Eastern Michigan Athletics
Photo by: Steven King/Steve King Studios
Volleyball Preps for the 2021 Season
8/24/2021 12:01:00 PM | Volleyball
The Eagles will start the campaign at the College of Charleston Invitational, Aug. 27
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – After playing its 2020 season in the spring due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team expects some normalcy this fall. The Eagles will start the 2021 season at the College of Charleston Invitational, Aug. 27. Head Coach Darcy Dorton will lead the Green and White for her third season after the Eagles ended the 2021 spring slate with an 8-12 overall and Mid-American Conference mark.
EMU will return to its traditional season format consisting of non-conference slate with four tournaments before the 18-match league schedule. Additionally, each student-athlete will remain the same class athletically from a season ago as a result of the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic.
Remaining on staff is assistant coach Tyler Golsteyn, who enters his second year at EMU. Joining the staff for the 2021 campaign is assistant coach Ashlie Reasor. Reasor arrives in Ypsilanti after a one-year stint with the University of Michigan, where she was a volunteer assistant coach.
This season, the Green and White welcome four freshmen to the roster, many of whom will look to make an immediate impact on the court. The roster also features nine returning letterwinners, including sophomores Samantha Basham (Granville, Ohio-Newark Catholic) and Jayden Otto (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge). Basham posted 163 kills, while Otto quarterbacked the offense with 800 assists last season.
OUTSIDE HITTERS
The Eagles welcome back three returning outside hitters to their 2020-21 roster, highlighted by Basham and redshirt freshman Krista Blakely (Detroit, Mich.-University High School Academy).
During the 2021 spring season, Basham appeared in all 20 matches for EMU. The Newark, Ohio native averaged 2.60 points per set and ranked third on the team with 163 kills. She notched a career-best 15 kills in a five set win at Kent State, Feb. 15.
Blakely saw action in 12 matches in her first season donning the Green and White. She finished the season with 37 kills, 27 blocks, and 51.5 points. The Detroit product collected a personal high in kills (8) in a 3-0 sweep over Toledo, March 5.
Freshman Makayla Smith (Portage, Mich.-Portage Northern) returns after playing in three matches last season.
Eastern welcomes "true" freshmen Mackenzie Gross (Grand Haven, Mich.-Grand Haven) and Annie Lockett (Mason, Ohio-Mason) to the 2021-22 roster. Gross was a four-year letterwinner and captain from Grand Haven High School, where she ranks fourth in GHHS history with 1,220 kills. Lockett prepped at Mason High School, registering a .316 attack percentage during her final campaign and was a member of the Greater Miami Conference championship team.
MIDDLE BLOCKERS
EMU will see two veterans from the 2020-21 squad return for the 2021-22 campaign in redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase (Toronto, Ont.-Michael Powers St. Joseph Catholic) and junior Abbey Kearney (Las Vegas, Nev.-Palisades Charter).
Chase appeared in all 20 matches and led the conference with 100 total blocks, averaging 1.45 blocks per set. Her blocks-per-set average ranked 14th among Division I volleyball student-athletes. The 6-foot-3 middle blocker broke the Convocation Center record and EMU five-set record in the modern statistical era with a career-high 15 blocks (1-14) against Ball State, March 27.
Last season, Kearney played in six matches and averaged 1.79 kills per set. She posted a career high in kills (12) at Northern Illinois, Feb. 11.
The Eagles add true freshman Madeline Timmerman (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Central) to the 2021-22 roster. The 6-foot-2 middle blocker was a four-year letterwinner at Central High School, where she led CLCHA to a 35-4 record and a Class 3A State finals appearance during her junior season.
SETTERS
Otto will serve as EMU's primary setter in 2021-22. She appeared in all 20 matches for the Eagles last season, where she finished with 800 assists. The 5-foot-11 setter set an EMU four-set record in the modern statistical era (since 2008) with a career-high 58 assists against Northern Illinois, Feb. 12.
Freshman Olivia Szylar (Itasca, Ill.-Lake Park) will look to make an impact this season after missing last season due to injury.
Kendall Burk (Bloomington, Ill.-University) is one of four recruits for the 2021-22 roster. The Bloomington, Ill. native was a four-year letterwinner at University High School, where she led UHS to back-to-back conference championships and a fourth-place finish in the IHSA 3A State Championships in 2019.
DEFENSIVE SPECIALISTS
Eastern will welcome back three returning defensive specialists to the 2020-21 roster in freshman Bella Hommes (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern), junior Mackenzie Garis (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge), and sophomore Kamryn Stilwell (Parma, Ohio-Padua Franciscan).
Hommes will serve as EMU's primary libero in 2021-22, having played in all 20 matches for the Eagles last seasonand finished fourth in the MAC averaging 4.91 digs per set (383 total). The Grand Rapids, Mich. native recorded 17 matches with 10-or-more digs, including 11 with 20-plus. Hommes collected a personal-best 32 digs in four sets at Akron, Feb. 18.
Garis appeared in 17 matches for the Eagles and earned a scholarship prior to the season last year. The Crystal Lake, Ill. native finished the campaign with 113 digs and tallied 10-or-more digs in five matches.
In her second season at EMU, Stilwell saw game action in 16 matches last year. The Parma, Ohio native recorded 70 digs and three aces, including a career-high 13 digs in a three-set sweep over Ohio, March 8.
For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU volleyball, visit EMUEagles.com or follow the team's official Twitter at Twitter.com/EMUVolleyball, on Facebook at Facebook.com/EMUVB, or on Instagram at Instagram.com/emu_volleyball.
EMU will return to its traditional season format consisting of non-conference slate with four tournaments before the 18-match league schedule. Additionally, each student-athlete will remain the same class athletically from a season ago as a result of the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic.
Remaining on staff is assistant coach Tyler Golsteyn, who enters his second year at EMU. Joining the staff for the 2021 campaign is assistant coach Ashlie Reasor. Reasor arrives in Ypsilanti after a one-year stint with the University of Michigan, where she was a volunteer assistant coach.
This season, the Green and White welcome four freshmen to the roster, many of whom will look to make an immediate impact on the court. The roster also features nine returning letterwinners, including sophomores Samantha Basham (Granville, Ohio-Newark Catholic) and Jayden Otto (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge). Basham posted 163 kills, while Otto quarterbacked the offense with 800 assists last season.
OUTSIDE HITTERS
The Eagles welcome back three returning outside hitters to their 2020-21 roster, highlighted by Basham and redshirt freshman Krista Blakely (Detroit, Mich.-University High School Academy).
During the 2021 spring season, Basham appeared in all 20 matches for EMU. The Newark, Ohio native averaged 2.60 points per set and ranked third on the team with 163 kills. She notched a career-best 15 kills in a five set win at Kent State, Feb. 15.
Blakely saw action in 12 matches in her first season donning the Green and White. She finished the season with 37 kills, 27 blocks, and 51.5 points. The Detroit product collected a personal high in kills (8) in a 3-0 sweep over Toledo, March 5.
Freshman Makayla Smith (Portage, Mich.-Portage Northern) returns after playing in three matches last season.
Eastern welcomes "true" freshmen Mackenzie Gross (Grand Haven, Mich.-Grand Haven) and Annie Lockett (Mason, Ohio-Mason) to the 2021-22 roster. Gross was a four-year letterwinner and captain from Grand Haven High School, where she ranks fourth in GHHS history with 1,220 kills. Lockett prepped at Mason High School, registering a .316 attack percentage during her final campaign and was a member of the Greater Miami Conference championship team.
MIDDLE BLOCKERS
EMU will see two veterans from the 2020-21 squad return for the 2021-22 campaign in redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase (Toronto, Ont.-Michael Powers St. Joseph Catholic) and junior Abbey Kearney (Las Vegas, Nev.-Palisades Charter).
Chase appeared in all 20 matches and led the conference with 100 total blocks, averaging 1.45 blocks per set. Her blocks-per-set average ranked 14th among Division I volleyball student-athletes. The 6-foot-3 middle blocker broke the Convocation Center record and EMU five-set record in the modern statistical era with a career-high 15 blocks (1-14) against Ball State, March 27.
Last season, Kearney played in six matches and averaged 1.79 kills per set. She posted a career high in kills (12) at Northern Illinois, Feb. 11.
The Eagles add true freshman Madeline Timmerman (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Central) to the 2021-22 roster. The 6-foot-2 middle blocker was a four-year letterwinner at Central High School, where she led CLCHA to a 35-4 record and a Class 3A State finals appearance during her junior season.
SETTERS
Otto will serve as EMU's primary setter in 2021-22. She appeared in all 20 matches for the Eagles last season, where she finished with 800 assists. The 5-foot-11 setter set an EMU four-set record in the modern statistical era (since 2008) with a career-high 58 assists against Northern Illinois, Feb. 12.
Freshman Olivia Szylar (Itasca, Ill.-Lake Park) will look to make an impact this season after missing last season due to injury.
Kendall Burk (Bloomington, Ill.-University) is one of four recruits for the 2021-22 roster. The Bloomington, Ill. native was a four-year letterwinner at University High School, where she led UHS to back-to-back conference championships and a fourth-place finish in the IHSA 3A State Championships in 2019.
DEFENSIVE SPECIALISTS
Eastern will welcome back three returning defensive specialists to the 2020-21 roster in freshman Bella Hommes (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern), junior Mackenzie Garis (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge), and sophomore Kamryn Stilwell (Parma, Ohio-Padua Franciscan).
Hommes will serve as EMU's primary libero in 2021-22, having played in all 20 matches for the Eagles last seasonand finished fourth in the MAC averaging 4.91 digs per set (383 total). The Grand Rapids, Mich. native recorded 17 matches with 10-or-more digs, including 11 with 20-plus. Hommes collected a personal-best 32 digs in four sets at Akron, Feb. 18.
Garis appeared in 17 matches for the Eagles and earned a scholarship prior to the season last year. The Crystal Lake, Ill. native finished the campaign with 113 digs and tallied 10-or-more digs in five matches.
In her second season at EMU, Stilwell saw game action in 16 matches last year. The Parma, Ohio native recorded 70 digs and three aces, including a career-high 13 digs in a three-set sweep over Ohio, March 8.
For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU volleyball, visit EMUEagles.com or follow the team's official Twitter at Twitter.com/EMUVolleyball, on Facebook at Facebook.com/EMUVB, or on Instagram at Instagram.com/emu_volleyball.
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