MANKATO, Minn.  – The Minnesota State volleyball team opens the 2026 season in Big Rapids, Mich., for the Ferris State Invitational, which takes place August 27-29, hosted by Ferris State at the Ewigleben Sports Arena.
 
Minnesota State opens the weekend with a match on Thursday, at 2 p.m. CT against Emporia State. The Mavericks continue their weekend with a pair of matches on Friday, when they will take on Purdue Northwest at 10 a.m. CT and MSU Denver at 4:30 p.m. CT. The road trip concludes Saturday, at 12:30 p.m. CT when the Mavericks will face the host team, Ferris State.
 
About the Mavericks
The Mavericks look to continue their momentum from the 2025 season where they finished fourth in the NSIC. MSU ended the season with a 23-6 overall record as well as a record of 15-5 in the NSIC.
 
Heading into the 2026 season, the Mavericks ranked sixth in the NSIC Preseason Poll.
 
Junior right side hitter Avery Klein (New Prague, Minn.) continues to evolve each year. During the 2025 season, she led the team with 292 kills. Senior middle blocker Avery Rosenberg (Chaska, Minn.) had a standout 2025 campaign where she had 259 kills and led the team with 64 blocks. Junior setter Jadyn Lester (Rochester, Minn.) helped lead the offense with 1,067 assists and an NSIC leading 61 service aces.
 
To strengthen the squad, the Mavericks added three transfer athletes for the 2026 season. Emma Antigua (Kimball, Minn.) joined from the University of Charleston. During her two seasons there, she tallied 159 kills, 32 aces, and 118 digs. Ellery Apel (Sauk Prairie, Wis.) transferred from Winona State. During her time there, she recorded 63 digs, 20 assists and 8 service aces. Rounding out the transfer class is Lily Riese (Champlin, Minn.). While at Bemidji State, she recorded 461 kills, 107 digs, and 49 total blocks in two seasons.
 
The Mavericks are introducing a new set of talented freshmen. Peyton Strout (Elgin, Ill.) and Kyla Klein (New Prague, Minn.) add more depth to the MSU offense. Kaelyn Wieland (West Des Moines, Iowa) brings elite court awareness to the setting position. Ella Lindgren (Neenah, Wis.) adds depth to the Maverick defense.
 
Minnesota State head coach Corey Phelps enters his seventh season with the Mavericks where he holds a 75-63 record.
 
About the Hornets
The Hornets finished the 2025 season with an overall record of 21-7. Emporia State finished with a 12-4 record in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The Hornets' main playmakers are sophomore outside hitter Lavra Krizanic and senior setter Brailee Bogle. Head coach Ken Murczek has a career record of 51-33 with the Hornets.
 
Emporia State last faced Minnesota State in August 2009, when Emporia State beat the Mavericks 3-0.
 
About the Lions
The Purdue Northwest Lions are coming off an even 13-13 overall record. The Lions finished 7-9 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Head coach Sean Douglas has a 44-68 record across four seasons with the Lions.
 
This contest marks the first-ever meeting between these two programs.
 
About the Roadrunners
The reigning Division II national champions, the MSU Denver Roadrunners, are coming off a very strong 32-3 overall record. They went 13-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Head coach Stacie Meisner enters her first season leading the Roadrunners. She was previously at Alaska Anchorage where across three seasons she led her teams to a 55-35 combined record. The Roadrunners are listed at No. 3 in the AVCA Preseason Poll. They are seeking to remain at the top and go for back-to-back national titles.
 
MSU Denver and Minnesota State have only faced each other once in September 1995, when the Mavericks beat the Roadrunners in a tight contest 3-2.
 
About the Bulldogs
Ferris State finished the 2025 season with an overall record of 27-8. They went 14-3 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Head coach Tia Brandel-Wihelm is entering her 30th season with the Bulldogs. She has an overall record of 697-252 (.734). The Bulldogs are ranked No. 10 in the AVCA Preseason Poll. They are looking to keep their five-year 25-plus win per season streak alive.
 
Ferris State last faced Minnesota State in September 2010, when the Mavericks beat the Bulldogs 3-1.
 
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