EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State volleyball’s 2022 non-conference schedule was announced by first year head coach Leah Johnson on Friday. The Spartans will play 11 out-of-conference opponents over the first four weekends of the season, highlighted by matches against a pair of NCAA tournament teams, two teams selected to play in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship, and a conference champion. Several other teams on the schedule finished among the top performers in their respective conferences last season.
“Our young team will be tested early and often throughout these four weeks of play,” Johnson said. “This will prove to be vital while our team learns a new style of play, and more importantly builds a culture of service, growth, and honor.”
The Spartans will open the 2022 season at home against Louisiana on Friday, Aug. 26 to kick off the Auto-Owners Insurance Spartan Invitational. Michigan State will match up against Eastern Michigan and Fairfield on Saturday, Aug. 27 to round out day two of the invite. Fairfield was an NCAA qualifier last season as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion. The Stags have appeared in 12 NCAA tournaments in the last 25 years.
MSU will then head to Annapolis, Maryland for its first road trip of the fall, playing in the Kristen Dickmann Invitational hosted by the U.S. Naval Academy on Friday, Sept. 2 and Saturday, Sept. 3. The Spartans will take on Albany and Navy on Friday before meeting VCU on Saturday. VCU was among the top teams in the Atlantic 10 last season, finishing the year with a 13-3 record in conference play.
“We are looking forward to visiting the U.S. Naval Academy during our second week of action,” Johnson said. “It’s important that we schedule quality opponents, but also important that we provide our student-athletes with memorable learning experiences when we can. I am hopeful that our strong alumni contingent on the east coast will be able to join us as well!”
Michigan State’s stretch of road matches continues along the east coast when it sees North Carolina and Duke on Friday, Sept. 9 and Saturday, Sept. 10. UNC was an at-large selection into the 2021 NCAA tournament after finishing the regular season ranked No. 32 in the NCAA RPI. MSU was slated to host both ACC opponents in 2021 before games were canceled. This is the second year…
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