Volleyball Looks to Continue Hot Start With Four-Match Weekend

Volleyball at Chick-fil-A Robinson Classic/Vs. Illinois State
Dates/Times	Friday-Sunday \| Sept. 4-6
Venues	UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, Pittsburgh, Pa. \| UPMC Events Center, Moon Township, Pa. \| George Gervin GameAbove Center, Ypsilanti, Mich.
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF) \| EMU Media Guide
Watch Live	at Duquesne \| at Robert Morris \| vs. Elon
Live Stats	at Duquesne \| at Robert Morris \| vs. Elon \| vs. Illinois State
Twitter	@EMUVolleyball \| @EMUAthletics
Instagram	@emu_volleyball \| @emuathletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team aims for its first 4-0 start since the 2012 season as it's slated for three matches at the Chick-fil-A Robinson Classic, co-hosted by Duquesne and Robert Morris in the greater Pittsburgh area. Eastern will take on Duquesne at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse Friday, Sept. 4, 11 a.m., before facing Robert Morris at the UPMC Events Center later that day, 6 p.m. The Eagles take on Elon Saturday, Sept. 5, 12 p.m., before returning to Ypsilanti to open the home portion of the 2026 season against Illinois State Sunday, Sept. 6, 2:30 p.m.

Admission is free at the George Gervin GameAbove Center and fans can follow the action using the watch and live stats links 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 is off to its best start since 2018. A 4-0 start would mark the best since 2012 and the longest winning streak since 2018.
» 49.5% of Eastern's 205.0 total points have been scored by the freshman class.
» Azra Eriç, Bianca Salvador, and Surabhi Srinivasan were named USI Invitational All-Tournament Team, Aug. 29.
» Azra Eriç currently leads the MAC in blocks (1.83) and aces per set (0.67). Eastern leads the conference in aces per set (2.33) and ranks third in blocks per set (3.08).
» Eastern most recently won the USI Invitational, hosted by Southern Indiana, Aug. 28-29.
» 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 187-151 career record and 34-62 mark at EMU.

SERIES HISTORIES
Duquesne: Eastern Michigan and Duquesne are meeting for the sixth time. Eastern holds a 3-2 record against the Dukes and a 1-0 mark when facing them on the road after a sweep on Aug. 29, 2003. EMU last met Duquesne in the 2024 campaign, a 3-2 win in favor of the Dukes, Sept. 14.

Robert Morris: The Eagles and Colonials are facing off for the seventh time. Eastern is 4-2 against RMU, 2-1 on the road, and last faced Robert Morris, Sept. 14, 2018, a five-set loss in Moon Township.

Elon: Eastern and Elon are meeting for the first time.

Illinois State: Eastern and ISU meet for the second time. They first met in the 2015 season, a 3-1 win for Illinois State at the Flyer Invitational, hosted by Dayton.

HOT START
Eastern is off to its best start since 2018 when it also started 3-0. A 4-0 start would mark the best since it started 4-0 in 2012, while any additional win throughout the week would serve as the best start since a 10-0 spurt to start the 2010 season.

WINNING STREAKS
Eastern's three-game win streak ties the longest in the Foeman era. EMU hasn't won four straight games since 2018 when it rattled off five consecutive wins that concluded in the program's only MAC Tournament Championship, Nov. 18. The run also featured Eastern's last five-game winning streak. EMU last won six straight in 2012, Sept. 1-8, and it last won seven consecutive games in 2011 when it posted eight straight victories, Aug. 27-Sept. 9.

AZRA ERIÇ STRONG OPENING WEEK
Azra Eriç is coming off a strong opening weekend at the USI Invitational, Aug. 28-29. Eriç averaged 1.83 blocks per set to lead the Eagles' defense at the net as her best defensive performance came in the season opener against Northern Illinois, where she totaled 11 blocks with nine kills, and three aces in the five-set win. Eriç currently leads the MAC in both total blocks (22) and blocks per set (1.83). Her 11 blocks against NIU are the fourth-most nationally by value while her 0.67 aces per set also ties for the MAC lead. Her four aces in the sweep against Murray State, Aug. 29, are the second-most by an individual in the conference. Altogether, she averaged 3.00 points, 1.42 kills, 0.67 aces, and 0.25 digs per set while totaling a .229 hitting percentage and helping EMU limit its opponents to a .156 clip.

BIANCA SALVADOR NCAA DEBUT
Bianca Salvador started her NCAA career with an incredible performance, recording 20 kills off a .472 hitting percentage, with two aces, one block, and 12 digs. Salvador is the only player in the nation this season to record a game with at least 20 kills while hitting .472 or better with a double-double. Additionally, her 20 kills are the second-most in a single match in the MAC.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Azra Eriç, Bianca Salvador, and Surabhi Srinivasan were named USI Invitational All-Tournament Team after leading the Eagles to a tournament championship with wins over NIU (3-2) and Southern Indiana (3-1), Aug. 28, before topping Murray State (3-0), Aug. 29. Eriç recorded 1.83 blocks, 0.67 aces, and 3.00 points per set. Salvador posted 20 kills of a .472 hitting percentage with 12 digs in her lone contest against NIU, and Srinivasan recorded 4.25 digs per set with a career-best 27 against Murray State.

FRESHMEN FOCUSED
Eastern's freshmen class has accounted for 49.5% of the team's 205.0 points. Haley Trosky leads the freshmen with 32.0 points, the second-most on the team. She is followed by Maddie Herman (23.5), Olivia Beaudrie (22.5), Nattie Slusher (21.5), and Lina Govoni (2.0). Govoni also leads the team in assists, averaging 4.91 per set in the 6-2 system.

TROSKY HOMECOMING
Freshman Haley Trosky returns to her hometown of Pittsburgh where she attended West Allegheny High School. Trosky began her career with a nine-kill, seven-block debut in a win over NIU, Aug. 28, before securing her first double-digit kill game with 11 against Southern Indiana, Aug. 28, totaling 12.5 points in each match. Trosky is currently averaging 2.67 points, 2.17 kills, and 1.00 blocks per set.

High School Highlights: Earned Class 3A Section 1 All-Star First Team, WPIAL Class 3A All-Star Third Team, and three West Allegheny Student-Athlete of the Week awards in 2025…Also named Beaver County Times Preseason Player of the Year in 2024 and 2025…In 2024, earned Class 3A Section 1 All-Star First Team honors to go with WPIAL Class 3A All-Star Third Team recognition…In 2023, named Class 3A Section 2 All-Star Second Team and WPIAL Class 3A Trib Player of the Week.

ERIÇ HOMECOMING
Azra Eriç will face off against her former team when EMU meets Robert Morris in Moon Township, Sept. 4. Eriç appeared in 250 sets and 67 matches over three seasons as a Colonial. She averaged 0.88 blocks, 0.22 aces, 1.06 kills, and 1.78 points per set.

BEAUDRIE AND SLUSHER EMERGENCE
Freshmen Olivia Beaudrie and Nattie Slusher stepped up in the absence of Salvador in games against Southern Indiana, Aug. 28, and Murray State, Aug. 29. Beaudrie posted eight kills off a .240 clip with eight digs and three blocks against the Screaming Eagles, before landing four aces with nine kills, and 11 digs versus Murray State. Slusher had eight kills against USI and nine against the Racers, recording two blocks in each match.

SRINIVASAN TIES CAREER HIGH
Senior Surabhi Srinivasan tied a career high with 27 digs in the win over Southern Indiana, Aug. 28. Srinivasan's 27 digs are the most in one match in the conference while she ranks third in the MAC with 4.25 digs per set. The libero has recorded double-digit digs in all three games this season.

BIG-TIME BLOCKERS
Eastern ranks 23rd nationally and third in the MAC with 3.08 blocks per set. EMU is the only MAC team with three players ranking inside the conference top 10 in the category. Azra Eriç paces the MAC and ranks 15th in the country with 1.83 blocks per set, while Taeley Mahler and Maddie Herman tie for ninth in the conference at 1.08 per set.

LETHAL FROM THE LINE
The Eagles lead the MAC and rank 17th in the country, averaging 2.33 aces per set. Eastern's 12 aces against Murray State, Aug. 29 are the most in one game in the MAC. Azra Eriç is tied for the conference lead with 0.67 aces per set and Olivia Beaudrie ranks second with 0.57 per set.

SUCCESS IN TOURNAMENT PLAY
Eastern has seen success in non-conference tournaments under Kevin Foeman. Since the 2024 season, the Eagles post a 17-10 record in non-conference tournaments.

51 YEARS OF VOLLEYBALL IN YPSI
Eastern is opening its 51st year of volleyball against Illinois State Sunday. Overall, EMU is 34-15-1 in home opening games after sweeping Purdue Fort Wayne last season, Sept. 4.

UP NEXT
Eastern stays in the Mitten State for the Golden Grizzly Invitational, hosted by Oakland Friday-Saturday, Sept. 11-12. It will face Montana and UAB, Sept. 11, and Oakland, Sept. 12.

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.

Volleyball Looks to Continue Hot Start With Four-Match Weekend

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Olivia Beaudrie

Lina Govoni

Maddie Herman

Taeley Mahler

Bianca Salvador

Nattie Slusher

Surabhi Srinivasan

Haley Trosky

Eastern Michigan Athletics