U-M to Open Home Action with Michigan Invitational

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Following a three-match road trip to kick off the season last weekend, the No. 19-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team will host the Michigan Invitational Tournament this Friday and Saturday (Sept. 1-2) in what will mark the Wolverines' first home contests of the year. Michigan is set to host Butler for its home opener on Friday (Sept. 1) at 7:30 p.m., before facing off against New Hampshire (1 p.m.) and UW-Green Bay (7:30 p.m.) on Saturday (Sept. 2) inside Cliff Keen Arena.

Michigan and the AVCA Poll
After dropping one match last weekend to USC, which sat just one spot outside of the top 25, Michigan dropped three spots in the AVCA Poll and are now ranked 19th. Rankings aside, Michigan is set to face 10 opponents that advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2016. Michigan finished the 2016 campaign with multiple victories over ranked opponents, including home wins over Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State and Oregon.

Wolverines at Home
Michigan's senior class has posted a 36-13 record at home over the last three seasons and will look to maintain an edge at home once again this year. Based on the AVCA preseason poll, Michigan is already set to host five matches against top-25 competition this season.

All-Tournament Selections
Michigan garnered three USC/LMU Invite All-Tournament selections last week after going 2-1 on the weekend. Outside hitter Adeja Lambert and middle blockers Claire Kieffer-Wright and Cori Crocker all received the all-tournament nod. Lambert led Michigan in hitting on the weekend with 3.80 kills/set, while Crocker registered 1.40 blocks/set. Kieffer-Wright led Michigan with a .367 attack average and four service aces.

"Mac" is Back
After missing the first match of the season due to illness and playing just half the rotations against USC, sophomore setter MacKenzi Welsh returned to full capacity for Michigan's final match last weekend in which the Wolverines swept Loyola Marymount. In Welsh's absence, junior setter Maddy Abbott led the Wolverines to a 3-0 sweep of Albany while recording a career-high 38 assists.

Michigan under Mark Rosen
The 2017 volleyball campaign marks the program's 45th season and 19th under head coach Mark Rosen. In his time with the Maize and Blue, Rosen has compiled a 363-232 record and has guided Michigan to 15 of its 16 NCAA postseason appearances. Rosen is the winningest coach in program history.

Scouting the Opposition
Butler
Butler will come into the weekend with a 3-1 record after hosting a four-match tournament last weekend. After sweeping Stony Brook in their first match of the year and defeating both Oakland and Robert Morris in five sets, the Bulldogs suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of Eastern Michigan, 3-1. Despite the loss, Butler is hitting at a .264 clip for the year, with junior outside hitter Whitney Beck leading the way with a 3.82 kills per set average. The Bulldogs finished the 2016 season with a 20-14 overall record and lost to Creighton in the Big East championship match.

New Hampshire
New Hampshire began the season at St. John's last weekend and will come into the Michigan Invitational Tournament with a 1-3 overall record. The Wildcats' lone win came during their first match of the season as they swept Holy Cross in straight sets. Sophomore outside hitter Kennedy Smith currently leads UNH with 3.33 kills per set, while sophomore outside hitter Logan Welti is averaging 5.07 digs per set. The Wildcats finished the 2016 campaign with an NCAA Tournament First Round appearance.

UW-Green Bay
Green Bay is the only team that will enter the Michigan Invitational with an unbeaten record after sweeping the EIU Panther Classic last weekend in Charleston, Illinois. While there, Green Bay defeated host EIU in straight sets before sweeping Bradley and picking up a four-set win over Memphis. The Phoenix currently boast a .256 team hitting percentage, and senior middle blocker currently ranks 67th in the country with a .423 attack average. Green Bay ended the 2016 season with a 21-9 record and advanced to the Horizon League championship match against Cleveland State.