Michigan State University Athletics
Friday, September 25
East Lansing, Mich.
6 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Washington
Photo by: Ynhi Le
Spartans Host Washington in B1G Opener
9/24/2026 1:29:00 PM | Volleyball
EAST LANSING, Mich. - For the first time in 10 years, Michigan State opens Big Ten conference action in East Lansing with a battle between two undefeated teams, hosting Washington on Friday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. inside the Breslin Center. The match will also serve as the first of two matches for MSU's alumni weekend.
Friday's match will stream on B1G+. Fans can tune into Scott Moore's call of the action on MSUSpartans.com or via the Michigan State Athletics app for the match.
PROMOTIONS
Time to Rally Night: Spartan students, stand in Rally Row and get loud! Join us at the Breslin Center as Michigan State takes on Washington. Earn DOUBLE POINTS in the Student Rewards App! Students who check-in through the app can claim a Rally Row t-shirt while supplies last.
Alumni Weekend: Join us as we celebrate Michigan State volleyball alumni!
The Spartans are 10-0 after finishing non-conference action undefeated for the second-straight season with a four-set win over Oakland and sweep of Drake last week. It marks MSU's fifth undefeated non-conference season overall (2001, 2009, 2012, 2025) and first time in program history going undefeated in non-con in back-to-back seasons. The Spartans are one of three Big Ten teams (Nebraska, Washington) and one of seven overall to go undefeated in non-conference play in 2026, while MSU is 10-0 in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1975-76.
MSU is receiving votes in this week's AVCA Coaches Poll for the second-straight week and third time overall this season. Prior to being ranked in this season's preseason poll, MSU had not received votes in the national poll since the 2018 season.
The Spartans hit at a combined .312 clip last week, including .442 against Drake, and held their opponents to just .094 hitting across their two matches for the second-best opponent hitting percentage in the conference last week. MSU remains first in the NCAA in hitting efficiency (.345) this season and ranks third in opponent hitting efficiency (.118).
Individually, junior middle blocker Carmen Waye set or tied career highs in four statistical categories last week, highlighted by her first-career double-double against Oakland with career-highs in kills (16) and total blocks (10) while hitting at a .552 clip without an error. She just missed a triple-double with a career-best seven digs. Against Drake, she led MSU in service aces, tallying a career-best three for the second time this season. Waye's 10 blocks were the most by an MSU player in a single match since Zuzanna Kulig posted 12 against Illinois during the 2024 season. She is hitting at a .542 clip overall this season to rank first in the country and ranked second in the conference in last week's matches in blocks per set (2.00).
Senior outside hitter Alanna Bankston returned to MSU's lineup against Drake and posted a career-high 18 kills for the second time this season while hitting at a .640 clip, recording her seventh-straight match and eighth overall with double-digit kills this season.
Redshirt sophomore setter Malayah Long, who has helped set MSU to its NCAA-leading efficiency, put up her second-best assist total of the season against Oakland with 46 and posted eight digs. She added a team-high 32 assists in MSU's win over Drake and ranked ninth in the conference last week in assists per set with 11.14.
Senior libero Lia Schneider recorded a season-high 17 digs against Oakland, her fourth match overall this season and third in MSU's last five matches with double-digit digs. Schneider added six digs against Drake to total a team-best 23 on the week, averaging 3.29 digs per set.
MSU in B1G Openers
Friday will be MSU's first Big Ten opener in East Lansing in 10 seasons, last opening its conference season at home in a 3-0 win over Iowa during the 2016 season. The Spartans are 3-7 overall in that span and last won their conference opener at Michigan in 2023.Â
If MSU wins both of its matches this weekend, it will mark the first time since 2017 that the Spartans have opened Big Ten play at 2-0.
About Washington
Washington joins MSU and Nebraska as one of three undefeated Big Ten teams headed into the first weekend of conference action, posting a 9-0 record with sweeps of South Dakota State and South Dakota last weekend.Â
Washington leads the all-time series, 3-1, with MSU earning its first win over the Huskies last season in a four-set marathon match in Seattle (15-25, 30-28, 33-31, 25-20). The Huskies also own a 1-0 record in East Lansing, with their last win in the series coming in a 3-1 win during the 2024 season in MSU and Washington's first contest as conference foes.
Head coach Leslie Gabriel is in her fourth season as head coach and 26th year overall with the Huskies in 2026. Both Gabriel and MSU head coach Kristen Kelsay were assistants under former Washington head coach and current Minnesota head coach Keegan Cook before assuming their current roles as head coaches.
Up Next
MSU hosts No. 14 Penn State on Sunday, Sept. 27 at 2 p.m. inside the Breslin Center. The match will be broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network.
Friday's match will stream on B1G+. Fans can tune into Scott Moore's call of the action on MSUSpartans.com or via the Michigan State Athletics app for the match.
PROMOTIONS
Time to Rally Night: Spartan students, stand in Rally Row and get loud! Join us at the Breslin Center as Michigan State takes on Washington. Earn DOUBLE POINTS in the Student Rewards App! Students who check-in through the app can claim a Rally Row t-shirt while supplies last.
Alumni Weekend: Join us as we celebrate Michigan State volleyball alumni!
The Spartans are 10-0 after finishing non-conference action undefeated for the second-straight season with a four-set win over Oakland and sweep of Drake last week. It marks MSU's fifth undefeated non-conference season overall (2001, 2009, 2012, 2025) and first time in program history going undefeated in non-con in back-to-back seasons. The Spartans are one of three Big Ten teams (Nebraska, Washington) and one of seven overall to go undefeated in non-conference play in 2026, while MSU is 10-0 in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1975-76.
MSU is receiving votes in this week's AVCA Coaches Poll for the second-straight week and third time overall this season. Prior to being ranked in this season's preseason poll, MSU had not received votes in the national poll since the 2018 season.
The Spartans hit at a combined .312 clip last week, including .442 against Drake, and held their opponents to just .094 hitting across their two matches for the second-best opponent hitting percentage in the conference last week. MSU remains first in the NCAA in hitting efficiency (.345) this season and ranks third in opponent hitting efficiency (.118).
Individually, junior middle blocker Carmen Waye set or tied career highs in four statistical categories last week, highlighted by her first-career double-double against Oakland with career-highs in kills (16) and total blocks (10) while hitting at a .552 clip without an error. She just missed a triple-double with a career-best seven digs. Against Drake, she led MSU in service aces, tallying a career-best three for the second time this season. Waye's 10 blocks were the most by an MSU player in a single match since Zuzanna Kulig posted 12 against Illinois during the 2024 season. She is hitting at a .542 clip overall this season to rank first in the country and ranked second in the conference in last week's matches in blocks per set (2.00).
Senior outside hitter Alanna Bankston returned to MSU's lineup against Drake and posted a career-high 18 kills for the second time this season while hitting at a .640 clip, recording her seventh-straight match and eighth overall with double-digit kills this season.
Redshirt sophomore setter Malayah Long, who has helped set MSU to its NCAA-leading efficiency, put up her second-best assist total of the season against Oakland with 46 and posted eight digs. She added a team-high 32 assists in MSU's win over Drake and ranked ninth in the conference last week in assists per set with 11.14.
Senior libero Lia Schneider recorded a season-high 17 digs against Oakland, her fourth match overall this season and third in MSU's last five matches with double-digit digs. Schneider added six digs against Drake to total a team-best 23 on the week, averaging 3.29 digs per set.
MSU in B1G Openers
Friday will be MSU's first Big Ten opener in East Lansing in 10 seasons, last opening its conference season at home in a 3-0 win over Iowa during the 2016 season. The Spartans are 3-7 overall in that span and last won their conference opener at Michigan in 2023.Â
If MSU wins both of its matches this weekend, it will mark the first time since 2017 that the Spartans have opened Big Ten play at 2-0.
About Washington
Washington joins MSU and Nebraska as one of three undefeated Big Ten teams headed into the first weekend of conference action, posting a 9-0 record with sweeps of South Dakota State and South Dakota last weekend.Â
Washington leads the all-time series, 3-1, with MSU earning its first win over the Huskies last season in a four-set marathon match in Seattle (15-25, 30-28, 33-31, 25-20). The Huskies also own a 1-0 record in East Lansing, with their last win in the series coming in a 3-1 win during the 2024 season in MSU and Washington's first contest as conference foes.
Head coach Leslie Gabriel is in her fourth season as head coach and 26th year overall with the Huskies in 2026. Both Gabriel and MSU head coach Kristen Kelsay were assistants under former Washington head coach and current Minnesota head coach Keegan Cook before assuming their current roles as head coaches.
Up Next
MSU hosts No. 14 Penn State on Sunday, Sept. 27 at 2 p.m. inside the Breslin Center. The match will be broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network.
Players Mentioned
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/ Volleyball
MB
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DS/L
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MB
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