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MARQUETTE, Mich. – After a 2-2 opening weekend at home, the Northern Michigan volleyball team is traveling to the Golden State to take part in the Cal State East Bay Invitational from Thursday, September 3 through Saturday, September 5.
The Wildcats will begin tournament play against the host Pioneers (0-3), who traveled to Marquette this past weekend for the UP North Tournament. They’ll match up on Thursday at 5 p.m. EDT (2 p.m. PDT). The Green and Gold will then face a doubleheader on Friday, playing the Colorado School of Mines (4-0) at 1 p.m. EDT (10 a.m. PDT) and Westmont College (1-3) at 8:30 p.m. EDT (5:30 p.m. PDT). NMU will wrap up on Saturday against San Francisco State (0-3) at 4 p.m. EDT (1 p.m. PDT)
Northern split its first set of four matches, beating Winona State in four sets, sweeping Tiffin, and falling to Minnesota Duluth and now No. 1 St. Cloud State.
Follow the Action
Stay connected with @NMU_Wildcats and @NMU_Volleyball on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) for updates throughout the weekend.
From Coach Mike Lozier
“We did so much learning in Florida last year that I am pretty excited for this trip. We are playing four quality opponents that will challenge us and test us, and that’s what we want.”
About the Wildcats
Through four matches, Kaylie McIntosh (47 kills), Anna O’Keefe (39), and KC Fortune (39) lead the team in kills. O’Keefe was named to the UP North All-Tournament Team following her collegiate debut, which included 20 kills in her first match against Winona State, a .267 attack percentage, and five blocks overall.
The Wildcats finished third in the GLIAC standings in 2025 with a 12-4 conference record. Northern was picked fourth in the 2026 GLIAC Preseason Coaches Poll, behind preseason favorites Ferris State, Grand Valley State, and Wayne State.
Northern Michigan returns 14 of the 19 players from last season’s team, including All-GLIAC Second Team selections Allie Barlow and Liesl Haugen.
Barlow, a senior setter from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, recorded 149 assists this past weekend and her 10.64 assists per set is second in the GLIAC. She is coming off a standout junior season in which she recorded 1,088 assists and averaged 10.06 assists per set, with both marks ranking second in the GLIAC. She enters 2026 with 2,560 career assists, placing her among the top 10 in program history.
Haugen, a senior libero from Maple Grove, Minnesota, has 76 digs and 5.43 digs per set through four matches. She anchors a veteran defensive unit after one of the conference’s top defensive seasons in 2025. A three-time GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week, Haugen recorded at least 20 digs in 12 of 24 matches and finished second in the GLIAC with 4.98 digs per set while ranking seventh with 0.40 aces per set.
Along the outside, sophomore Kaylie McIntosh and senior KC Fortune will be two of NMU’s top offensive threats, while sophomore Larsen Bonnstetter and freshman Laynie Russell look to anchor the middle. Lauren Cardwell and Taylor Smaka also provide additional defensive depth after appearing in most matches a season ago.
Northern lost five players from last year’s roster, including All-GLIAC First Team selection McKenzie Gruner. The Wildcats will look to fill those roles with a combination of returning players stepping into larger roles and five newcomers, including four freshmen and transfer Cece Huizingh.
Head coach Mike Lozier is in his 10th season at the helm in 2026.
A Quick Look at the Opponents
Cal State East Bay
The Pioneers went 0-3 in Marquette, but battled against St. Cloud State, Minnesota Duluth, and Michigan Tech. They are led by head coach Kimberly Lambert, who spent her freshman year playing at Northern. Freshman Lamona Lauhingoa leads the team with 34 kills.
Colorado School of Mines
The Orediggers went a perfect 4-0 on their opening weekend and are receiving votes in the AVCA Poll. They put together a pair of sweeps and have only dropped two sets so far this season. Offensively, they are led by sophomore Cadence McDonald, who is hitting .346 with 36 kills.
Westmont College
The Warriors dropped their first three matches before defeating CSU Los Angeles in five sets for their first victory of the season. Junior Audrey Hyde has notched 12+ kills in three of the four matches and leads the team with 53 thus far.
San Francisco State
The Gators sit at 0-3, but have played three teams ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA Poll. SFSU is balanced defensively, with five players recording between 25-30 digs and six players having at least three blocks on opening weekend.