

NEWCOMERS
The roster welcomes three newcomers. Middle blocker Kayla Giroux should make an impact early at the net, while middle blocker Leigha Baldwin and defensive specialist Kendyl Andrews add talent and depth tot he roster.

GLIAC PRESEASON POLL
In front of the Green & Gold was Grand Valley State (68 points / four first-place votes) and Michigan Tech (66 points / three first-place votes). WSU (64 points / three first-place votes) was chosen ahead of Ferris State (62 points) and Davenport (55 points) to round out the top five. The rest of the poll includes Northern Michigan (48 points / one first-place vote), Saginaw Valley State (35 points), Parkside (26 points), Lake Superior State (17 points) and Purdue Northwest (nine points).

A HISTORIC 2021 SEASON
This past season, WSU played in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history, but for the first time since 1994. The Warriors totaled 20 victories, which is the most wins since 1998. The Green & Gold swept Saginaw Valley State in a GLIAC Quarterfinal contest on Nov. 17th, the first home playoff game since 2010 for WSU.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
Lake Superior State will be searching for its first league win of the season after the Lakers fell to 0-5 on Sunday versus Ferris State. Head coach Zac Rambo is in his first season with the program. Junior Emilee McDaniel leads the team with 136 kills (3.02/set), while hitting .327 and also has the most blocks (31) on the roster. Junior Emily Kalinowski has 412 assists (9.16/set), while sophomore Ally Lashley has a team-best 156 digs (3.47/set).

Grand Valley State is 9-4 overall and 3-2 in the league after falling at home to Davenport on Tuesday. Head coach Jason Johnson in his second season as the head coach but 24th with the program. Kendall Stover leads the team with 136 kills (3.09/set), while Jordyn Gates (247 assists) and Rachel Jacquay (237 assists) are the two main distributors. Gates has a team-best 70 digs (4.12/set), while Sarah Wight has a team-high 16 blocks.

UP NEXT
The five-match home stand finishes with a Sept. 30th rematch with Davenport before WSU welcomes Parkside on Oct. 1st.

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Players Mentioned

#6 Kendyl Andrews: DS/L; 5' 8"; Freshman

#4 Leigha Baldwin: MB/OP; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#5 Maddy Benoit: DS/L; 5' 9"; Senior; 2

#7 Kamryn Duffield: S; 5' 9"; Graduate Student; 3

#11 Kayla Giroux: MB; 6' 2"; Freshman

#10 Jenna Kray: MB; 6' 1"; Junior; 1

#19 Maddie Morrison: OH; 6' 1"; Senior; 2

#9 Halle Shell: MB; 5' 11"; Graduate Student; 2

#20 Lauren VanderWal: OH; 6' 1"; Graduate Student; 3

#13 Alexa Withun: OP; 6' 4"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#6 Kendyl Andrews
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: DS/L

#4 Leigha Baldwin
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: MB/OP

#5 Maddy Benoit
: 5' 9"; Senior; 2
: DS/L

#7 Kamryn Duffield
: 5' 9"; Graduate Student; 3
: S

#11 Kayla Giroux
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: MB

#10 Jenna Kray
: 6' 1"; Junior; 1
: MB

#19 Maddie Morrison
: 6' 1"; Senior; 2
: OH

#9 Halle Shell
: 5' 11"; Graduate Student; 2
: MB

#20 Lauren VanderWal
: 6' 1"; Graduate Student; 3
: OH

#13 Alexa Withun
: 6' 4"; Junior
: OP