Michigan State University Athletics
Tuesday, September 15
East Lansing, Mich.
6 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Oakland
Photo by: Ynhi Le
Volleyball Hosts Oakland Tuesday
9/14/2026 3:16:00 PM | Volleyball
EAST LANSING, Mich. -Â Michigan State volleyball kicks off its final week of non-conference action beginning Tuesday, Sept. 15, hosting Oakland at 6 p.m. inside the Breslin Center.Â
Tuesday's match will stream on B1G+. Fans can tune into John Kreger's call of the action on MSUSpartans.com or via the Michigan State Athletics app for the match.
The Spartans are 8-0 and on a 23-set winning streak after a home sweep over Western Michigan and sweeps against Cincinnati and Morehead State at the Morehead State Invitational last week. MSU hit .354 across last week's matches and held its opponents to just a .143 clip. The Spartans currently lead the country in hitting efficiency with a .355 clip across their eight matches and rank fifth nationally in opponent hitting percentage (.125).Â
MSU is receiving votes in this week's AVCA Coaches Poll, its first time receiving votes this season since the preseason poll. Prior to this season's preseason poll, the Spartans had not received votes in the national poll since the 2018 season.
After a 10-0 start in 2025, MSU is 8-0 to start the season in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1975-76. The Spartans' 23-set winning streak ties its second-longest set streak of all-time (2018 season from Sept. 1 (at UNC, 3-1) to Sept. 15 (vs. Western Michigan, 3-1)), just behind its 26-set streak from the 1995 season. MSU has not lost a set since dropping the third set against Miami in its season opener on Aug. 28.
Individually, senior outside hitter Alanna Bankston led MSU in total kills across its three matches last week with 31, averaging 3.44 kills per set with a .310 hitting efficiency. Bankston leads all MSU players in double-digit kill matches this season with six and has posted double-digit kills in five-consecutive matches. Â She also tied a career-high three total blocks in MSU's win at Morehead State and set a career high in service aces (3) against Cincinnati last week.
Redshirt sophomore setter Malayah Long, who has helped set MSU to its NCAA-leading efficiency, totaled 90 assists last week to average 10 assists per set across MSU's three matches. She just missed a double-double against Cincinnati with 25 assists and a team and season-high nine digs.Â
MSU's middle blockers have continued to produce at an incredibly efficient rate this season, with junior Carmen Waye totaling 21 kills on 35 swings last week to hit at a .543 clip across MSU's three matches. She led MSU in total kills at Morehead State with 11 alongside Bankston, tying her season high, and posted a .733 hitting efficiency (11-0-15) while also putting up a career-high six total blocks. Waye currently leads the NCAA in hitting efficiency with a .553 clip.
Senior Zora Hardison totaled 16 kills on .600 hitting across MSU's three matches (16-1-25) and tied a season-high nine kills against Western Michigan while putting up a season-high seven total blocks against Cincinnati. Hardison's .600 clip ranked second in the conference last week, while Waye's .543 clip ranked fourth.Â
Hardison also ranked 10th overall in the conference last week in blocks per set with 1.43. She leads MSU in that category this season, averaging 1.30.
Senior libero Lia Schneider totaled 36 digs in last week's matches to average 4.00 digs per set, good for a tie for fifth in the conference. She posted a season and team-high 14 digs against both Western Michigan and Cincinnati.
About Oakland
Oakland is 4-5 this season after going 2-1 last weekend in its home invitational with sweeps of Montana and Eastern Michigan and a loss against UAB.Â
MSU is 11-0 overall against Oakland and 9-0 at home. The two teams last met in a sweep in East Lansing on Sept. 16, 2022.
Head coach Krista Rice is in her fifth season leading the Golden Grizzlies. She spent two seasons as MSU's volunteer assistant coach from 2012-13.
Up Next
MSU hosts the Kathy DeBoer Invitational presented by Auto-Owners Insurance beginning on Friday, Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. against Drake inside the Breslin Center. All matches will stream on B1G+.
Tuesday's match will stream on B1G+. Fans can tune into John Kreger's call of the action on MSUSpartans.com or via the Michigan State Athletics app for the match.
The Spartans are 8-0 and on a 23-set winning streak after a home sweep over Western Michigan and sweeps against Cincinnati and Morehead State at the Morehead State Invitational last week. MSU hit .354 across last week's matches and held its opponents to just a .143 clip. The Spartans currently lead the country in hitting efficiency with a .355 clip across their eight matches and rank fifth nationally in opponent hitting percentage (.125).Â
MSU is receiving votes in this week's AVCA Coaches Poll, its first time receiving votes this season since the preseason poll. Prior to this season's preseason poll, the Spartans had not received votes in the national poll since the 2018 season.
After a 10-0 start in 2025, MSU is 8-0 to start the season in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1975-76. The Spartans' 23-set winning streak ties its second-longest set streak of all-time (2018 season from Sept. 1 (at UNC, 3-1) to Sept. 15 (vs. Western Michigan, 3-1)), just behind its 26-set streak from the 1995 season. MSU has not lost a set since dropping the third set against Miami in its season opener on Aug. 28.
Individually, senior outside hitter Alanna Bankston led MSU in total kills across its three matches last week with 31, averaging 3.44 kills per set with a .310 hitting efficiency. Bankston leads all MSU players in double-digit kill matches this season with six and has posted double-digit kills in five-consecutive matches. Â She also tied a career-high three total blocks in MSU's win at Morehead State and set a career high in service aces (3) against Cincinnati last week.
Redshirt sophomore setter Malayah Long, who has helped set MSU to its NCAA-leading efficiency, totaled 90 assists last week to average 10 assists per set across MSU's three matches. She just missed a double-double against Cincinnati with 25 assists and a team and season-high nine digs.Â
MSU's middle blockers have continued to produce at an incredibly efficient rate this season, with junior Carmen Waye totaling 21 kills on 35 swings last week to hit at a .543 clip across MSU's three matches. She led MSU in total kills at Morehead State with 11 alongside Bankston, tying her season high, and posted a .733 hitting efficiency (11-0-15) while also putting up a career-high six total blocks. Waye currently leads the NCAA in hitting efficiency with a .553 clip.
Senior Zora Hardison totaled 16 kills on .600 hitting across MSU's three matches (16-1-25) and tied a season-high nine kills against Western Michigan while putting up a season-high seven total blocks against Cincinnati. Hardison's .600 clip ranked second in the conference last week, while Waye's .543 clip ranked fourth.Â
Hardison also ranked 10th overall in the conference last week in blocks per set with 1.43. She leads MSU in that category this season, averaging 1.30.
Senior libero Lia Schneider totaled 36 digs in last week's matches to average 4.00 digs per set, good for a tie for fifth in the conference. She posted a season and team-high 14 digs against both Western Michigan and Cincinnati.
About Oakland
Oakland is 4-5 this season after going 2-1 last weekend in its home invitational with sweeps of Montana and Eastern Michigan and a loss against UAB.Â
MSU is 11-0 overall against Oakland and 9-0 at home. The two teams last met in a sweep in East Lansing on Sept. 16, 2022.
Head coach Krista Rice is in her fifth season leading the Golden Grizzlies. She spent two seasons as MSU's volunteer assistant coach from 2012-13.
Up Next
MSU hosts the Kathy DeBoer Invitational presented by Auto-Owners Insurance beginning on Friday, Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. against Drake inside the Breslin Center. All matches will stream on B1G+.
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
MB
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