Big Ten Snapshots: Michigan State Is All Grown Up
Big Ten Snapshots: Michigan State Is All Grown Up
Michigan State head coach Cathy George is looking for something better than the 5-15 Big Ten record her team posted in 2018.
In the world of NCAA women’s volleyball, there’s no conference quite like the Big Ten. Heading into the 2019 season, seven of the 14 teams appeared in the AVCA preseason top-25 poll. Five of those seven ranked in the top 10.
FloVolleyball will be your go-to spot to stream Big Ten matches this season. Click here for the schedule of matches.
*Schedule is subject to change. Every Big Ten's women's volleyball match available on BTN Plus also will be available live and on-demand on FloVolleyball.
This week, we're bringing you a quick rundown of all 14 teams in the Big Ten, so you can know what to expect as teams get the season rolling this weekend.
Michigan State Spartans
2018 Record: 17-16 (5-15 Big Ten)
2018 Postseason: N/A
AVCA National Preseason Ranking: N/A
Big Ten Preseason Ranking: 9
Michigan State head coach Cathy George is looking for something better than the 5-15 Big Ten record her team posted in 2018.
“This season, as you all know is going to be a challenging one in that the Big Ten is as strong as ever, but we came off of a year that we would like to see improved,” George said in an episode of Spartans All-Access, a series produced by the MSU athletics department.
"What is this program this year going to speak to, and how are you going to remember it?"
— Spartan Vision (@Spartan_Vision) August 21, 2019
Coach George | @MichStVB pic.twitter.com/4XShIJwjWv
In order to achieve that goal, George brought in transfer setter Audrey Alford, a graduate student who played three years at Oklahoma. With this addition, the competition will be stiff at the setter position as Alford joins a depth chart that also includes sophomore Elena Shklyar and senior Maggie Midgette, who both saw time at the setter position last fall.
After being the youngest team in the Big Ten last year, MSU has a bit more experience heading into 2019. The Spartans graduated just one player, however, 2018 senior Maddie Haggerty will be tough to replace—she ranked second on the team with 257 kills and earned team MVP honors.
Two days to go ... check out the second installment of the Spartan Vision All-Access to our preseason. pic.twitter.com/iLEi5FjEgz
— MSU Volleyball (@MichStVB) August 28, 2019
Returning leading scorer Alyssa Chronowski may take on an even heavier offensive load in Haggerty’s absence, but the group of returning Spartan hitters also includes Naya Gros, Rebecka Poljan, Molly Johnson, and Meredith Norris.
Among the group of three freshmen making their debut in East Lansing this fall, look for 6-4 middle Emma Monks to make the most immediate impact. The product of Assumption High School and KIVA in Louisville, Kentucky, posted an impressive 14 blocks (four of them solo) in the Green & White Exhibition on Aug. 23.
Any Spartans in the Carolinas/Northeast Georgia? We'd LOVE to see you in Charleston to root us on at the CofC Classic! pic.twitter.com/6a8XLKaMCJ
— MSU Volleyball (@MichStVB) August 26, 2019
Watch Michigan State in action this season on FloVolleyball. Upcoming matches below.
*Schedule subject to change.
Aug. 30 Michigan State vs. Duke 4:30 PM ET
Aug. 31 Michigan State vs. College of Charleston 7 PM ET
Sept. 6 Michigan State vs. Indiana State 12:30 PM ET
Sept. 6 Michigan State vs. Cincinnati 7:30 PM ET
Sept. 7 Michigan State vs. Tennessee 1:30 PM ET
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