Thursday, September 18
East Lansing, Mich.
6 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Binghamton
Photo by: Ynhi Le
Spartans Set to Host Third Annual Kathy DeBoer Invitational Presented by Auto-Owners Insurance
9/17/2025 10:27:00 AM | Volleyball
EAST LANSING, Mich. -Â Michigan State volleyball (7-0, 0-0 B1G) closes non-conference action this week, hosting the third annual Kathy DeBoer Invitational presented by Auto-Owners Insurance inside historic Jenison Field House for alumni weekend. MSU begins play on Thursday, Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. against Binghamton and hosts Bowling Green on Friday, Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. before wrapping the weekend against SIUE at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20.
A full tournament schedule is available HERE and parking info is available HERE. All five tournament matches will stream on B1G+, while fans can tune into John Kreger's call of the action on MSUSpartans.com or via the Michigan State Athletics app for MSU's Thursday and Friday matches and Jeremy Otto's call for Saturday's match.
The Spartans are off to their best start since the 2012 season after victories over Western Michigan (3-1), Kennesaw State (3-1) and Appalachian State (3-2) last week. MSU's 7-0 start matches the best start in program history for a head coach in their first season at MSU, with head coach Kristen Kelsay matching Annelies Knoppers' 7-0 start during the 1974 season. This week's matches will be the first at home for the Spartans since season-opening wins over Merrimack and Chicago State on Aug. 30 and 31 inside the Breslin Center.
MSU hit .227 over its three matches last week and held its opponents to .186 hitting. The Spartans are hitting .260 overall this season and rank seventh in the country in opponent hitting percentage, holding its opponents to .127 hitting.
Five Spartans set or matched career highs in kills in last week's matches, with junior outside hitter Taylah Holdem logging a career-high 26 and senior opposite Evie Doezema tying a career-high 16 against the Broncos. In a five-set neutral-site win over App State, junior outside hitter Karolina Staniszewska set a new career high with 19 kills, while freshman Bianca Mumcular recorded eight. In their Georgia homecoming, sophomore middle blocker Mia Hood provided a career-high six kills on .500 hitting (6-1-10) and added a career-high four total blocks in the Spartans' win over Kennesaw State.
Against Western Michigan, redshirt sophomore libero Sarah Vellucci more than doubled her previous career-best in digs with 31, the third-best total in a four-set match in program history and sixth-best overall.
Redshirt freshman setter Malayah Long was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week this week after setting career highs in all three matches last week. She dished out  a career-high 56 assists against Western Michigan, tallied a career-high six total blocks against Kennesaw State and provided a team-leading 16 digs against App State, recording double-doubles in each match.Â
ABOUT THE KATHY DEBOER INVITATIONAL
This week will be the third edition of the Kathy DeBoer Invitational, which was named after the MSU Athletics Hall of Famer after her induction in 2022. DeBoer was a two-sport athlete at MSU, helping the Spartans to an 82-13 record and a pair of AIAW Tournament appearances in two seasons on the volleyball team (1975-76) while also playing three seasons for the women's basketball team. On the basketball court, she was a finalist for the Wade Trophy in 1978 and ranks No. 4 all-time at MSU in career rebounding average.
DeBoer served as the Executive Director of the American Volleyball Coaches Association for 17 years before retiring from her post in 2023. Before taking her position with the AVCA, she coached volleyball at Ferris State and Kentucky, winning four SEC titles and earning both SEC and National Coach of the Year honors.Â
In 2024, DeBoer earned the USA Volleyball Harold T. Friermood "Frier" Lifetime Achievement Award, considered USA Volleyball's highest honor which recognizes longtime significant contributions to the sport of volleyball.
BACK TO WHERE IT ALL STARTED
MSU will host its annual Alumni Weekend in conjunction with this week's Kathy DeBoer Invitational inside historic Jenison Field House. The matches will be the first inside Jenison since the 2021 season.
MSU's 2025 alumni weekend will celebrate the anniversaries of two history-making Spartan volleyball teams – the 50-year anniversary of the 1975 team, which was first postseason team in program history, and the 30-year anniversary of MSU's only volleyball team to reach the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament, the 1995 team.Â
The 1975 team posted a 41-4 record, which still stands as the second-best win total in program history. MSU's 1995 team posted a 34-3 mark, including a 19-1 record in the Big Ten, to help the program to its first of two B1G titles.Â
Approximately 70 former Spartan volleyball student-athletes will be in attendance this weekend. Of the returning players, four are MSU Athletics Hall of Famers and 17 are former team captains, while 11 players from the 1975 team and seven players from the 1995 team will be in attendance.
ABOUT BINGHAMTONÂ Â Â
Thursday will be the second-ever meeting between the Spartans and Bearcats, having last met nearly exactly two years ago from this Thursday on Sept. 17, 2023 in a neutral-site contest at UConn. MSU won that match, 3-1.Â
Binghamton is 4-6 overall this season, most recently capturing a trio of wins over Mercyhurst, Canisius and Bucknell at the Binghamton Invitational last weekend. Head coach Allie Yaeger is in her fourth season overall at Binghamton and holds a 55-39 record.
ABOUT BOWLING GREEN
MSU holds a 7-4 record against Bowling Green, including a 6-1 record in East Lansing. Despite only two hours separating the two schools, MSU and BGSU have not met since Sept. 9, 2011 in what was a 3-1 win for the Falcons in Bowling Green. MSU's last home win over BGSU came in a 3-0 sweep on Aug. 27, 2010.
The Falcons are 4-5 this season and will host Oakland in their first home match of 2025 on Wednesday this week before Friday's match in East Lansing. BGSU is coming off of back-to-back four-set wins over Stephen F. Austin and Loyola Chicago last week at the Loyola Invitational. Alex DelPiombo is in her first season at the helm after spending six seasons as the program's associate head coach.Â
About SIUEÂ Â Â
MSU is 1-0 all-time against SIUE, having last met on Sept. 10, 2011 in a neutral-site sweep.Â
SIUE is 5-0 this season after wins over Austin Peay, Air Force and Seattle at the SIUE Cougar Classic last weekend. Head coach Kendall Paulus is 105-124 in nine seasons with the Cougars.
UP NEXT
MSU begins Big Ten play on the road, traveling to Minnesota on Thursday, Sept. 25 for an 8:30 p.m. ET match on Big Ten Network.
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A full tournament schedule is available HERE and parking info is available HERE. All five tournament matches will stream on B1G+, while fans can tune into John Kreger's call of the action on MSUSpartans.com or via the Michigan State Athletics app for MSU's Thursday and Friday matches and Jeremy Otto's call for Saturday's match.
The Spartans are off to their best start since the 2012 season after victories over Western Michigan (3-1), Kennesaw State (3-1) and Appalachian State (3-2) last week. MSU's 7-0 start matches the best start in program history for a head coach in their first season at MSU, with head coach Kristen Kelsay matching Annelies Knoppers' 7-0 start during the 1974 season. This week's matches will be the first at home for the Spartans since season-opening wins over Merrimack and Chicago State on Aug. 30 and 31 inside the Breslin Center.
MSU hit .227 over its three matches last week and held its opponents to .186 hitting. The Spartans are hitting .260 overall this season and rank seventh in the country in opponent hitting percentage, holding its opponents to .127 hitting.
Five Spartans set or matched career highs in kills in last week's matches, with junior outside hitter Taylah Holdem logging a career-high 26 and senior opposite Evie Doezema tying a career-high 16 against the Broncos. In a five-set neutral-site win over App State, junior outside hitter Karolina Staniszewska set a new career high with 19 kills, while freshman Bianca Mumcular recorded eight. In their Georgia homecoming, sophomore middle blocker Mia Hood provided a career-high six kills on .500 hitting (6-1-10) and added a career-high four total blocks in the Spartans' win over Kennesaw State.
Against Western Michigan, redshirt sophomore libero Sarah Vellucci more than doubled her previous career-best in digs with 31, the third-best total in a four-set match in program history and sixth-best overall.
Redshirt freshman setter Malayah Long was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week this week after setting career highs in all three matches last week. She dished out  a career-high 56 assists against Western Michigan, tallied a career-high six total blocks against Kennesaw State and provided a team-leading 16 digs against App State, recording double-doubles in each match.Â
ABOUT THE KATHY DEBOER INVITATIONAL
This week will be the third edition of the Kathy DeBoer Invitational, which was named after the MSU Athletics Hall of Famer after her induction in 2022. DeBoer was a two-sport athlete at MSU, helping the Spartans to an 82-13 record and a pair of AIAW Tournament appearances in two seasons on the volleyball team (1975-76) while also playing three seasons for the women's basketball team. On the basketball court, she was a finalist for the Wade Trophy in 1978 and ranks No. 4 all-time at MSU in career rebounding average.
DeBoer served as the Executive Director of the American Volleyball Coaches Association for 17 years before retiring from her post in 2023. Before taking her position with the AVCA, she coached volleyball at Ferris State and Kentucky, winning four SEC titles and earning both SEC and National Coach of the Year honors.Â
In 2024, DeBoer earned the USA Volleyball Harold T. Friermood "Frier" Lifetime Achievement Award, considered USA Volleyball's highest honor which recognizes longtime significant contributions to the sport of volleyball.
BACK TO WHERE IT ALL STARTED
MSU will host its annual Alumni Weekend in conjunction with this week's Kathy DeBoer Invitational inside historic Jenison Field House. The matches will be the first inside Jenison since the 2021 season.
MSU's 2025 alumni weekend will celebrate the anniversaries of two history-making Spartan volleyball teams – the 50-year anniversary of the 1975 team, which was first postseason team in program history, and the 30-year anniversary of MSU's only volleyball team to reach the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament, the 1995 team.Â
The 1975 team posted a 41-4 record, which still stands as the second-best win total in program history. MSU's 1995 team posted a 34-3 mark, including a 19-1 record in the Big Ten, to help the program to its first of two B1G titles.Â
Approximately 70 former Spartan volleyball student-athletes will be in attendance this weekend. Of the returning players, four are MSU Athletics Hall of Famers and 17 are former team captains, while 11 players from the 1975 team and seven players from the 1995 team will be in attendance.
ABOUT BINGHAMTONÂ Â Â
Thursday will be the second-ever meeting between the Spartans and Bearcats, having last met nearly exactly two years ago from this Thursday on Sept. 17, 2023 in a neutral-site contest at UConn. MSU won that match, 3-1.Â
Binghamton is 4-6 overall this season, most recently capturing a trio of wins over Mercyhurst, Canisius and Bucknell at the Binghamton Invitational last weekend. Head coach Allie Yaeger is in her fourth season overall at Binghamton and holds a 55-39 record.
ABOUT BOWLING GREEN
MSU holds a 7-4 record against Bowling Green, including a 6-1 record in East Lansing. Despite only two hours separating the two schools, MSU and BGSU have not met since Sept. 9, 2011 in what was a 3-1 win for the Falcons in Bowling Green. MSU's last home win over BGSU came in a 3-0 sweep on Aug. 27, 2010.
The Falcons are 4-5 this season and will host Oakland in their first home match of 2025 on Wednesday this week before Friday's match in East Lansing. BGSU is coming off of back-to-back four-set wins over Stephen F. Austin and Loyola Chicago last week at the Loyola Invitational. Alex DelPiombo is in her first season at the helm after spending six seasons as the program's associate head coach.Â
About SIUEÂ Â Â
MSU is 1-0 all-time against SIUE, having last met on Sept. 10, 2011 in a neutral-site sweep.Â
SIUE is 5-0 this season after wins over Austin Peay, Air Force and Seattle at the SIUE Cougar Classic last weekend. Head coach Kendall Paulus is 105-124 in nine seasons with the Cougars.
UP NEXT
MSU begins Big Ten play on the road, traveling to Minnesota on Thursday, Sept. 25 for an 8:30 p.m. ET match on Big Ten Network.
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