Northern Michigan University’s Lauren Van Remortel passes the ball in the second set of a GLIAC Tournament quarterfinal match against Saginaw Valley State at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Nov. 9. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)

MARQUETTE — This fall, the Northern Michigan University volleyball team would certainly like to copy its success of 2022, when the Wildcats went 23-9 and earned a trip to the NCAA Division II national tournament.

They not only have quite a number of key contributors back from that team, but they’ll start the season the same way.

That will mean a return trip to Mackinac Island in the Straits of Mackinac between the Upper and Lower peninsulas. That’s where NMU will again play Division I Central Michigan University in an exhibition contest at Mackinac Island High School that’s been dubbed the Match on the Mack.

It takes place on Saturday, Aug. 19, at a time yet to be determined, but nearly four weeks before any of the Wildcats’ regular-season matches.

Head coach Mike Lozier is excited with a solid freshman class coming into the program along with a number of returning players, according to news release about the team’s schedule from NMU Sports Information.

Last fall, these Wildcats earned a trip to the NCAA D-II Midwest Region before falling to regional host and No. 1 regional seed Quincy on Nov. 17.

Outside hitter Lizzy Stark was the only senior listed on the 2022 roster, and while she was a key contributor, sophomore OH Jacqueline Smith was named to the GLIAC All-Tournament team at the league event held just before the NCAAs.

Smith and NMU sophomore middle blocker Meghan Meyer made the All-GLIAC First Team, Stark and Northern junior setter Lauren Van Remortel were named to the Second Team, and Wildcats junior defensive specialist Alli Yacko earned honorable mention.

Without a season-opening tournament on the schedule, NMU’s regular season doesn’t begin until Friday, Sept. 15, the start of a home GLIAC weekend at 6:30 p.m. against Davenport. The following day, Sept. 16, the Wildcats hosts Grand Valley State at 5 p.m. for Homecoming and Alumni Day.

The 20-match regular season includes just two nonconference matches at the exact midpoint of the season, the Midwest Crossover scheduled for Oct. 13-14 at a site and against opponents to be determined.

What is almost certain is that the Wildcats will play two non-GLIAC opponents, likely from the Great Lakes Valley Conference, on the back-to-back days.

What precedes that is nine conference matches and follows is another nine in the league.

Northern will play each Friday and Saturday once the season starts right through to Nov. 10-11, with two additional matches against their travel “partner,” Michigan Tech, thrown in on a pair of Tuesdays.

The first one against the Huskies is at 6 p.m. on Sept. 26 in Houghton, with the return match at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 31 at NMU’s Vandament Arena.

Other home weekends include Sept. 29-30 against Ferris State and Lake Superior State, Oct. 6-7 vs. Wisconsin-Parkside and Purdue Northwest, and Nov. 3-4 vs. Saginaw Valley State and Wayne State.

There will be special theme nights for multiple home matches, such as Youth Sports Day on Sept. 30 vs. LSSU, Faculty & Staff Appreciation Day on Oct. 6 vs. Parkside, and 30th Anniversary of the National Championship Celebration on Oct. 7.

The GLIAC quarterfinals for the league’s top eight teams are expected to be held four days after the regular season ends on Wednesday, Nov. 15.

The full schedule is available on the NMU athletics website under the team’s schedule at https://nmuwildcats.com/sports/womens-volleyball/schedule.

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