East Michigan News

The Eastern Michigan University (EMU) volleyball team is set to open its 2024 season at the Hampton Inn Invitational, hosted by Indiana University-Indianapolis. The event will take place inside "The Jungle" in Indianapolis, Ind., on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 30-31. The Eagles are scheduled to play three matches during the invitational: against Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville at 10 a.m. on Friday, followed by a match against IU-Indy at 5 p.m. On Saturday, they will face Valparaiso University at 2 p.m.

Fans can follow the matches through live stats available on the EMU volleyball schedule page at emueagles.com/volleyball/schedule. Post-match recaps will be posted on EMUEagles.com following each day's action.

Head Coach Kevin Foeman enters his second season leading the program and his tenth year as a head coach overall, holding a career record of 158-114. His previous coaching experience includes successful stints at Ashland University and Lake Erie College.

Eastern Michigan is embarking on its 49th competitive season with an overall record of 720-777-16 and a Mid-American Conference (MAC) record of 287-391-1 since the program's inception in 1975. The team has one MAC West Division title (2005), one MAC Tournament crown (2018), and one NCAA Tournament appearance (2018).

Freshman setter Taylor Smith was named Michigan Miss Volleyball by the Detroit Free Press on Nov. 13. Smith had an impressive high school career with multiple honors including MIVCA All-State First Team and winning a Division III Michigan State Championship in 2022.

The Eagles return seven players from their 2023 squad: Angel Baylark, Kendal Bonney, Mackenzie Gross, Aubriegh Oswald, Ava Siefke, Surabhi Srinivasan, and Abby Stanford. Additionally, Kaili Doctor joins as a transfer from North Carolina A&T State where she earned Rookie of the Year honors from the Coastal Athletic Association.

Eastern has also added seven student-athletes from the transfer portal: Ella Grasson, Lauren Welch, Bri Struck, Maddie Stayer, Kaili Doctor, Ella Voorhees, and Hannah Blaney. Alongside these transfers are seven freshmen starting their collegiate careers this season.

Freshman Anna Guard was recognized for her dual-sport achievements in volleyball and track & field during her high school career in Kentucky.

Kevin Foeman had a notable playing career in baseball before coaching volleyball; he played for several minor league teams after being part of the San Francisco Giants organization.

New assistant coaches Sophie Dahn and Sidney Clarke join EMU for the 2024 season. Both have prior experience playing under Foeman's guidance at Ashland University and Lake Erie College respectively.

For two decades straight, EMU volleyball has earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award sponsored by INTENT.

The Eagles concluded their previous season positively by winning two out of their last three contests against Kent State.

This year’s schedule includes 32 regular-season matches with postseason action beginning Nov. 22 with the MAC Tournament.

In historical matchups:

- Against SIUE: Trailing in series history with a record of 1-2.

- Against IU-Indy: Leading series history with a record of 3-2.

- Against Valparaiso: Tied series history with both teams having four wins each.

After participating in the Hampton Inn Invitational, Eastern will face off against Big Ten Conference member University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on Wednesday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m.

Fans can stay updated throughout the season by following @EMUVolleyball and @EMUAthletics on social media platforms X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram (@EMU_Volleyball).