Northern plays four matches in the space of 48 hours after facing NCAA Division I Central Michigan in an exhibition match last weekend on Mackinac Island. The Chippewas won that non-regular season match in three straight sets.

All four opponents are Wildcats playing at the NMU Open are from outside Michigan — the Wildcats faced Minnesota-Crookston on Thursday evening, then face Cedarville (Ohio) at 1 p.m. today, Upper Iowa at 7 p.m. today and Bemidji State (Minnesota) at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Seven schools are participating, with the others being Lake Superior State and Central Oklahoma. A total of 14 matches are listed after a look at the other participating schools’ websites — two today and six each on Friday and Saturday.

The opening match was at 4:30 p.m. Thursday with LSSU vs. Upper Iowa.

Northern Michigan University's Lauren Van Remortel, left, lunges to make a set in the Wildcats' GLIAC volleyball match against Saginaw Valley State on Oct. 1 at Vandament Arena in Marquette. Looking on is teammate Olivia Webber. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)

Friday’s other matches are listed as 9 a.m. with Cedarville vs. Bemidji State, 11 a.m. with LSSU vs. Central Oklahoma, 3 p.m. with Upper Iowa vs. Minnesota-Crookston and 5 p.m. with Bemidji vs. Central Oklahoma.

And on Saturday, there’s also a 9 a.m. match with LSSU vs. Minnesota-Crookston, 11 a.m. with Cedarville vs. Upper Iowa, 1 p.m. with Central Oklahoma vs. Minnesota-Crookston, 3 p.m. with LSSU vs. Bemidji and 5 p.m. with Cedarville vs. Central Oklahoma.

NMU was picked sixth in the GLIAC preseason poll with 48 votes, and surprisingly also received a first-place vote. Grand Valley State, after finishing fourth a year ago, was picked No. 1 with Michigan Tech No. 2 and NMU Open participant LSSU chosen ninth of the 10 teams after Northwood left the league for this season.

Each of NMU’s three All-GLIAC players from last fall’s squad return.

Junior Jacqueline Smith was named to the conference First Team after finishing third in the league in kills, both per set (3.77) and in actual total (381). She also led the league in total attacks with 1,155 and was fourth for NMU in hitting percentage at .182 in 2021.

Second Teamers Lizzy Stark, a senior, and Meghan Meyer, a sophomore, followed Smith in kills for the Wildcats. Stark was second with 298 and Meyer third with 218.

They were in the same position in total attacks with 844 and 508, respectively, just after Smith.

And Meyer led NMU in hitting percentage at .281 while Stark was second in digs with 251.

The Wildcats’ season ended last November in the GLIAC Tournament quarterfinals when they lost in three sets at No. 2 seed Ferris State, 25-16, 25-22, 25-23, to finish the season at 12-15 overall and 7-8 in GLIAC matches.

Concerning this week’s opponents, Northern is 6-0 all-time vs. Minnesota-Crookston, last playing in 2019 in the Keweenaw Classic in Houghton with NMU winning in five sets.

NMU is 5-2 vs. Cedarville, with them meeting last season at the University of Indianapolis Invitational as the Wildcats won in four sets.

Northern has played Upper Iowa six times before, with no series record available, but the Peacocks won their most recent matchup, again with no year available.

And the Wildcats are 5-1 against Bemidji, with NMU winning in three sets last season at the UIndy Invite.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.