The Wright State volleyball team is set to begin its 2021 campaign this weekend at the 2021 Auto-Owners Insurance Spartan Invitational hosted by Michigan State. The Raiders open the season on Friday night with a matchup against Canisius before a pair of matches on Saturday, first taking on Western Michigan before wrapping up the weekend against host Michigan State.
Fans can follow the action via live stats or streaming via live video. All matches will be streamed on Big 10 Network+.
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL HOMEPAGE | TOURNAMENT NOTES
CANISIUS MATCH: LIVE STATS | WATCH ON BIG 10 NETWORK+
W. MICHIGAN MATCH: LIVE STATS | WATCH ON BIG 10 NETWORK+
MICH. STATE MATCH: LIVE STATS | WATCH ON BIG 10 NETWORK+
Wright State opens the 2021 campaign with 13 returning letterwinners off of the spring roster that went 17-2 overall and won both the Horizon League regular season and tournament titles. The Raiders went on to capture their first NCAA win in program history on April 14 with a three-set sweep over Samford in the opening round of the NCAA Championship. In addition to being the first NCAA win for the Raiders, the April victory was also the first time a Horizon League team has won a match in the NCAA Championship. Overall, Wright State returns 88 percent of its offensive production from the spring, four first team all-conference performers, the Horizon League's Defensive Player of the Year and Libero of the Year, and are led by back-to-back Horizon League Coach of the Year.
KNOW THE FOES
-Canisius was 9-4 overall in spring 2021, with all matches coming in MAAC play. This will be the second meeting all-time between the Raiders and the Golden Griffins, with the lone other match back in 2009. Raider head coach
Allie Matters began her coaching career as an assistant at Canisius during the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
-Western Michigan finished spring 2021 with an 18-5 overall record, with all matches in MAC play. The Raiders and Broncos have met five times previously, with the last meeting coming in September 2013.
-Michigan State was 3-12 overall in spring 2021, with all matches coming in Big Ten play. This will be the fourth meeting all-time between the Raiders and Spartans, with the last meeting back in September 2002. Wright State has played in East Lansing once before, also as part of the Spartan Classic, in 1989. The Raiders hosted Michigan State in McLin Gym during the 1988 season.
TOURNEY TIME
The 2021 season brings a bit of a return to pre-COVID normalcy from a scheduling standpoint, as the Raiders are set for four non-conference weekends ahead of the traditional Horizon League slate. Under head coach
Allie Matters, Wright State has gotten off to strong starts in early-season tournament play, going a combined 19-5 under Matters in the 2018 and 2019 early season tournament schedule, including an 11-1 mark in 2019 when the Raiders lost the first match of the year before rolling off 16 consecutive victories overall.
NATIONAL ATTENTION
Wright State received votes in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll on August 16 to begin the season. The Raiders were a mainstay in the poll's listing last spring, including closing the shortened spring campaign by receiving votes in the final seven AVCA polls of the season. Wright State was one of only 30 teams nationally to be recognized in the final poll.
AVCA RECOGNITION
Allie Matters was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Midwest Region Coach of the Year in April. Matters becomes the second Raider head coach to earn the honor and just the sixth Horizon League coach to earn a regional coach of the year award since 1986. Additionally,
Jenna Story was named an AVCA Northeast Region honorable mention performer for the second straight season.
ROAD VICTORS
Wright State made history with its eight wins in true road matches this spring - the most consecutive wins in true road matches to begin a season in the program's Division I era. Previously, the mark had been four true road wins, set by the 1995 team. The Raiders added a ninth and final victory away from home with their opening round NCAA win in a neutral site matchup against Samford.
