Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, August 28
Evansville, Ind.
10 a.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Northern Illinois
Volleyball Opens 2026 Season at USI Invitational Friday-Saturday
8/26/2026 12:13:00 PM | Volleyball
Eagles will kick off the season with two games Friday, Aug. 28, and one game Saturday, Aug. 29
| Volleyball at USI Invitational | |
| Dates/Times | Friday-Saturday | Aug. 28-29 |
| Venue | Liberty Arena | Evansville, Ind. |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes (PDF) |
| Watch Live | at Southern Indiana |
| Live Stats | Sidearm Live Stats |
| @EMUVolleyball | @EMUAthletics | |
| @emu_volleyball | @emuathletics | |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team is set to open the 2026 season at the USI Invitational, hosted by the University of Southern Indiana, at Liberty Arena, in Evansville, Friday-Saturday, Aug. 28-29. The Eagles will square off against former Mid-American Conference opponent, Northern Illinois, Friday, 10 a.m., before facing the host Screaming Eagles later that day, 7 p.m. EMU wraps up the tournament with a match against Murray State Saturday, 11 a.m.
Fans can follow along with the action using the live stats link that can be found on the EMU volleyball schedule page at emueagles.com/volleyball/schedule. Fans can also follow the team's social media accounts on X, Instagram, and Facebook @EMUVolleyball for live in-match updates. A post-match recap will also be posted to EMUEagles.com following the game.
FIRST SERVES
» Eastern has 14 newcomers, the second-most nationally. It returns six players from the 2025 roster.
» Eastern has eight freshmen, its most since at least the 1999 season.
» Eastern lost 75% of its points scored in the 2025 season, including 73% of its total kills, 92% of its solo blocks, and 79% of its block assists. Setting wise, the team lost 89% of its total assists.
» Head Coach Kevin Foeman and Asst. Coach/Director of Operations Remy Foeman are married and have three children. They are one of six married couples coaching together at the NCAA Division I level.
» Head Coach Kevin Foeman is entering his fourth season at the helm of the program and his 11th year as a head coach. Overall, he holds a 184-151 career record and 31-62 mark at EMU.
» Eastern will play 10 of its 12 non-conference games on the road, with its lone two home games slated for Sept. 6 and Sept. 18, facing Illinois State and Cornell, respectively.
SERIES HISTORIES
Northern Illinois: Eastern Michigan and former MAC foe, NIU, are meeting for the 70th time and just the third time at a neutral site. Eastern holds a 30-39 record against the Huskies after dropping a 3-0 decision in DeKalb last season. The match also marks the first meeting between the teams as non-conference opponents.
Southern Indiana: Eastern Michigan and Southern Indiana are meeting for the first time.
Murray State: The Eagles and Racers are meeting for the third time. Eastern has yet to take a match against Murray State as it holds an 0-2 mark against the Racers. Eastern last met MSU Sept. 20, 2019, a 3-0 loss in West Lafayette, Ind., as all three matches between the institutions will have taken place in the Hoosier State.
SECOND-MOST NEWCOMERS NATIONALLY
Eastern welcomes eight freshmen and six transfers, totaling 14 newcomers to the program in 2026, the second-most nationally. Alabama State leads with 15 while Georgia Southern also has 14 newcomers.
EMU Newcomers: No. 1, Lina Govoni (S-Fr.), No. 2, Kayla Ostrander (DS/L-Fr.), No. 3, Nattie Slusher (OH-Fr.), No. 4, Olivia Stewart (MB-Fr.), No. 5, Maddie Herman (MB-Fr.), No. 8, Bianca Salvador (OH-Jr.), No. 9, Mia Schaefer (DS/L-Jr.), No. 10, Haley Trosky (OH/OPP-Fr.), No. 11, Mya Eberlein (MB-Fr.), No. 12, Olivia Beaudrie (OH/DS-Fr.), No. 14, Julia Johnson (S-Jr.), No. 18, Azra Eriç (MB-Sr.), No. 19, Lily Spark (OH-Fr.), and No. 21, Zaria Ragler (MB-Gr.).
Additionally, Eastern's eight freshmen are its most since at least 1999.
LIMITED RETURNERS
Eastern returns just six players from the 2025 roster, including No. 6, Madelyn Sipe (DS/L-So.), No. 7, Kaylin Richter (S/DS-So.), No. 13, Arynn Randle El (OH/RS-So.), No. 16, Surabhi Srinivasan (DS/L-Sr.), No. 17, Taeley Mahler (OH/OPP-Jr.), and No. 20, AshleeKay Christensen (OH-So.).
SHOES TO FILL
With 13 departing student-athletes, Eastern lost 75% of its points scored in the 2025 season, including 73% of its total kills, 92% of its solo blocks, and 79% of its block assists. Setting wise, the team lost 89% of its total assists. Despite returning its digs leader, Surabhi Srinivasan (386/3.48 per set), the Eagles lost 70% of their total digs.
KEY RETURNER: SURABHI SRINIVASAN
Senior defensive specialist/libero Surabhi Srinivasan is entering her fourth season with the program. She experienced a break-out year in 2025, earning Academic All-MAC and CSC Academic All-District honors after she nearly tripled her dig total from 2024 with a career and team high 386 digs on the season for 3.48 per set. The 3.48 digs per set ranked seventh in the MAC while her 386 total digs slotted ninth.
KEY RETURNER: ASHLEEKAY CHRISTENSEN
Sophomore outside hitter AshleeKay Christensen looks to build after a productive rookie campaign that saw her post 11 matches with double-digit kills. She averaged 2.50 kills per set and 1.14 digs per set with 17 total blocks. Christensen opened the year with a strong all-around performance at Radford, Aug. 29, 2025, recording 18 kills on 39 attacks. Her 18 kills that day were the most by an EMU freshman in an NCAA debut in the modern statistical era. She put down a career-best 20 kills off a .326 hitting percentage with five digs and one block in a win over Southern Illinois, Sept. 12, 2025.
KEY RETURNER: TAELEY MAHLER
Junior outside hitter/opposite Taeley Mahler returns to the Eagles after posting career highs in kills per set (1.74), blocks per set (0.74), points per set (2.13), and hitting percentage (.203) in 2025. Mahler had four games with 10+ kills last season, highlighted by a career-best 15-kill showing off a .481 hitting percentage against Kent State, Oct. 10.
IT'S JUST HAIR
Taeley Mahler was diagnosed with alopecia areata in the spring of 2026 and she opted to shave her head in July. Embracing her situation, Mahler has gained attention on social media for her diagnosis as she now acts as a role model for many young women with the condition.
FRESHMEN FRENZY
Eastern freshmen Lina Govoni, Maddie Herman, and Haley Trosky are all expected to see significant playing time in the season's early-going. Herman and Trosky joined the team in the winter 2026 semester while Govoni arrived in the fall.
For more information on Govoni, see page No. 9
For more information on Herman, see page No. 13
For more information on Trosky, see page No. 18
KEY TRANSFER: BIANCA SALVADOR
Third-year outside hitter Bianca Salvador joins the team from Trinity Valley Community College. She earned consecutive NJCAA All-American and Region 16 Player of the Year nods while leading her teams to back-to-back NJCAA Region 16 Championships. Salvador won it with Missouri State West Plains in 2024 before doing it at Trinity Valley the following season.
For more information on Salvador, see page No. 16
KEY TRANSFER: MIA SCHAEFER
Junior defensive specialist/libero Mia Schaefer arrives in Ypsilanti after two seasons at Niagara. She excelled in her sophomore campaign, Earning MAAC Libero of the Year and All-mAAC Second Team honors. She averaged 5.44 digs per set last season, ranking third in the nation while pacing the MAAC. She notably totaled 33 digs in a five-set win over Merrimack, Nov. 15, 2025.
For more information on Salvador, see page No. 17
KEY TRANSFER: AZRA ERIÇ
Fourth-year middle blocker Azra Eriç brings experience to the front row after three seasons at Robert Morris. Eriç has by far the most NCAA experience on the team by matches and sets played, having appeared in 340 sets over 85 contests. Last season, she averaged career highs with 1.17 kills per set and 2.26 points per set. She was a force at the net in her sophomore season, posting 1.17 blocks per set while landing 37 aces.
For more information on Salvador, see page No. 25
SHORT HISTORY ON FOEMAN
Head Coach Kevin Foeman is entering his fourth season at the helm of the program and his 11th year as a head coach. Overall, he holds a 184-151 career record and 31-62 mark at EMU. His previous stops include Division II Ashland University (2018-22), where he won four division titles and the 2022 GMAC Regular Season Championship. Foeman also coached at Lake Erie College (2015-17), where he led the program to their first postseason appearance in its history in 2016.
DUAL SPORT COACH?
Kevin Foeman had a prolific playing career in baseball. He was one of the best baseball players to come out of the University of Mary Washington, as he was named All-American during the 2003-04 season. An All-Region player, Foeman garnered three first-team all-conference honors and was named regional pitcher of the year twice. Foeman holds numerous records, as he has the most career wins (33), strikeouts (360), and complete games (22) at Mary Washington. He also holds records for wins in a season, strikeouts in a season, and complete games. Foeman led the Eagles to three NCAA tournament appearances as they were nominated for the D3Baseball.com team of the decade. He was inducted into the Mary Washington Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
After his time at Mary Washington, Foeman played for numerous minor league teams, starting in the San Francisco Giants organization, from 2006-12.
THE FOEMANS
Head Coach Kevin Foeman and Asst. Coach/Director of Operations Remy Foeman are married and have three children. They are one of six married couples coaching together at the NCAA Division I level. The duo began their coaching careers together at Hillsdale College in 2014 and have since gone on to lead programs at Lake Erie College and Ashland University prior to landing in Ypsilanti.
COACHES LOVE COACHES
Much like Kevin Foeman and Remy Foeman are married, first year assistant Sidney Clarke is married to the Eagles' Head Soccer Coach, Taylor Clarke. Together, they have a son, Porter.
ASSISTANT TIES
Sophie Dahn and Sidney Clarke return to the Eagles as assistant coaches. Dahn joins Foeman after playing under his guidance at Ashland University for four years as a defensive specialist/libero. During her time at Ashland, she was named to the GLIAC All-Academic Excellence, GMAC All-Academic Excellence, and was a three-time Division Champion. Clarke played and coached under Foeman, as she played on Foeman's Lake Erie College teams, being appointed to two all-conference teams. She also served with him as an assistant at Ashland for three seasons.
SUCCESS IN NON-CON SEASON
Eastern looks to continue its success in non-conference tournaments under Head Coach Kevin Foeman. Since 2024, Eastern holds a 14-10 record in non-con tourneys including an 8-4 record last season, including a tournament win at the EMU Tournament, Sept. 4-6, as Eastern went 3-0 in matches and won nine of the 10 sets it played.
ON THE ROAD A LOT
Eastern will play 10 of its 12 non-conference games on the road, with its lone two home games slated for Sept. 6 and Sept. 18, facing Illinois State and Cornell, respectively.
A LOOK AHEAD
EMU is set for 28 regular-season matches (12 non-conference, 16 conference), 10 of which will take place at the George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti, and 18 of which will be played on the road. Eastern will venture outside of MAC play often, as it will face opponents from nine different conferences. Postseason action will begin, Nov. 20, with the MAC Tournament, hosted by Ball State in Muncie, Ind.
UP NEXT
Eastern heads to the Steel City for a trio of matches at the Chick-fil-A Robinson classic, co-hosted by Duquesne and Robert Morris Friday-Saturday, Sept. 4-5. Outside of the Dukes and Colonials, EMU will face the Elon Phoenix.
FOLLOW US
Stay connected with the Eagles all season long by following @EMUVolleyball and @EMUAthletics on X for all of the latest EMU volleyball updates. Be sure to also follow the Green and White on Instagram @EMU_Volleyball and @emuathletics.
Players Mentioned
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