Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, August 27
Charleston, S.C.
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
College of Charleston
Volleyball Opens 2021 Season at the College of Charleston Invitational
8/25/2021 10:21:00 AM | Volleyball
The Eagles will begin the tournament against the host Cougars Friday, Aug. 27
| Volleyball at College of Charleston Invitational | |
| Date | Friday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. | Saturday, Aug. 28 at 12 p.m. & 4:30 p.m. |
| Venue | Charleston, S.C. - TD Arena |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes |
| Watch | FloVolleyball - vs. CofC (Subscription required) |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| @EMUVolleyball | @EMUAthletics | |
CHARLESTON, S.C. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team will return to its traditional schedule after playing the 2020 season in the spring due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic Friday, Aug. 27, when the Eagles start the 2021 season at the College of Charleston Invitational in Charleston, S.C.
The Green and White will open the tournament by taking on the host Cougars Friday at 7 p.m. On Saturday, EMU will challenge Indiana State University at noon and the University of Montana at 4:30 p.m.
Fans can catch the match against CofC on FloVolleyball (subscription required). The matches against the Sycamores and Grizzlies will be available via live stats. As always, fans can follow along on EMUEagles.com or on Twitter by following @EMUVolleyball.
BACK TO NORMAL: After the shortened 2021 spring season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Eastern Michigan will return to their regular season format this fall. EMU will compete in four non-conference tournaments before the 18-match Mid-American Conference schedule vying for one of six spots in the league tournament.
OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN: For the 2020-21 season, the NCAA Division I Council voted to give eligibility relief to fall and winter-sport student-athletes regardless of how many games they played during the 2020-21 academic year. They now have the opportunity to play five seasons within a six-year span rather than the typical four seasons in five years.
Every EMU volleyball student-athlete besides the "true" freshmen will have the same athletic eligibility from a year ago. The Eagles had nine student-athletes return to the squad for this season.
HARD WORK PAYS OFF: Redshirt freshman Krista Blakely and sophomore Kamryn Stilwell each earned a scholarship, Head Coach Darcy Dorton announced Aug. 24.
Blakely appeared in 12 matches in her first season donning the Green and White last year. She averaged 1.19 kills and 0.87 blocks per set for the Eagles. Stilwell has seen action in 36 matches during her career for Eastern Michigan. During the 2021 spring season, the defensive specialist played in 16 matches for the Eagles. She finished the season with 70 total digs (1.56 dps) and three service aces.
RETURNING FIREPOWER: EMU returns plenty of firepower for the 2021 season. Leading the way will be redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase and sophomore Samantha Basham. Chase led the Mid-American Conference averaging 1.45 blocks per set (100 total) last season, while Basham ranked third on the team with 163 kills (2.12 kps).
Quarterbacking the offense will be sophomore setter Jayden Otto. She started in every match for the Green and White last season, leading with 800 assists (10.26 aps). The Crystal Lake, Ill. native broke an EMU four-set record in the modern statistical era (since 2008) with a 58-assist performance at Northern Illinois last year, Feb. 12.
The Eagles also welcome back freshman defensive specialist Bella Hommes to the 2021 roster. The freshman appeared in all 20 matches as EMU's primary libero last year, where she ranked fourth in the MAC averaging 4.91 digs per set (383 total).
EMU IN SEASON OPENERS: Eastern Michigan will begin its 45th season (since 1976) of volleyball in program history. The Eagles have compiled a 28-16-1 record (.622 percent) in season openers, including a 20-16 mark (.556 percent) on the road.
SCOUTING COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: Led by 15th-year head coach Jason Kepner, the College of Charleston finished the 2021 spring season with a 5-6 overall record, including a 4-4 CAA mark. Kepner is the Cougar's all-time winningest coach with an overall record of 300-130 and a conference mark of 165-37.
CofC ranked third nationally in blocks per set (3.14) and 10th in opponent hitting percentage (0.127) last season. The Cougars tallied 501 kills (11.65 kps) and averaged 16.09 digs per set.
The College of Charleston was led by senior libero Logan Manusky, who was named as the program's third CAA Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year. She averaged 5.33 digs per set and also earned a spot on the All-CAA First Team.
Returning for the Cougars is sophomore middle blocker Emma Falk. She led the CAA and ranked third nationally with an average of 1.65 blocks per set last season. Her blocks-per-set average set a CofC single season record.
LAST TIME VERSUS THE COUGARS: Eastern Michigan dropped a four-set match, 11-25, 25-22, 17-25, 15-25 to the College of Charleston in the final day of the CofC Classic, Sept. 10, 2016.
Offensively, the Eagles were led by former Eagles Devon Murray and Kelly Ferguson. Murray finished with a team-high 12 kills, while Ferguson added 10, as the only two Eagles to post double-digit kills. Mallory Rajewski posted a double-double, finishing with 38 assists and 11 digs. Alyssa LaFace led the defensive effort for Eastern Michigan, registering a career-high tying 21 digs.
ALL-TIME VERSUS COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: Friday's match will be the third meeting between the Eagles and Cougars in program history. Each team has found its way to the win column, as EMU took the first match, 3-1, Sept. 15, 2006. CofC had its revenge by defeating Eastern in four sets on Sept. 10, 2016.
CLOSE TIES TO CHARLESTON: Eastern Michigan has some close ties to the College of Charleston, as current EMU Head Coach Darcy Dorton was a volleyball standout for the Cougars. Dorton played for CofC coach Jason Kepner.
Dorton transferred to CofC prior to the 2012 season. In her first season with the Cougars she was named 2012 AVCA All-American Honorable Mention, the first in the program's history, along with AVCA All-South Region and First Team All-Southern Conference. Dorton led the Cougars with a career-best 27 kills in a first round victory in the NCAA Tournament over No. 23 Miami (Fla.). The Muncie, Ind. native led the team in kills with 529, which was the most single-season kills in school history during the rally scoring era. Her 4.20 kills per set in a single season ranked fourth in College of Charleston record books.
SCOUTING INDIANA STATE: Led by fourth-year head coach Lindsay Allman, Indiana State ended the 2021 spring season with a 7-13 record, including a 7-11 Missouri Valley Conference mark.
The Sycamores ranked second in the MVC with a .199 hitting percentage (999-384-3,085) last season. Additionally, ISU averaged 13.3 kills per set and 18.9 digs per set.
Indiana State returns four key players to its roster this season. Sophomore Mallory Keller led the Sycamores with 192 kills (2.56 kps) and ranked fifth in the conference with a .275 hitting percentage (192-83-570). Middle blocker Madeline Williams returns after leading the team with 58.0 total blocks last season. Junior setter Chloe Mason tallied 421 assists (5.47 aps) during the spring, which led the team. Senior Melina Tedrow was ISU's primary libero last season. She finished fourth in the league averaging 5.03 dps (387 total).
LAST TIME VERSUS THE SYCAMORES: Eastern Michigan fell to host Indiana State in four sets, 17-25, 20-25, 25-16, 20-25, in the final day of the Indiana State University Holiday Inn Classic, Sept. 11, 2015.
Stacey Perinar led the Eagles with 19 kills and 17 digs, while Jordan Smith added 13 kills and 11 digs. Alyssa Davis posted 26 assists and 15 digs and Mallory Rajewski recorded 27 assists of her own. Corynne Smith tied Perinar for the team lead in digs with 17 of her own. As a team, the Eagles notched a season-high 11 blocks in the match.
ALL-TIME VERSUS INDIANA STATE: Saturday's match will be the sixth meeting between EMU and ISU in program history. The series between the two programs dates back to the 1976 season, where Eastern took the 2-1 victory.
The Sycamores hold the all-time series advantage with a 3-2 record, and have won the last two meetings.
SCOUTING MONTANA: Led by fifth-year head coach Allison Lawrence, Montana posted a 2-14 overall and Big Sky Conference record during the shortened 2021 spring season.
Montana posted a .147 hitting percentage (712-383-2,239) last season, while its opponents hit a .238 clip (834-299-2,245). The Grizzlies averaged 10.8 kills per set and posted 14.5 digs per set.
UM lost two of its attackers from last season in Sophia Meyers and Amethyst Harper. Meyers posted 179 kills (2.71 kps), while Harper tallied 172 (2.61 kps). However, redshirt senior Peyten Boutwell returns to the Grizzlies' roster after finishing last season with 144 kills and 54 blocks. Senior Sarina Moreno led Montana with 205 digs (3.94 dps), while sophomore Carly Anderson orchestrated the Grizzly offense with 563 assists (8.53 aps).
ALL-TIME VERSUS MONTANA: Saturday's match between Eastern Michigan and Montana will be the second meeting in program history. The two teams met in 1997 at the Michigan Tournament, where the Green and White won in five sets, Sept. 5.
MAC PRESEASON POLL: Eastern Michigan was picked to finish sixth in the Mid-American Conference West Division by the conference's 12 head coaches, the league office announced, Aug. 24. In-state rival Central Michigan was selected to win the MAC West with 63 points and was also picked as the regular-season champion with five first-place votes.
Bowling Green, who received all 12 first-place votes, was pegged to win the MAC East with 72 points. Additionally, BGSU was selected as the MAC Tournament favorite with 10 votes.
East Division (First-place votes)
1. Bowling Green – 72 points (12)
2. Kent State – 53 points
3. Miami – 51 points
4. Ohio – 37 points
5. Akron – 25 points
6. Buffalo – 14 points
West Division (First-place votes)
1. Central Michigan – 63 points (5)
2. Ball State – 60 points (3)
3. Western Michigan – 49 points (3)
4. Toledo – 36 points (1)
5. Northern Illinois – 26 points
6. Eastern Michigan – 18 points
MAC Tournament Champions: Bowling Green (10), Kent State (1), Western Michigan (1)
TROPHY HUNTING: Eastern Michigan will search for its second conference championship in program history in its 42nd season in the Mid-American Conference. The Eagles notched its first MAC Tournament title in 2018 to advance to the NCAA Tournament. The Green and White also claimed the MAC West Division title in 2005, and advanced to its first postseason tournament (Women's Invitational Volleyball Championships) in program history in 1990.
BLOCK PARTY: Redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase will be the middle blocker to watch out for this season for EMU. She concluded the 2020-21 shortened spring season averaging 1.45 blocks per set (100 total), which led the Mid-American Conference. Her 1.45 blocks-per-set average ranked 14th in the nation.
The middle blocker notched a career-high 15 blocks (1-14) in EMU's 3-2 win over Ball State, March 27. Her 15 blocks set a EMU five-set record in the modern statistical era (since 2008). The previous record holder was Sam Falco, who tallied 11 blocks (0-11) at Northern Illinois, Sept. 29, 2017. Additionally, Chase tallied nine blocks (1-8) in a five-set win over Buffalo, Feb. 26. Her nine-block performance tied for fourth in Convocation Center history.
The Toronto, Ontario native led the Eagles in blocks 16 times during the 2021 spring season. Chase has 169 career blocks (26-146).
KILLS FOR BASHAM: Sophomore Samantha Basham returns as a vital outside hitter in the Eagles lineup for the 2021 campaign. She tallied seven 10-plus kill performances during the 2021 spring season, which tied for second on the team. The outside hitter finished the year with 163 total kills (2.12 kps), which ranked third on the team.
Basham notched a career-high 15 kills in EMU's five-set victory at Kent State, Feb. 15. Additionally, she posted a three-match streak, March 16-20, with double-digit kills: at Central Michigan (12), at Miami (11), at Miami (12).
OTTO-MATIC: Sophomore Jayden Otto returns as the "quarterback" of the Eastern Michigan offense for the 2021 season. The setter tallied 40-plus assists in 11 matches last season, and 50-or-more assists in four contests. Otto led the team in assists in every match last spring.
The Crystal Lake, Ill. notched a career-high 58 assists to go along with six digs and two kills. Her 58-assist performance broke an EMU four-set record in the modern statistical era (since 2008). The previous record was held by Kim Hildreth and Mallory Rajewski, who both tallied 56 assists. Hildreth etched her name in the record book at Ball State, Oct. 6, 2012, then Rajewski tied the mark at Northern Illinois, Nov. 10, 2018. Otto's 58 assists against NIU ties for the second-most in the conference.
Otto led the team averaging 10.3 assists per set, which finished fifth in the Mid-American Conference.
CAN YOU DIG IT?: Freshman Bella Hommes looks to be one of Eastern Michigan's primary liberos for the 2021 season. Hommes started as a defensive specialist in the first match during the shortened 2021 spring campaign against Western Michigan, Feb. 4, but then claimed the libero spot for the remaining 19 matches.
The freshman notched a career-high 32 digs in EMU's 3-1 loss at Akron, Feb. 18. In the second match against the Zips, Feb. 19, Hommes tallied another 30-plus dig performance, finishing with 31. The defensive specialist recorded double-figure digs in 17 matches, including two matches with 30+. Hommes led the team in digs 13 times last season and ranked first the team with 383 digs total, averaging 49.1 dps. Her digs-per-set average ranked fourth in the conference.
MAKIN' HISTORE: Eastern Michigan made history last season with its 3-2 win over Central Michigan, March 16. The victory was EMU's 700th win in the program's 45-year history. The Eagles hold a 701-707-16 overall record.
The 1990 squad holds the program wins record with 30 victories. That team became the first EMU volleyball squad to reach a postseason tournament, when the Green and White played in the Women's Invitational Volleyball Championship. The Green and White later claimed the MAC West Division title in 2005, while the Eagles notched their first Mid-American Conference Tournament title in 2018 to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
NEW FACES: Eastern Michigan has four "true" freshmen on this year's roster in Kendall Burk, Mackenzie Gross, Annie Lockett, and Madeline Timmerman.
Burk 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.
Gross, a four-year letterwinner and captain from Grand Haven High School, 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.
Timmerman 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.
TEAM THEME: This season, the 2021 theme of the EMU volleyball team is officially "New Team, Same Dream." The theme represents how different the EMU squad may look this season, but the dream is still to win a Mid-American Conference Championship.
A FAMILY AFFAIR: A native of Detroit, Mich., redshirt freshman Krista Blakely came to EMU as a 'legacy' student-athlete in 2019. Blakely is the daughter of Werner Blakely and Donna (Stevenson) Davis, both of whom were student-athletes at Eastern. Blakely was a four-year letterwinner in football (1988-91), while Davis was a member of the 1990 EMU volleyball team that won a program-record 30 games.
WELCOME ASHLIE: Head Coach Darcy Dorton added assistant coach Ashlie Reasor, a former Division I standout, to the staff over the summer.
Reasor has guided and mentored volleyball student-athletes from the high school to collegiate levels for the last three years. The San Antonio, Texas native spent the last season as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Michigan. During her time with the Wolverines, she worked primarily with the outside and right side hitters on hitting and blocking techniques as well as assisted with recruiting.
During her collegiate career as a right side hitter, Reasor played four seasons at Texas A&M. The San Antonio, Texas native finished with 702 career kills and 246 career blocks for the Aggies While in College Station, Reasor earned AVCA All-South Region honorable mention honors, as well as being named to the Southeast Conference's All-Freshman Team and was a two-time Academic All-SEC honoree. The Aggies won the SEC Championship in 2015 and Reasor also served as a team captain in her senior season.
ILLINOIS PIPELINE: Eastern Michigan has added five players in the past four seasons from the State of Illinois. In 2018, defensive specialist/setter Mackenzie Garis joined the Eagles, and in 2019 setter Jayden Otto followed suit, both from Prairie Ridge in Crystal Lake, Ill. In 2020-21, the Green and White added newcomer Olivia Szylar who hails from Itasca, Ill. This season, EMU signed Kendall Burk and Madeline Timmerman. Burk comes to Ypsilanti from Bloomington, Ill., while Timmerman also hails from Crystal Lake, Ill.
ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan returns to the Mitten to compete in the Golden Grizzlies Invitational, Sept. 4-5. The Eagles will play host to Bradley University Saturday, Sept. 4 at 3 p.m. inside the Convocation Center to open the tournament. The following day, the Green and White will challenge the host Oakland at 2 p.m. in Rochester, Mich.
FOLLOW THE ACTION ALL SEASON LONG: Stay connected with the Eagles all season long by following @EMUVolleyball and @EMUAthletics on Twitter for all of the latest EMU volleyball updates. Be sure to also follow the Green and White on Instagram, @EMU_Volleyball.
The Green and White will open the tournament by taking on the host Cougars Friday at 7 p.m. On Saturday, EMU will challenge Indiana State University at noon and the University of Montana at 4:30 p.m.
Fans can catch the match against CofC on FloVolleyball (subscription required). The matches against the Sycamores and Grizzlies will be available via live stats. As always, fans can follow along on EMUEagles.com or on Twitter by following @EMUVolleyball.
BACK TO NORMAL: After the shortened 2021 spring season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Eastern Michigan will return to their regular season format this fall. EMU will compete in four non-conference tournaments before the 18-match Mid-American Conference schedule vying for one of six spots in the league tournament.
OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN: For the 2020-21 season, the NCAA Division I Council voted to give eligibility relief to fall and winter-sport student-athletes regardless of how many games they played during the 2020-21 academic year. They now have the opportunity to play five seasons within a six-year span rather than the typical four seasons in five years.
Every EMU volleyball student-athlete besides the "true" freshmen will have the same athletic eligibility from a year ago. The Eagles had nine student-athletes return to the squad for this season.
HARD WORK PAYS OFF: Redshirt freshman Krista Blakely and sophomore Kamryn Stilwell each earned a scholarship, Head Coach Darcy Dorton announced Aug. 24.
Blakely appeared in 12 matches in her first season donning the Green and White last year. She averaged 1.19 kills and 0.87 blocks per set for the Eagles. Stilwell has seen action in 36 matches during her career for Eastern Michigan. During the 2021 spring season, the defensive specialist played in 16 matches for the Eagles. She finished the season with 70 total digs (1.56 dps) and three service aces.
RETURNING FIREPOWER: EMU returns plenty of firepower for the 2021 season. Leading the way will be redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase and sophomore Samantha Basham. Chase led the Mid-American Conference averaging 1.45 blocks per set (100 total) last season, while Basham ranked third on the team with 163 kills (2.12 kps).
Quarterbacking the offense will be sophomore setter Jayden Otto. She started in every match for the Green and White last season, leading with 800 assists (10.26 aps). The Crystal Lake, Ill. native broke an EMU four-set record in the modern statistical era (since 2008) with a 58-assist performance at Northern Illinois last year, Feb. 12.
The Eagles also welcome back freshman defensive specialist Bella Hommes to the 2021 roster. The freshman appeared in all 20 matches as EMU's primary libero last year, where she ranked fourth in the MAC averaging 4.91 digs per set (383 total).
EMU IN SEASON OPENERS: Eastern Michigan will begin its 45th season (since 1976) of volleyball in program history. The Eagles have compiled a 28-16-1 record (.622 percent) in season openers, including a 20-16 mark (.556 percent) on the road.
SCOUTING COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: Led by 15th-year head coach Jason Kepner, the College of Charleston finished the 2021 spring season with a 5-6 overall record, including a 4-4 CAA mark. Kepner is the Cougar's all-time winningest coach with an overall record of 300-130 and a conference mark of 165-37.
CofC ranked third nationally in blocks per set (3.14) and 10th in opponent hitting percentage (0.127) last season. The Cougars tallied 501 kills (11.65 kps) and averaged 16.09 digs per set.
The College of Charleston was led by senior libero Logan Manusky, who was named as the program's third CAA Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year. She averaged 5.33 digs per set and also earned a spot on the All-CAA First Team.
Returning for the Cougars is sophomore middle blocker Emma Falk. She led the CAA and ranked third nationally with an average of 1.65 blocks per set last season. Her blocks-per-set average set a CofC single season record.
LAST TIME VERSUS THE COUGARS: Eastern Michigan dropped a four-set match, 11-25, 25-22, 17-25, 15-25 to the College of Charleston in the final day of the CofC Classic, Sept. 10, 2016.
Offensively, the Eagles were led by former Eagles Devon Murray and Kelly Ferguson. Murray finished with a team-high 12 kills, while Ferguson added 10, as the only two Eagles to post double-digit kills. Mallory Rajewski posted a double-double, finishing with 38 assists and 11 digs. Alyssa LaFace led the defensive effort for Eastern Michigan, registering a career-high tying 21 digs.
ALL-TIME VERSUS COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: Friday's match will be the third meeting between the Eagles and Cougars in program history. Each team has found its way to the win column, as EMU took the first match, 3-1, Sept. 15, 2006. CofC had its revenge by defeating Eastern in four sets on Sept. 10, 2016.
CLOSE TIES TO CHARLESTON: Eastern Michigan has some close ties to the College of Charleston, as current EMU Head Coach Darcy Dorton was a volleyball standout for the Cougars. Dorton played for CofC coach Jason Kepner.
Dorton transferred to CofC prior to the 2012 season. In her first season with the Cougars she was named 2012 AVCA All-American Honorable Mention, the first in the program's history, along with AVCA All-South Region and First Team All-Southern Conference. Dorton led the Cougars with a career-best 27 kills in a first round victory in the NCAA Tournament over No. 23 Miami (Fla.). The Muncie, Ind. native led the team in kills with 529, which was the most single-season kills in school history during the rally scoring era. Her 4.20 kills per set in a single season ranked fourth in College of Charleston record books.
SCOUTING INDIANA STATE: Led by fourth-year head coach Lindsay Allman, Indiana State ended the 2021 spring season with a 7-13 record, including a 7-11 Missouri Valley Conference mark.
The Sycamores ranked second in the MVC with a .199 hitting percentage (999-384-3,085) last season. Additionally, ISU averaged 13.3 kills per set and 18.9 digs per set.
Indiana State returns four key players to its roster this season. Sophomore Mallory Keller led the Sycamores with 192 kills (2.56 kps) and ranked fifth in the conference with a .275 hitting percentage (192-83-570). Middle blocker Madeline Williams returns after leading the team with 58.0 total blocks last season. Junior setter Chloe Mason tallied 421 assists (5.47 aps) during the spring, which led the team. Senior Melina Tedrow was ISU's primary libero last season. She finished fourth in the league averaging 5.03 dps (387 total).
LAST TIME VERSUS THE SYCAMORES: Eastern Michigan fell to host Indiana State in four sets, 17-25, 20-25, 25-16, 20-25, in the final day of the Indiana State University Holiday Inn Classic, Sept. 11, 2015.
Stacey Perinar led the Eagles with 19 kills and 17 digs, while Jordan Smith added 13 kills and 11 digs. Alyssa Davis posted 26 assists and 15 digs and Mallory Rajewski recorded 27 assists of her own. Corynne Smith tied Perinar for the team lead in digs with 17 of her own. As a team, the Eagles notched a season-high 11 blocks in the match.
ALL-TIME VERSUS INDIANA STATE: Saturday's match will be the sixth meeting between EMU and ISU in program history. The series between the two programs dates back to the 1976 season, where Eastern took the 2-1 victory.
The Sycamores hold the all-time series advantage with a 3-2 record, and have won the last two meetings.
SCOUTING MONTANA: Led by fifth-year head coach Allison Lawrence, Montana posted a 2-14 overall and Big Sky Conference record during the shortened 2021 spring season.
Montana posted a .147 hitting percentage (712-383-2,239) last season, while its opponents hit a .238 clip (834-299-2,245). The Grizzlies averaged 10.8 kills per set and posted 14.5 digs per set.
UM lost two of its attackers from last season in Sophia Meyers and Amethyst Harper. Meyers posted 179 kills (2.71 kps), while Harper tallied 172 (2.61 kps). However, redshirt senior Peyten Boutwell returns to the Grizzlies' roster after finishing last season with 144 kills and 54 blocks. Senior Sarina Moreno led Montana with 205 digs (3.94 dps), while sophomore Carly Anderson orchestrated the Grizzly offense with 563 assists (8.53 aps).
ALL-TIME VERSUS MONTANA: Saturday's match between Eastern Michigan and Montana will be the second meeting in program history. The two teams met in 1997 at the Michigan Tournament, where the Green and White won in five sets, Sept. 5.
MAC PRESEASON POLL: Eastern Michigan was picked to finish sixth in the Mid-American Conference West Division by the conference's 12 head coaches, the league office announced, Aug. 24. In-state rival Central Michigan was selected to win the MAC West with 63 points and was also picked as the regular-season champion with five first-place votes.
Bowling Green, who received all 12 first-place votes, was pegged to win the MAC East with 72 points. Additionally, BGSU was selected as the MAC Tournament favorite with 10 votes.
East Division (First-place votes)
1. Bowling Green – 72 points (12)
2. Kent State – 53 points
3. Miami – 51 points
4. Ohio – 37 points
5. Akron – 25 points
6. Buffalo – 14 points
West Division (First-place votes)
1. Central Michigan – 63 points (5)
2. Ball State – 60 points (3)
3. Western Michigan – 49 points (3)
4. Toledo – 36 points (1)
5. Northern Illinois – 26 points
6. Eastern Michigan – 18 points
MAC Tournament Champions: Bowling Green (10), Kent State (1), Western Michigan (1)
TROPHY HUNTING: Eastern Michigan will search for its second conference championship in program history in its 42nd season in the Mid-American Conference. The Eagles notched its first MAC Tournament title in 2018 to advance to the NCAA Tournament. The Green and White also claimed the MAC West Division title in 2005, and advanced to its first postseason tournament (Women's Invitational Volleyball Championships) in program history in 1990.
BLOCK PARTY: Redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase will be the middle blocker to watch out for this season for EMU. She concluded the 2020-21 shortened spring season averaging 1.45 blocks per set (100 total), which led the Mid-American Conference. Her 1.45 blocks-per-set average ranked 14th in the nation.
The middle blocker notched a career-high 15 blocks (1-14) in EMU's 3-2 win over Ball State, March 27. Her 15 blocks set a EMU five-set record in the modern statistical era (since 2008). The previous record holder was Sam Falco, who tallied 11 blocks (0-11) at Northern Illinois, Sept. 29, 2017. Additionally, Chase tallied nine blocks (1-8) in a five-set win over Buffalo, Feb. 26. Her nine-block performance tied for fourth in Convocation Center history.
The Toronto, Ontario native led the Eagles in blocks 16 times during the 2021 spring season. Chase has 169 career blocks (26-146).
KILLS FOR BASHAM: Sophomore Samantha Basham returns as a vital outside hitter in the Eagles lineup for the 2021 campaign. She tallied seven 10-plus kill performances during the 2021 spring season, which tied for second on the team. The outside hitter finished the year with 163 total kills (2.12 kps), which ranked third on the team.
Basham notched a career-high 15 kills in EMU's five-set victory at Kent State, Feb. 15. Additionally, she posted a three-match streak, March 16-20, with double-digit kills: at Central Michigan (12), at Miami (11), at Miami (12).
OTTO-MATIC: Sophomore Jayden Otto returns as the "quarterback" of the Eastern Michigan offense for the 2021 season. The setter tallied 40-plus assists in 11 matches last season, and 50-or-more assists in four contests. Otto led the team in assists in every match last spring.
The Crystal Lake, Ill. notched a career-high 58 assists to go along with six digs and two kills. Her 58-assist performance broke an EMU four-set record in the modern statistical era (since 2008). The previous record was held by Kim Hildreth and Mallory Rajewski, who both tallied 56 assists. Hildreth etched her name in the record book at Ball State, Oct. 6, 2012, then Rajewski tied the mark at Northern Illinois, Nov. 10, 2018. Otto's 58 assists against NIU ties for the second-most in the conference.
Otto led the team averaging 10.3 assists per set, which finished fifth in the Mid-American Conference.
CAN YOU DIG IT?: Freshman Bella Hommes looks to be one of Eastern Michigan's primary liberos for the 2021 season. Hommes started as a defensive specialist in the first match during the shortened 2021 spring campaign against Western Michigan, Feb. 4, but then claimed the libero spot for the remaining 19 matches.
The freshman notched a career-high 32 digs in EMU's 3-1 loss at Akron, Feb. 18. In the second match against the Zips, Feb. 19, Hommes tallied another 30-plus dig performance, finishing with 31. The defensive specialist recorded double-figure digs in 17 matches, including two matches with 30+. Hommes led the team in digs 13 times last season and ranked first the team with 383 digs total, averaging 49.1 dps. Her digs-per-set average ranked fourth in the conference.
MAKIN' HISTORE: Eastern Michigan made history last season with its 3-2 win over Central Michigan, March 16. The victory was EMU's 700th win in the program's 45-year history. The Eagles hold a 701-707-16 overall record.
The 1990 squad holds the program wins record with 30 victories. That team became the first EMU volleyball squad to reach a postseason tournament, when the Green and White played in the Women's Invitational Volleyball Championship. The Green and White later claimed the MAC West Division title in 2005, while the Eagles notched their first Mid-American Conference Tournament title in 2018 to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
NEW FACES: Eastern Michigan has four "true" freshmen on this year's roster in Kendall Burk, Mackenzie Gross, Annie Lockett, and Madeline Timmerman.
Burk 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.
Gross, a four-year letterwinner and captain from Grand Haven High School, 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.
Timmerman 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.
TEAM THEME: This season, the 2021 theme of the EMU volleyball team is officially "New Team, Same Dream." The theme represents how different the EMU squad may look this season, but the dream is still to win a Mid-American Conference Championship.
A FAMILY AFFAIR: A native of Detroit, Mich., redshirt freshman Krista Blakely came to EMU as a 'legacy' student-athlete in 2019. Blakely is the daughter of Werner Blakely and Donna (Stevenson) Davis, both of whom were student-athletes at Eastern. Blakely was a four-year letterwinner in football (1988-91), while Davis was a member of the 1990 EMU volleyball team that won a program-record 30 games.
WELCOME ASHLIE: Head Coach Darcy Dorton added assistant coach Ashlie Reasor, a former Division I standout, to the staff over the summer.
Reasor has guided and mentored volleyball student-athletes from the high school to collegiate levels for the last three years. The San Antonio, Texas native spent the last season as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Michigan. During her time with the Wolverines, she worked primarily with the outside and right side hitters on hitting and blocking techniques as well as assisted with recruiting.
During her collegiate career as a right side hitter, Reasor played four seasons at Texas A&M. The San Antonio, Texas native finished with 702 career kills and 246 career blocks for the Aggies While in College Station, Reasor earned AVCA All-South Region honorable mention honors, as well as being named to the Southeast Conference's All-Freshman Team and was a two-time Academic All-SEC honoree. The Aggies won the SEC Championship in 2015 and Reasor also served as a team captain in her senior season.
ILLINOIS PIPELINE: Eastern Michigan has added five players in the past four seasons from the State of Illinois. In 2018, defensive specialist/setter Mackenzie Garis joined the Eagles, and in 2019 setter Jayden Otto followed suit, both from Prairie Ridge in Crystal Lake, Ill. In 2020-21, the Green and White added newcomer Olivia Szylar who hails from Itasca, Ill. This season, EMU signed Kendall Burk and Madeline Timmerman. Burk comes to Ypsilanti from Bloomington, Ill., while Timmerman also hails from Crystal Lake, Ill.
ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan returns to the Mitten to compete in the Golden Grizzlies Invitational, Sept. 4-5. The Eagles will play host to Bradley University Saturday, Sept. 4 at 3 p.m. inside the Convocation Center to open the tournament. The following day, the Green and White will challenge the host Oakland at 2 p.m. in Rochester, Mich.
FOLLOW THE ACTION ALL SEASON LONG: Stay connected with the Eagles all season long by following @EMUVolleyball and @EMUAthletics on Twitter for all of the latest EMU volleyball updates. Be sure to also follow the Green and White on Instagram, @EMU_Volleyball.
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/ VolleyballVolleyball Highlights vs. Kent State, Oct. 9, 2025
Friday, October 10
Ava Siefke Career-High 22-Kill Match Highlight
Sunday, October 05
Volleyball Highlights vs. Bowling Green, Oct. 3, 2025
Saturday, October 04
EMU Volleyball 2025 Team Impact Signing
Friday, October 03