DETROIT -- The Wayne State University volleyball team was picked to finish third out of 11 schools in the 2025 GLIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll as announced on Tuesday by the league office.  WSU hasn't been selected that high overall since 2022 and the last occurrence before that came in 2018.

The top five squads in the poll consisted of Grand Valley State (98 points, eight first-place votes), Ferris State (92 points, three first-place nods), the Warriors, Northern Michigan (68 points), and Michigan Tech (67 points).  The entire poll can be found below:

1. Grand Valley State - 98 (8)
2. Ferris State - 92 (3)
3. Wayne State - 76
4. Northern Michigan - 68
5. Michigan Tech - 67
6. Parkside - 59
7. Davenport - 42
8. Purdue Northwest - 38
9. Saginaw Valley State - 34
10. Lake Superior State - 18
11. Roosevelt - 13

SEASON PREVIEW - HEAD COACH
Tim Koth returns for his 12th season at the helm of WSU with a Green and Gold record of 155-143 (.520 winning percentage), which includes a conference mark of 95-85 (.528).  Koth will look to lead the Warriors to the GLIAC Tournament for the second straight season after Wayne State hosted a 2024 quarterfinal match as the fourth seed.  WSU went 14-13 overall a season ago, including 11-5 in conference action.

ROSTER
Wayne State's roster of 18 student-athletes features 10 returners and eight newcomers.  Among those eight new faces are a Division I transfer, a Division II transfer and six true freshmen.  Maybe most importantly, WSU returns three of its four 2024 All-GLIAC performers in senior middle Kayla Giroux (Flat Rock, Mich.), junior setter Kayla Dulgar (Warsaw, Ohio / River View) and senior libero Kendyl Andrews (Flushing, Mich.).

Giroux was also named an AVCA Second Team All-American and a CSC Second Team Academic All-American, the first in program history.  Also back are junior outside hitter Katie Smith (Macomb, Mich. / Utica Eisenhower) and redshirt senior opposite Leigha Baldwin (Perrysburg, Ohio / Perrysburg [Purdue Fort Wayne]).

Setter - 3
Dulgar
Abby Macalaguim - Sr. (Chula Vista, Calif. / Eastlake [Saint Anselm])
Abby Baushke - Fr. (Decatur, Mich.)

Defensive Specialist/Libero - 3
Andrews
Maya Wegand - Jr. (Kaukauna, Wis. / Little Chute)
Marley Onken - Fr. (Portage, Mich. / Portage Northern)

Outside Hitter/Opposite - 9
Smith
Baldwin
Paige Giehtbrock - Jr. (Clarkston, Mich. [Rider])
Aubree Garcia - R-So. (Mount Pleasant, Mich.)
Saige Martin - So. (Westphalia, Mich. / Pewamo-Westphalia)
Kyleigh Weck - So. (Hersey, Mich. / Reed City)
Alina Ike - Fr. (Grand Blanc, Mich.)
Lauren Essenpreis - Fr. (Amherstburg, Ont. / North Star S.S.)
Amelia Klos - Fr. (Chesterfield, Mich. / Anchor Bay)

Middle Blocker/Hitter - 3
Giroux
Nicole Dupre - So. (Lake Mary, Fla. / Seminole)
Katerina Stout - Fr. (Macomb, Mich. / Dakota)

SCHEDULE
The Warriors are set to play a total of 26 regular-season matches, including 22 against Midwest Region opponents, 16 as part of GLIAC action and 12 at home inside the Matthaei Center.

"I believe our 2025 schedule, as in past years, is set up to give us the opportunity to meet NCAA criterion for postseason play," said Koth.  "We open with an outstanding field for the Warrior Invitational and then head to New York for three matches against NCAA Tournament teams from last season.  The GLIAC is one of the strongest conferences in NCAA Division II.  This year, I believe the league will be as competitively deep as it has ever been, which is exciting!  It should make for some exciting matches in the Matthaei Arena this fall!"

The fall campaign kicks off on Sept. 5-6 with four matches in two days as part of the 10th installment of the Warrior Invitational (WSU has gone 23-8 in the previous nine).  Wayne State will see Upper Iowa and Northwood on Friday, before facing Cedarville and Winona State on day two.  Then, WSU will continue its non-conference slate with three opponents at Daemen's Wildcat Classic on Friday-Saturday, Sept. 12-13.  In Amherst, N.Y., the Warriors will be opposite Dallas Baptist (first-ever meeting), Clarion and the host Wildcats.

GLIAC wise, Wayne State will face the following teams twice including once at home and once on the road:  Saginaw Valley State, Lake Superior State, Davenport, Ferris State, Grand Valley State, and Purdue Northwest.  The Warriors will have just one regular-season meeting against Parkside (home), Roosevelt (home), Michigan Tech (away), and Northern Michigan (away).  Those 16 league dates will sandwich WSU's three matches as part of the Midwest Regional Crossover in Hammond, Ind.,on Oct. 17-18.

Following the conclusion of the regular season on Nov. 14 at home against PNW, the league's top four seeds will host a GLIAC Tournament quarterfinal contest on Nov. 19 with the winners advancing to the weekend.  The top remaining seed will host the two semifinal match-ups and the title match on Nov. 22-23.