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Emporia State begins volleyball season in Michigan Thursday BIG RAPIDS, Mich. (WIBW) - The 2026 campaign begins for the Emporia State volleyball team Thursday with four matches at the Ferris State Invitational. Emporia State will open the trip with (RV) Minnesota State before a morning matchup against Illinois-Springfield in match two. The final two matches will be against GLIAC opponents, including the hosts Ferris State along with Purdue Northwest. The Hornets are coming off a 21-7 record last season, which, Emporia State Athletics noted, marked their first 20-plus win season since the 2012 season and is receiving votes in the AVCA Preseason Poll for the first time since the beginning of that 2012 campaign. Emporia State is led by head coach Ken Murczek. Murczek is entering his fourth season at Emporia State and has a 51-33 record through the first three years. Before his arrival, the Hornets last made a trip to the MIAA Tournament in 2018, and have made the trip in each of the first three seasons in his tenure. The Hornets return six players who played in 25 or more matches last season and three who played over 100 sets. ESU Athletics noted that senior Brailee Bogle has played in over 300 sets over the first three years and returns along with sophomore Delainee Dexter as the two combined for 1,100 assists last season. Lavra Krizanic returns on the outside as she was the 2025 MIAA Freshman of the Year and had 236 kills. In the middle, two of the best net defenders in the conference return in Mia Frisbie and Brooklynn Weaver as they both had over 100 total blocks a year ago. Copyright 2026 WIBW. All rights reserved.