Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Volleyball Prepares for Season No. 47
8/23/2022 3:11:00 PM | Volleyball
The 2022 campaign begins at the Spartan Invitational in East Lansing, Mich.
Season Preview Interview
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan volleyball Head Coach Darcy Dorton announced the program's 2022 season schedule, today Aug. 23. The 2022 campaign will open at the Spartan Invitational in East Lansing, Mich., Friday, Aug. 26, at noon against the University of Louisiana. This year's team welcomes back nine total returners with seven new faces.
The program's 47th season began with the promotion of Assistant Coach Tyler Golsteyn to Associate Head Coach back in early May of 2022. Additionally, former standout at Purdue University and All-American libero Jena Otec joined the staff in mid-April as the final piece of the dream team.
The Eagles put their training to the test with a scrimmage against Ferris State University Saturday Aug. 20, in the George Gervin GameAbove Center, in preparation for the upcoming season.
Looking to improve from their 2021 campaign, the Eagles will take the court in 12 non-conference matches beginning Friday, Aug. 26, with opponents coming from 10 different leagues before seeing Mid-American Conference play. The MACtion will begin with the Green and White's home opener against the University of Toledo Thursday, Sept. 22, at 6 p.m. in the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
This season, the Eagles opened their nest to four true freshman, and three transfers to complete their "soar of eagles", with key returners such as Raeven Chase (Toronto, Ont.- Michael Power Saint Joseph Catholic), and Samantha Basham (Granville, Ohio-Newark Catholic). Chase led the conference in total blocks (135) while Basham posted a total of 361 kills on the season. Both were named to All-MAC teams with Chase earning first, and Basham second.
OUTSIDE HITTERS
The 2022-23 roster will return three outside hitters, highlighted by Basham and senior Krista Blakely (Detroit, Mich.-University High School Academy), while adding four newcomers including Callie Minshew (Brandon, Miss.- Brandon High School- Mississippi State), a transfer and former standout at Mississippi State University.
During the traditional 2021 season, Basham was named to the All-MAC Second-Team after a stellar junior year performance. Playing in all 29 matches for the Eagles, the Ohio-native led the team in kills (361), kills per set (3.34), points (402.5), and points per set (3.73).
Blakely saw action in all 29 matches with 20 starts, amassing 110 sets played. She finished the 2021 season with 253 kills, 2.3 kills per set, 73 total blocks, and 2.66 points per set. The Detroit native set a career high of 17 kills in a four-set victory over Miami University (Oct. 15).
Back for her sophomore season is Mackenzie Gross (Grand Haven, Mich.-Grand Haven) as the remaining outside hitter of the 2022 returners. Gross appeared in six matches, posting nine kills in 11 total sets.
Joining Minshew in the group of newcomers is a transfer from Lamar University, Emily Surin (Plainfield, Ill.- Joliet Catholic- Lamar). Surin saw action in 70 sets with the Cardinals, earning 90 kills on 311 swings.
Rounding out the 2022 outside hitters are freshman Sabrina Gremm (North Royalton, Ohio- Gilmour Academy) and Jessica Wilson (Kirtland, Ohio-Lake Catholic).
MIDDLE BLOCKERS
Entering her final season as an Eagle, Chase's name appears in the program's record book over 10 times since the start of her career. She currently holds the program's all-time single match record for block assists with 14 coming against Ball State University (Mar. 27, 2021), and second in program's total blocks during a single season (135) in 2021.
Returning to Chase's side is sophomore Madeline Timmerman (Crystal Lake, Ill.- Central High School). Timmerman comes off an outstanding rookie season, where she posted 126 kills on 393 attempts and an impressive 59 total blocks.
Adding to the middles is transfer MeKayla Koger (Mansfield, Texas-Lake Ridge- Sam Houston State). Koger joins the Eagle's after a one-year stint at Sam Houston State University. There, the Texas native appeared in five matches, tallying a pair of kills on nine swings.
SETTERS
The team of redshirt-freshman Kendall Burk (Bloomington, Ill.-University) and junior Olivia Szylar (Itasca, Ill.-Lake Park) are looking to make an impact this season as the team's primary setters. Szylar made an appearance in six matches during the 2021 campaign and earned an assist against Oakland University (Sept. 5) while Burk looks for her career debut in the 2022 season.
DEFENSIVE SPECIALISTS
Senior Kamyrn Stilwell (Parma, Ohio- Padua Franciscan) and junior Bella Hommes (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern) are joined by two new defensive specialists -- freshmen Carlina Bender (Hudsonville, Mich.-Hudsonville), and Emma McMahon (Monroeville, Ind.-Bellmont).
In her junior season at EMU, Stilwell led the Eagles in total digs (513) with an astounding career high of 30 in a single match against Western Michigan University (Sept. 23). The Ohio-native enters her senior season at Eastern in the 2022 volleyball campaign.
Hommes served as EMU's primary libero in 2021, playing in 28 matches, 104 sets, and tallying 203 digs, 33 assists, and 18 service aces. Hommes collected a season-high 17 digs at Bowling Green (Oct. 23) and another season high four assists in a four-set road victory over the University of Illinois-Chicago (Sept. 10).
Both Bender and McMahon join the team as true freshman.
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.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan volleyball Head Coach Darcy Dorton announced the program's 2022 season schedule, today Aug. 23. The 2022 campaign will open at the Spartan Invitational in East Lansing, Mich., Friday, Aug. 26, at noon against the University of Louisiana. This year's team welcomes back nine total returners with seven new faces.
The program's 47th season began with the promotion of Assistant Coach Tyler Golsteyn to Associate Head Coach back in early May of 2022. Additionally, former standout at Purdue University and All-American libero Jena Otec joined the staff in mid-April as the final piece of the dream team.
The Eagles put their training to the test with a scrimmage against Ferris State University Saturday Aug. 20, in the George Gervin GameAbove Center, in preparation for the upcoming season.
Looking to improve from their 2021 campaign, the Eagles will take the court in 12 non-conference matches beginning Friday, Aug. 26, with opponents coming from 10 different leagues before seeing Mid-American Conference play. The MACtion will begin with the Green and White's home opener against the University of Toledo Thursday, Sept. 22, at 6 p.m. in the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
This season, the Eagles opened their nest to four true freshman, and three transfers to complete their "soar of eagles", with key returners such as Raeven Chase (Toronto, Ont.- Michael Power Saint Joseph Catholic), and Samantha Basham (Granville, Ohio-Newark Catholic). Chase led the conference in total blocks (135) while Basham posted a total of 361 kills on the season. Both were named to All-MAC teams with Chase earning first, and Basham second.
OUTSIDE HITTERS
The 2022-23 roster will return three outside hitters, highlighted by Basham and senior Krista Blakely (Detroit, Mich.-University High School Academy), while adding four newcomers including Callie Minshew (Brandon, Miss.- Brandon High School- Mississippi State), a transfer and former standout at Mississippi State University.
During the traditional 2021 season, Basham was named to the All-MAC Second-Team after a stellar junior year performance. Playing in all 29 matches for the Eagles, the Ohio-native led the team in kills (361), kills per set (3.34), points (402.5), and points per set (3.73).
Blakely saw action in all 29 matches with 20 starts, amassing 110 sets played. She finished the 2021 season with 253 kills, 2.3 kills per set, 73 total blocks, and 2.66 points per set. The Detroit native set a career high of 17 kills in a four-set victory over Miami University (Oct. 15).
Back for her sophomore season is Mackenzie Gross (Grand Haven, Mich.-Grand Haven) as the remaining outside hitter of the 2022 returners. Gross appeared in six matches, posting nine kills in 11 total sets.
Joining Minshew in the group of newcomers is a transfer from Lamar University, Emily Surin (Plainfield, Ill.- Joliet Catholic- Lamar). Surin saw action in 70 sets with the Cardinals, earning 90 kills on 311 swings.
Rounding out the 2022 outside hitters are freshman Sabrina Gremm (North Royalton, Ohio- Gilmour Academy) and Jessica Wilson (Kirtland, Ohio-Lake Catholic).
MIDDLE BLOCKERS
Entering her final season as an Eagle, Chase's name appears in the program's record book over 10 times since the start of her career. She currently holds the program's all-time single match record for block assists with 14 coming against Ball State University (Mar. 27, 2021), and second in program's total blocks during a single season (135) in 2021.
Returning to Chase's side is sophomore Madeline Timmerman (Crystal Lake, Ill.- Central High School). Timmerman comes off an outstanding rookie season, where she posted 126 kills on 393 attempts and an impressive 59 total blocks.
Adding to the middles is transfer MeKayla Koger (Mansfield, Texas-Lake Ridge- Sam Houston State). Koger joins the Eagle's after a one-year stint at Sam Houston State University. There, the Texas native appeared in five matches, tallying a pair of kills on nine swings.
SETTERS
The team of redshirt-freshman Kendall Burk (Bloomington, Ill.-University) and junior Olivia Szylar (Itasca, Ill.-Lake Park) are looking to make an impact this season as the team's primary setters. Szylar made an appearance in six matches during the 2021 campaign and earned an assist against Oakland University (Sept. 5) while Burk looks for her career debut in the 2022 season.
DEFENSIVE SPECIALISTS
Senior Kamyrn Stilwell (Parma, Ohio- Padua Franciscan) and junior Bella Hommes (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern) are joined by two new defensive specialists -- freshmen Carlina Bender (Hudsonville, Mich.-Hudsonville), and Emma McMahon (Monroeville, Ind.-Bellmont).
In her junior season at EMU, Stilwell led the Eagles in total digs (513) with an astounding career high of 30 in a single match against Western Michigan University (Sept. 23). The Ohio-native enters her senior season at Eastern in the 2022 volleyball campaign.
Hommes served as EMU's primary libero in 2021, playing in 28 matches, 104 sets, and tallying 203 digs, 33 assists, and 18 service aces. Hommes collected a season-high 17 digs at Bowling Green (Oct. 23) and another season high four assists in a four-set road victory over the University of Illinois-Chicago (Sept. 10).
Both Bender and McMahon join the team as true freshman.
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.
Players Mentioned
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