Michigan
Purdue
Wolverines to Host No. 11 Boilermakers to Open Delayed Season
2/9/2021 2:00:00 PM | Volleyball
» U-M begins its season ranked No. 24 in the latest AVCA Poll, and the Wolverines were picked to finish sixth in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll.
» Junior Paige Jones earned a spot on the preseason All-Big Ten team.
» U-M welcomes six newcomers: Scottee Johnson, Jess Mruzik, Kendall Murray, Brooke Humphrey, Jenni Liu and Hannah Grant.
THIS WEEK
Saturday, Feb. 13 -- vs. #11 Purdue (Cliff Keen Arena), 6 p.m.
TV: Big Ten Network+ | Live Stats | Live Video
Sunday, Feb. 14 -- vs. #11 Purdue (Cliff Keen Arena), 5:30 p.m.
TV: Big Ten Network | Live Video | Live Stats
• Complete Match Notes (PDF) | HC Mark Rosen WTKA Interview
• Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
The No. 24-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team (0-0) opens its 2020-21 season with a two-match set vs. No. 11 Purdue (2-4) on Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 13-14) inside Cliff Keen Arena. Saturday's matchup is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus, while Sunday's matchup is slated for 5:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
Wolverine Bites
• The Wolverines will start their season against No. 11 Purdue after their first six matches were postponed. Michigan's scheduled opening weekend (Jan. 23-24) against Penn State was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns, while matchups against Michigan State (Jan. 28-29) and Northwestern (Feb. 5-6) were postponed due to U-M's department-wide activities pause.
• Michigan's Jan. 28 match against Michigan State has been rescheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 17, in East Lansing.
• U-M is No. 24 in the latest edition of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll (Feb. 8), down one spot from last week's rankings. Other Big Ten teams in the rankings include No. 1 Wisconsin, No. 4 Nebraska, No. 5 Minnesota, No. 8 Penn State and No. 11 Purdue.
• Michigan's top returners are highlighted by junior Paige Jones and sophomores Jess Robinson and May Pertofsky. Jones, named to the AVCA All-America third team and a unanimous All-Big Ten first team selection last season, was named to the 2021 preseason All-Big Ten team. She improved her game in every facet after a freshman season that earned her a spot on the All-Big Ten Freshman Team. In two fewer games as a sophomore, Jones had 61 more kills, 20 more digs and 17 more blocks. Her hitting percentage jumped nearly 60 points, finishing the season with a .252 mark after hitting .195 as a freshman. Pertofsky and Robinson were named members of the Big Ten All-Freshmen team a season ago.
• U-M welcomes six newcomers in freshmen Scottee Johnson, Jess Mruzik, Kendall Murray, Brooke Humphrey, junior college transfer Jenni Liu and Michigan State transfer Hannah Grant. The class is headlined by Mruzik -- the Gatorade National Player of the Year, Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year and the No. 2 recruit in the country per VolleyballMag.com -- who hails from Livonia, Mich., and will factor in as an outside hitter from the start. The class owns a consensus top-six national ranking, highlighted by a No. 3 ranking by VolleyHigh and a No. 5 rank by PrepVolleyball.com.
Opponent Preview: Purdue
All-time series: U-M trails, 51-27
The No. 11-ranked Boilermakers (2-4) are coming off a sweep at the hands of No. 6 Minnesota last weekend. Purdue's victories came over Iowa after starting the season with a pair of losses against No. 1 Wisconsin. Caitlyn Newton, an honorable mention All-American a year ago, leads the team in kills with 92, while Hayley Bush leads the team in assists (221).
Tweet of the Week
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— Michigan Volleyball (@umichvball) February 8, 2021
Up Next
Wednesday, Feb. 17 -- at Michigan State (East Lansing, Mich.), 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 19 -- vs. Maryland (Cliff Keen Arena), 6 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 20 -- vs. Maryland (Cliff Keen Arena), 6 p.m.
