WARREN, Mich. – Macomb Volleyball gets the 2025 season underway Friday (Aug. 22) with its second trip in as many seasons to the Opening Weekend Tournament (OWT) in Rockford, Ill. Featuring a total of 81 NJCAA women's volleyball programs, the OWT is played at Rockford's UW Health Sports Factory and is known as the largest two-year collegiate women's sporting event.
 
TOURNAMENT INFO: Location | Live Stream | General Info | Teams
 
THE SCHEDULE: A six-match weekend begins Friday with contests against Elgin Community College and Black Hawk College at 11 a.m. CT and 3:15 p.m. CT, respectively. On Saturday, the Monarchs will play back-to-back matches with the first opposite Highland Community College at 2:15 p.m. CT and the latter against Southeastern Community College at 4:15 p.m. CT. OWT play closes out on Sunday with matches against Kankakee Community College at 9:30 a.m. CT and No. 18 McHenry County College at 1:30 p.m. CT. 
 
SCOUTING ELGIN: The Spartans finished the 2024 season with a 3-28 overall record. Sophomore Katey Mitchell is the top returner for the Spartans after leading the team offensively with 73 kills last season while also tallying 125 digs. Another player to watch is sophomore Annie Tiu, who recorded a team-high 226 digs to accompany 44 assists a season ago. The team is led by first-year head coach Michele Mueller. 
 
SCOUTING BLACK HAWK: Led by head coach Matt Gropel, the Braves enter 2025 after posting an 11-24 record last season. Black Hawk's 2024 season ended with a loss in the first round of the NJCAA Region 4 Tournament. Jayla Davis is the team's top returner after tallying 168 kills in 2024. 
 
SCOUTING HIGHLAND: The Cougars posted a 20-15 overall record in 2024. Only five players are returning from last season on a 2025 squad that features 10 incoming freshmen. Highland's top returner is sophomore outside hitter Kaidynce Lynch, who earned All-Region and All-Arrowhead Conference honors last season. Another player to watch is Taryn Matthews, who joined Lynch in earning All-Arrowhead Conference honors in 2024. 
 
SCOUTING SOUTHEASTERN: A member of the Iowa Community College Athletic Assocation, the Blackhawks enter 2025 after going 22-19 overall last season with an appearance in the NJCAA Region 11 Tournament. Sophomore Taryn Havener is the top returner for Southeastern after finishing second on the team with 268 kills in 2024. Fellow sophomore Taryn Stephens returns after posting a team-best 713 digs last year.
 
SCOUTING KANKAKEE: The Cavaliers finished 2024 with a 21-10 overall record and a trip to the NJCAA Region 4 Tournament. Sophomore outside hitter Kennedi Huston leads the returners for Kankakee after notching 313 kills and 264 digs in 2024. Another player to watch is Andrijana Cicvaric, who posted 269 digs in 29 matches played a season ago. 
 
SCOUTING MCHENRY: The final opponent of the weekend is OWT host, the No. 18 McHenry County Scots. The Scots finished 2024 with a 28-5 overall record and perfect 7-0 mark in Illinois Skyway Conference play. Two players to watch are sophomores Courtney Komperda and Bri Ricci. Komperda registered 470 assists and 236 digs last season to finish second on the team in both categories, while Ricci posted 111 digs.
 
A LOOK AT THE MONARCHS: Macomb enters 2025 looking to build upon last year's 7-5 mark in MCCAA Eastern Conference play and a 14-18 record overall. Lauren "Doogie" Rishell enters her sixth season leading the Monarchs and has recorded 65 career wins entering the 2025 campaign. 
 
MCCAA Eastern Conference Second Team All-Conference performers Jordan Pflaum and Kaley Eller lead a cast of six returners for the Monarchs in 2025. Pflaum paced the Monarchs in kills last season with 244 in 31 matches played, while Eller racked up 202 kills to go along with 173 digs across 32 matches.

Another returner who earned all-conference honors in 2024 for the Monarchs is Eastern Conference Honorable Mention All-Conference selection Alexis Cunha. The libero/defensive specialist anchored the team last year with 438 digs and a .916 reception percentage.

The returning talent also includes Kara Beeker (2024: 217 kills, 119 digs), Ashlyn Cunha (2024: 235 digs, 33 aces) and Sophia Kulaga (2024: 180 digs, 39 aces).
 
Four incoming freshmen bolster the roster this season as Brooke Baker, Jessica Banar, Korin Hutton and Caryss Terry join a talented cast of returners.
 
A LOOK AHEAD: After OWT play concludes, the Monarchs will have two-plus weeks of practice before returning to action with a tri-match at Kellogg Community College on Sept. 9 against the host Bruins and the University of Olivet (JV).