2018 Season Results

Big Ten finish: 5-15, 12th place

Overall record: 17-16, not ranked

News Links

11/18 MSU State News
Michigan State falls 3-1 to Michigan on Jam Jenison Night

11/11 MSU State News
Michigan State volleyball drops last three sets vs. Iowa, loses 3-1

11/8 MSU State News
Maddie Haggerty leads MSU volleyball to 3-1 win over Ohio State

10/28 MSU State News
Wisconsin's attack too much for Michigan State volleyball, Spartans swept by Badgers 3-0

10/27 The Only Colors
Michigan State volleyball falls to No. 7 Wisconsin, 3-0

10/26 The Only Colors
Michigan State volleyball swept by No. 3 Minnesota

10/26 MSU State News
Early push not enough as Michigan State volleyball falls to Minnesota

10/26 Wisconsin State Journal
Wisconsin-Michigan State match has special meaning for Haggerty sisters

10/18 Holland Sentinel
Alyssa Garvelink honored as MSU All-American

10/7 MSU State News
After hot start, Michigan State volleyball falls to Purdue

10/6 The Only Colors
Michigan State volleyball loses early momentum against No. 14 Purdue

10/6 The Only Colors
Michigan State volleyball beats Indiana, 3-2, multiple Spartans have career nights

10/5 MSU State News
Michigan State volleyball to host Indiana and Purdue this weekend

9/30 MSU State News
Michigan State volleyball rallies past Rutgers, snaps losing skid

9/29 The Only Colors
Michigan State volleyball defeats Rutgers, Chronowski has career night

9/29 MSU State News
Michigan State volleyball doomed by early errors, swept by Penn State

9/28 The Only Colors
Michigan State volleyball falls to Penn State, 3-0

9/27 Lansing State Journal
Poljans converge: Tony's CMU football team, Becka's MSU volleyball team take center stage

9/27 The Only Colors
Big Ten season underway as Spartans host Penn State, Rutgers

9/21 MSU State News
Despite youth, MSU volleyball is ready for Big Ten play

9/20 MSU State News
Jamye Cox won't stop working

9/15 MSU State News
MSU volleyball sweeps Albany to kick off Spartan Invitational

9/14 MSU State News
Michigan State volleyball to host weekend Spartan Invitational

9/13 The Only Colors
Expectations in Spartans’ first home games this season

9/6 MSU State News
Young Michigan State volleyball team prepares for transitional season

9/6 MSU State News
After moped accident, Samantha McLean finds her way back to the court

8/21 Volleymob
Michigan St. All-American Autumn Bailey Signs Pro Deal in Turkey

6/9 Volleymob
Former Michigan State Star Holly Tolliver Signs In Germany

4/11 MSU State News
Sophomore Meredith Norris earns spot on USAVB collegiate national team

2/13 Virginia Connection
McLean Neighbors Move to the Next Level

2/1 Volleymob
My Journey to the Beach: Chloe Reinig

1/5 Volleymob
Michigan State HM All-American Holly Tolliver Headed to Regatas Lima in Peru

2018 News Archive

Note: Because many of the news items on this page link to current-news sites that are updated frequently, some links in the archive may no longer work.

2018 Annual Awards Presented

The following awards were presented at the annual volleyball banquet on January 20, 2019 at the Kellogg Center:

SideOut Club Service Award: Jeff and Sally Shull
Academic All-Conference Selections: Alyssa Chronowski, Jamye Cox, Julia Hatcher, Sam McLean, Maggie Midgette, Meredith Norris, Lauren Swartz
Kirkby Scholar-Athlete Award: Sam McLean, Lauren Swartz
Most Improved Award: Lauryn Gibbs
Most Inspirational Award: Sam McLean
Extra Mile Award: Jamye Cox
Playmaker Award:
Alyssa Chronowski
MVP Award:
Maddie Haggerty

Eileen Ellis, vice-president of the SideOut Club, announced the Club's donation of $9,000 for use by the volleyball program.

Sam McLean Earns All-District Academic Honors

Junior defensive specialist Sam McLean has been named to the 2018 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District Team for District V (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio). Sam has a perfect 4.0 GPA, and was the only non-senior to make the 7-member first team. [full story]

Fall Schedule Starts With Green vs. White

The 2018 fall schedule begins August 18 with the traditional Green vs. White exhibition match at 4:00 p.m., with free admission for all. Then the team will take to the road for three weekends, before returning to host their home opener with the Auto-Owners Insurance Spartan Invitational Sept. 14-15 at Jenison Field House. The pre-conference schedule is less challenging than in some previous years, giving the lineup of mostly young, new starters some time to gain experience.

2018 Preseason Polls Released

The AVCA preseason poll of coaches has the Spartan volleyball team ranked number 22 in the country. As expected, this is down from the final ranking of number 8 for the 2017 season, after the graduation of most of last year's starters. The Big Ten preseason poll puts MSU at ninth in the Big Ten after their fourth-place finish in 2017.

Nebraska, Wisconsin and Minnesota were chosen by the Big Ten coaches as the number 1, 2, and 3 teams in the conference. In the AVCA poll, Stanford was ranked number 1 in the country, with Nebraska, Minnesota, and Penn State at numbers 2, 4, and 6. [complete AVCA poll] [complete Big Ten poll]

Kristin Kelsay Among "Thirty Under 30"

MSU assistant volleyball coach Kristin Kelsay was selected as one of the most promising young coaches for 2018, with the AVCA "Thirty Under 30" award. She was one of eleven coaches on the list from NCAA Division I women's volleyball. Kristin is starting her fourth year on the Spartan coaching staff. Mike Gawlik, a former MSU assistant coach was named to the 2010 "Thirty Under 30" list. [complete list]

 


Previous 2018 News

 

Six Spartans Attend National Team Tryouts

Six MSU volleyball players will try out for the USAVB national team in Colorado Springs the first weekend in March. Sophomores Maggie Midgette and Samantha McLean will be joined by freshmen Alyssa Chronowski, Jamye Cox, Julia Hatcher, and Meredith Norris at the tryout. [full story]

Spring Schedule

The Spartan volleyball team has a reduced schedule for spring 2018. They will start March 30 at Central Michigan University matched up against Ferris State and the host Chippewas. A week later they travel to Louisville, KY for the Kiva tournament on April 7. They return home to wrap up the spring season hosting Eastern Michigan on April 14.

For news from previous years, click on "Archive" in the top menu.

 

Big Ten and Other News

Kelsay to Northwestern

Kristen Kelsay has been named an assistant coach for Northwestern women's volleyball, leaving MSU after nine years here as a player and a coach. The return to the Chicago area is a homecoming for her, and the position at Northwestern will keep her a part of the Big Ten. We wish her the best in her continued career! [full story]

Big Ten Coaching — Musical Chairs

2018 sees a number of coaches switching schools, yet remaining within the Big Ten.

Steve Aird left Maryland after four years to take the head job at Indiana. He had prior experience within the conference playing volleyball at Penn State and then as an assistant coach there. [full story]

At Maryland, Adam Hughes was promoted from associate to head coach. He also has an extensive background at Penn State, having spent nine seasons as volunteer assistant coach, manager, and finally director of volleyball operations there. [full story]

And, of course, the Spartans' new volunteer assistant coach Arielle Wilson is a former All-American player at Penn State. [full story]

Mick Haley Accuses USC of Age Discrimination

Former USC volleyball coach Mick Haley has filed an arbitration claim against the school, claiming age discrimination and harassment. He was fired at the end of last season after refusing to resign. 2017 was a very good season for the program, with the team finishing second in the PAC-12 and reaching the Elite 8 in the NCAA tournament. [full story]

Grad Transfers Like Chloe Reinig Fill Out Beach Volleyball Rosters

Collegiate beach volleyball is a growing sport, and is experiencing a new phenomenon due to NCAA rules. A number of indoor athletes, including former MSU standout Chloe Reinig, are using a 5th year of eligibility to play beach volleyball as a grad student. [full story]

2018 Rules Changes Announced

The NCAA has announced rules changes for women's volleyball, to take effect for the fall 2018 season. They are all procedural changes, so fans will not notice any changes in the play of the game.

Probably the most noticeable change will be the shortening of the mid-match intermission from ten minutes to only five, "to improve pace of play".

In the challenge review system, in/out calls and touches will be combined into a single challenge, three-meter-line attack violations will be challengeable, and teams will be granted a fourth available challenge when a match goes into a fifth set.

Finally, the requirement for an easily distinguishable jersey for the libero will be relaxed somewhat. [full story]