Volleyball unveils 2023 schedule
HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech volleyball team announced its 2023 schedule on Wednesday (April 12). The Huskies will play 29 matches in the fall with 18 GLIAC contests and 10 games at the SDC Gym. Nine of their opponents went to the NCAA Tournament last season and seven were ranked in the AVCA Top 25.
"We've set a pre-GLIAC schedule that will provide a great challenge to our young team this fall," Head Coach Matt Jennings said. "I am excited for the opportunity to play so many top teams our first two weekends for a number of reasons. I think it'll prepare us well for another challenging GLIAC season and elevate our play within our own region this year. Exposure to and the chance to compete with top teams only makes us better, elevates our own game, and allows our talented group to go up against some of D2's best programs.
"We return five starters or players who have had significant time for us over the past two seasons while bringing in a large group that will no doubt make a huge impact early on. We'll be as deep at each position as we've been in a long time, and between that and the level at which we think this group can play, there's a lot to be excited about looking forward to this season and the foreseeable future for the Huskies."
Tech begins the season at home with its only nonconference home match of the season against Winona State on August 31. The match is part of the Northern Michigan Tournament the following couple of days in Marquette where the Huskies will match up against Concordia-St. Paul (Sept. 1), Minnesota Crookston (Sept. 2), and Hillsdale (Sept. 2). CSP was the National Runner-Up in 2023 and Hillsdale also went to the NCAA Tournament.
The Huskies travel to the Up North Volleyball Tournament hosted by Minnesota Duluth the following weekend with three teams that appeared in the national tournament on the docket. Tech opens against host UMD (Sept. 7) on Thursday. St. Cloud State (Sept. 8), Southern New Hampshire (Sept. 9), and Central Washington (Sept. 9) are other opponents. UMD, SCSU, and SNHU all went to the NCAA Tournament in 2023.
The GLIAC schedule gets underway the following weekend with a pair of home matches against Grand Valley State (Sept. 15) and Davenport (Sept. 16). Tech then travels to Parkside (Sept. 22) and Purdue Northwest (Sept. 23).
The Black and Gold play five straight at home with Northern Michigan (Sept. 26), Lake Superior State (Sept. 29), Ferris State (Sept. 30), Purdue Northwest (Oct. 6), and Parkside (Oct. 7).
Nonconference play wraps up at the annual Midwest Region Crossover on Oct. 13-14 in Hammond, Indiana. Tech will play three non-conference opponents at the 15th annual crossover.
The Huskies remain on the road for five straight at Saginaw Valley State (Oct. 20), Wayne State (Oct. 21), Davenport (Oct. 28), Grand Valley State (Oct. 29), and Northern Michigan (Oct. 31).
Wayne State (Nov. 3) and Saginaw Valley State (Nov. 4) come to the SDC Gym to finish up the regular season home schedule. The season wraps up at Ferris State (Nov. 10) and Lake Superior State (Nov. 11).
Tech finished the 2022 season with a 20-10 overall record, winning 20 matches for the fifth time under Jennings. The Huskies will return five key players, four starters and 13 players overall. The 2023 squad will have five COVID seniors/juniors, four sophomores, a pair of redshirt sophomores, and seven true freshmen.