No. 14 Penn State women’s volleyball was wrapped up its non-conference slate of the 2026 season and it’s all Big Ten play from hereon out until the postseason. The Nittany Lions hold an 8-2 overall record, sustaining losses to Kentucky and Tennessee, and go on the road for their first in-conference match.
Michigan isn’t a ranked team in the AVCA Poll, but the Wolverines made an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2025 and proved they weren’t a team to overlook. They swept Xavier in the first round of the tournament and lost to Pittsburgh in the second round.
It’s not just Michigan Penn State faces this weekend. The Nittany Lions have a full Big Ten trip in the state, visiting Michigan State on Sunday. Unlike the Wolverines, the Spartans did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament, but they are on the bubble of teams in the poll. They received 44 votes in the latest poll, which counted games played through Sept. 20.
Penn State takes on Michigan and Michigan State to start Big Ten play in 2026
Ella Dematrician is the toughest hitter for Michigan, having racked up 165 kills on the season. She also leads the team in points with 181.5, has made 97 digs (second-most on the team), and has put up 18 total blocks. However, Penn State libero Ava Falduto has had plenty of tests throughout the season and faces hitters, like Kennedy Martin and Whitney Lauenstein, every practice. Dematrician is the Wolverine’s top attacker, but she doesn’t have anything Falduto hasn’t seen…