Sept. 17 • at Oakland*
2015 Overall Record: 3-7
Head Coach: Rob Beam
Record at School: 124-120
Series History:WMU leads 8-0

* - MATCH WILL BE AIRED ON ESPN3

Sept. 18 • vs. Dartmouth
2015 Overall Record: 2-3
Head Coach: Erin Lindsey
Record at School: 44-61
Series History: First meeting

Sept. 18 • vs. #13 Ohio State
2015 Overall Record: 2-3
Head Coach: Erin Lindsey
Record at School: 44-61
Series History: First meeting

Sept. 19 • vs. Eastern Illinois
2015 Overall Record: 5-5
Head Coach: Samantha Wolinski
Record at School: 5-5
Series History: EIU leads 2-0

QUICK NOTES

• The Bronco volleyball team continues a stretch of nine straight matches played in the state of Michigan with a weekend at the Golden Grizzlies Invitational
• The match against Ohio State will be WMU's fourth against a nationally-ranked opponent this season, their highest total since playing four nationally-ranked foes in 2006
• This will be the ninth meeting between the Broncos and the Golden Grizzlies, with WMU owning a perfect 8-0 advantage in the series
• This will be the sixth meeting between the Broncos and the Buckeyes, with Ohio State owning a slim 3-2 advantage in the series
• This will be the third meeting between the Broncos and the Panthers, with EIU owning a 2-0 edge in the series
• Hailey Knecht was named the MAC West Defensive Player of the Week after averaging 5.50 digs per set and making the All-Tournament team at the Michigan Challenge
• Knecht ranks fourth in the MAC with a 4.75 digs per set average this season, and is averaging 5.03 digs per set since taking over as starting libero
• Alysia Baznik recorded her second double-double of the season in the win over South Carolina, notching 18 kills and 11 digs
• Nicole Kinser leads the team as well as the MAC with an average of 1.38 blocks per set 
• Mary Murphy ranks second in the MAC with a 9.85 assists per set average as a freshman

THIS WEEK
The Bronco volleyball team continues a stretch of nine straight matches played inside the state of Michigan when they take part in the Golden Grizzlies Invitational hosted by Oakland.  The Broncos will face a pair of teams that competed in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, Oakland and #13 Ohio State, and will also take on Dartmouth and Eastern Illinois.
 
SERIES HISTORIES
The match against Oakland will be the ninth meeting between the two teams, with WMU owning a perfect 8-0 record against the Golden Grizzlies.  The Broncos won the last meeting a 3-2 victory in the 2014 season opener at University Arena.  Sierra Hubbard-Neil had 21 kills and hit .294 while Alysia Baznik added a double-double of 17 kills and 17 digs.
 
The meeting between the Broncos and the Buckeyes will be the sixth all-time, with Ohio State owning a slight 3-2 advantage in the all-time series.  The two teams last met on Aug. 28, 2010, a 3-1 victory for Ohio State at a neutral site.
 
The match between the Broncos and the Panthers will be just the third all-time, with Eastern Illinois winning each of the previous two meetings between the two teams.  They have not faced one another in more than 20 years, with the last meeting between WMU and EIU coming on Sept. 24, 1994.

NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE
The Broncos added a 2014 NJCAA All-American to their ranks in January in middle blocker Nicole Kinser.  Kinser was a force for Hutchinson Community College in her two years there, leading the Blue Dragons to two straight Jayhawk West and Region VI championships and NCJAA Tournament bids.  She recorded 508 kills and a 3.43 kills per set average in her final year as a Blue Dragon.
 
> Kinser ranks first on the team with a .268 attack percentage and a 1.38 blocks per set average, and her average of 2.35 kills per set is third on the team behind just Alysia Baznik and Sydney LeMay.
 
> Kinser's 1.38 blocks per set average currently ranks leads the MAC, putting a Bronco among the top blockers in the conference for the first time in several years.
 
FIRST HONORS OF THE YEAR
The MAC announced earlier this week that freshman libero Hailey Knecht was named the MAC West Defensive Player of the Week for Sept. 15.  Knecht averaged 5.50 digs per set over the weekend, earning a spot on the All-Tournament team at the Michigan Challenge.  She wrapped the weekend with her best performance of the season, totaling a career-high 26 digs against South Carolina in the Broncos' 3-1 win over the Gamecocks.
 
> Since taking over the starting libero position for the  Broncos, Knecht is averaging 5.03 digs per set, the best average among any of her teammates.  She ranks fourth overall in the MAC with an average of 4.75 digs per set this season.
 
BIG SHOES TO FILL
Freshman setter Mary Murphy had big shoes to fill this season when she took the spot of two-time First Team All-MAC selection Lexie Pawlik, and so far the first-year quarterback of the offense has impressed.  Murphy ranks second in the Mid-American Conference with an average of 9.85 assists per set.
 
> The Broncos rank fifth in the MAC with an average of 11.52 assists per set this season, with only one team in the conference averaging better than 12.00 assists per set so far this year.
 
RANKING THE FIELD
The match against 13th-ranked Ohio State will be the fourth WMU has played against a nationally-ranked opponent this season, marking the first time they've played four nationally-ranked opponents in one year since 2006.