Volleyball Travels to Michigan for Final Non-Conference Weekend

Opponents: Cincinnati, #21 Michigan, Milwaukee
Date: Fri – Sat., September 15-16
Location: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Site: Cliff Keen Arena
Times: Noon & 7:30 p.m. (Fri.) | 5 p.m. (Sat.)
Live Stats: SideArm Stats

RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State volleyball team will close out its non-conference slate and take on a pair of 2016 NCAA Tournament teams this weekend at the Michigan Challenge. The Wolfpack opens play in the event against Cincinnati at noon Friday afternoon prior to playing No. 21 Michigan later that evening at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday the Pack will face Milwaukee at 5 p.m. to conclude play in the challenge. Michigan advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament last season, while Cincinnati came up short in its first-round matchup.

Cliff Keen Arena on the University of Michigan's campus will be the site for matches.

NC State (3-5) enters the weekend having won its last three matches. Cincinnati has had a tough start to the year due to injuries and sits at 1-8 on the year, while Michigan is 7-2 and Milwaukee owns a 7-4 record.

Last Time Out
In its last outing, the Wolfpack picked up a 3-0 victory against LIU Brooklyn inside Reynolds Coliseum. It was NC State's second consecutive sweep.

Eight In a Row
NC State has been firing on all cylinders in the past three matches, as the Wolfpack has won its last eight sets. During that stretch, the Pack has outscored opponents, 191-116.

Wolfpack Enters PrepVolleyball Rankings
Following NC State's perfect 3-0 weekend, the Wolfpack has entered the PrepVolleyball Top 50 Rankings. NC State checks in at No. 45 in the listing.

Tough Schedule
The Wolfpack has played one of the toughest schedules in the nation this year, as each of NC State's losses have come against teams ranked by PrepVolleyball. Florida is rated the highest of the group at No. 3, while Kansas is No. 11, Missouri State is No. 37 and Auburn rounds out the unit at No. 41.

Including this weekend's contests, eight of NC State's 11 non-conference matches are against NCAA Tournament teams from 2016. Additionally, six of those matchups were versus conference champions from last season.

Brown Joins 1,000 Kill Club
Senior Julia Brown joined an elite club last weekend, as she recorded her 1,000^th career kill to become just the 11^th player in the history of the NC State volleyball program to reach the milestone. She is one of just three active players in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with 1,000 or more kills.

The outside hitter now owns 1,002 for her career.

Bailey Approaching 1,000
Graduate transfer Bree Bailey is also approaching 1,000 career kills, as she heads into the weekend with 982 to her credit. She needs just 18 kills this weekend to reach the mark.

NC State would become one of just six programs to have two players on its roster with 1,000 or more career kills, joining Missouri State, Jacksonville State, Kansas, Fairfield and Sam Houston State.

Leading The Pack
Brown leads NC State offensively this season with 108 kills, an average of 3.27 kills per set. Melissa Evans has enjoyed a strong start to her freshman campaign, as she owns 105 kills with 3.18 kills per set.

At setter, Kylie Pickrell headlines the group with 292 assists, averaging 8.85 per set and she also paces the squad in digs with 100.

Scouting Cincinnati
Following a strong 2016 season in which the team advanced to the NCAA Tournament, Cincinnati has had a slow start to the year without the services of Preseason American Athletic Conference (AAC) Player of the Year Jordan Thompson.

Friday's meeting will be the fifth between the programs, with the all-time series even at two apiece. NC State won the most recent matchup in straight sets during the 1993 season, 3-0.

Junior outside hitter Carly Nolan leads the team offensively with 147 kills, an average of 4.08 kills per set. Nolan has been a first team all-conference selection each of the past two years and was tabbed a Preseason All-AAC selection. At setter, Jade Tingelhoff has dished out 8.97 assist per set for a total of 323 assists.

Defensively, libero Maya Eller has collected 3.26 digs per set.

Cincinnati finished last season ranked second in the AAC standings and was tabbed to finish in the same spot in 2017 by the league's head coaches.

Scouting Michigan
Michigan has enjoyed success in the non-conference portion of its schedule, as the Wolverines are 7-2 and ranked 21^st in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Poll. Michigan was ranked No. 16 in the preseason polls, but currently sits at No. 21 with its only losses against USC and Colorado State.

NC State and Michigan have only met once in the history of both programs with the Wolverines earning a 3-1 victory during the 1993 season.

Michigan has a balanced offensive attack, as Adeja Lambert and Carly Skjodt pace the group with 3.17 and 2.97 kills per set, respectively. MacKenzi Welsh is the team's setter and has handed out 10.89 assists per set. At libero, Jenna Lerg has tallied 4.27 digs per set.

The Wolverines' offense ranks eight in the nation with 14.87 kills per set.

Scouting Milwaukee
The Milwaukee Panthers are 7-4 heading into the weekend, following a midweek loss to Marquette on Tuesday night at home. Milwaukee has tallied a 3-1 record this season in neutral site contests with its only loss to Northwestern at a tournament hosted by DePaul.

Saturday's matchup will be the first between the programs.

Caitlin Schultz leads the team offensively with 142 kills, an average of 3.55 kills per set. Bridget Wallenberger also owns more than 100 kills with 126 kills to her credit. Jenn Dore, the Panthers' setter, has logged the most assists in the Horizon League this season with 461. Defensively, Mykie Olsen has collected 158 digs or 3.95 digs per set to lead the squad.

Milwaukee returns five starters from last year's team and was picked to finish fourth in the league's preseason poll.

Volleyball Travels to Michigan for Final Non-Conference Weekend

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Players Mentioned

Bree Bailey

Julia Brown

Melissa Evans

Kylie Pickrell