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Northern Michigan (0-0) at SWOSU (0-0) Thursday, Sept. 1, 4:00 pm Weatherford, Okla. (Pioneer Cellular Event Center) Live Stats  |  Watch Live

Setting the Scene
- For the first time in program history, SWOSU Volleyball will open the 2016 season on their home floor when they host Northern Michigan at 4:00 pm on Thursday afternoon
- It will be the first all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and the Northern Michigan, members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference
- SWOSU is coming off the most successful season in program history, winning 22 matches and the Great American Conference Tournament Championship in 2015
- Thursday's match is the only chance for the home crowd to see the Bulldogs in until September 22 with 10 road or neutral-site matches within that span
 
The Opponent
Northern Michigan (0-0)
- From Marquette, Michigan, the Wildcats have been picked to finish fifth in the north division of the GLIAC this season
- NMU finished last season with a record of 21-10, but they were ousted from the GLIAC Tournament by Findlay in the quarterfinals
- Reached the 20-win plateau for the third time in five seasons last year and they return three of their key players in juniors Madison Whitehead, Kayla Chosa and Jami Hogeboom
- Whitehead was named an honorable mention All-American last year after posting 351 kills and a .333 hitting percentage
 
The Coaches
SWOSU: Josh Collins (56-72, 5th season)
- Led the Bulldogs to the best season in program history in 2015, winning 22 games and the GAC Tournament Championship
- Has coached nine All-GAC selections, one GAC Freshman of the Year and one AVCA All-Central Region selection in four seasons
- His teams have earned two AVCA Team Academic Awards and one GAC Sportsmanship Award
- Added the duties of Director of Gameday Operations at SWOSU in the fall of 2014.
 
Northern Michigan: Dominic Yoder (174-103, 10th season)
- Has been the head coach at NMU since 2007, guiding the Wildcats to six 20-win seasons and three NCAA Division II National Tournament appearances from 2008-10
- Previously served as the head coach at Cameron in 2006 after an assistant coach stint at Michigan Tech
 
GAC Preseason Poll
# Team, Points (1st Place Votes)
1. Arkansas Tech, 116 (7)
2. Oklahoma Baptist, 106 (1)
3. SWOSU, 103 (2)
4. Southern Nazarene, 95 (2)
5. Harding, 76
6. Southern Arkansas, 66
7. Northwestern Oklahoma State, 61
8. Ouachita, 54
9. Southeastern Oklahoma State, 42
10. Henderson State, 31
11. Arkansas-Monticello, 24
12. East Central, 18
 
Last Time Out
- The Bulldogs historic run in the 2015 postseason came to an end at the hands of top-ranked Concordia-St. Paul in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Central Regional
- SWOSU fell to the Golden Bears in straight sets, by scores of 25-12, 25-11, 25-15
- Carly Zak led the Bulldogs with 10 kills, finishing her junior season with 446 and giving her a school-record 1,157 heading into her final season
 
SWOSU Notes
- Five seniors – and 12 letterwinners total – return to give the Bulldogs a veteran group heading into the 2016 season
- Arguably the most decorated player in program history, Carly Zak returns as SWOSU's all-time leader in kills (1,157), a three-time All-GAC selection and last season she became the Bulldogs first AVCA All-Central Region honoree
- Other top returners for the Bulldogs include All-GAC selections Kayla Hebert and Kelsi Schmidtberger, both of whom were also named to the GAC All-Tournament Team with Hebert claiming MVP honors
- Hebert set a single-season school record with 51 service aces last season and her 1,149 assists is the second-highest season at SWOSU
- Schmidtberger made an impact in the middle with a .299 hitting percentage – third-best in program history – and she ranked second on the team with 94 blocks (15 solo, 79 assist)
- SWOSU also returns senior middle hitter Paige Holt, who led the Bulldogs with 96 blocks (16 solo, 80 assist) and ranked third on the team with 218 kills
- The lone senior that SWOSU lost to graduation last season was Kaila Lancaster, the programs all-time leader in digs, but the Bulldogs return four players (Hebert, Zak, Lindsey McCauley, Ariana Olson) who had more than 150 digs last season
- Two new additions to the SWOSU roster in 2016 are freshmen Kaitlyn Dillon (Edmond, Okla.) and Valerie Vermillion (Wylie, Texas)
 
Looking Ahead
- SWOSU concludes the opening weekend of the 2016 season in Canyon, Texas, at the West Texas A&M Buff Classic
- While in Canyon, the Bulldogs will face McKendree and Adams State on Friday before meeting West Texas A&M and Eastern New Mexico on Saturday