DETROIT -- Match week is finally here for the Wayne State University volleyball team and it starts with the Warrior Invitational on Friday and Saturday in the Matthaei. The Warriors will face Frostburg State (1 p.m.) and Northwood (7:30 p.m.) on September 6 before seeing Ohio Dominican (4 p.m.) on September 7.
This season's Warrior Invitational will be the ninth in program history and first since 2022 after taking the year off last fall. In the previous eight, the Warriors have racked up an overall record of 22-6. WSU has seen both Northwood and Ohio Dominican before, but will be facing Frostburg State for the first time ever.
Starting with Frostburg State, the Bobcats were picked to finish fourth in the North Division of the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Preseason Poll. FSU came in fifth in the North Division a season ago after finishing with a 15-16 overall record and 5-9 mark in MEC play. The Bobcats faced Wheeling, the defending Conference Champion last year in the opening round of the MEC Tournament, Frostburg State's first MEC Tournament appearance since 2021. Back for FSU is Second Team All-MEC outside hitter and senior Beverly Braun. The Irvine, Calif. native paced the Bobcats in points (472.5, 207.5 more than next-best total), kills (406), total attacks (1,232) and service aces (44). Also returning are the 2023 team's leader in digs, senior Fiona Gonzalez Medina (512), and second-best blocker in senior AJ Thompson (75).
Former GLIAC foe Northwood was selected to finish third in the North Division of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC). The Timberwolves went 18-13 a season ago, 13-6 in league action, and lost to Findlay three sets to one in the quarterfinals of the G-MAC Tournament. NU's efforts will be spearheaded by D2CCA Second Team All-Region middle hitter and redshirt junior, Sydney Hasenfratz, from Clarkston, Mich. Hasenfratz earned First Team All-G-MAC honors for the second consecutive season after averaging 3.41 kills and 0.98 blocks per set while hitting .359. She finished the campaign ranking second in the G-MAC in hitting percentage, points (4.18 per set), fourth in kills and fifth in blocks. Also back are junior Renee Brines and senior Kiana Martens, both of which were First Team All-League.
Wayne State will face Ohio Dominican twice in the 2024 regular season, the other time coming one week later on Sept. 14 at Parkside's Hampton Inn Invitational. Also in the G-MAC, the Panthers (17-14 overall, 11-8 G-MAC in 2023) were slotted second in the South Division of the coaches' preseason poll. The Panthers return lone senior and outside hitter, Lauren Lucas from Grove City, Ohio, who led the team with 372 kills, 284 digs and accumulated 14 double-doubles (kills and digs) in the 2023 season. The Millersville transfer was named Second Team All-G-MAC for her efforts in 2023.
