Volleyball ready to kick-off long-awaited season

The Muskingum volleyball team are ready to kick-off the 2021 spring season after postponement in the fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Muskies begin the year in doubleheader action at Ohio Athletic Conference foe John Carroll on Friday, March 12, at 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Muskies Ranked: The Muskingum volleyball team was ranked 12th in the first American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 Poll of the 2021 season.

The Coach: Muskingum is led by fifth-year head coach Hallie Cruzen. In 2019, Cruzen guided the Muskies to a final ranking of 14th in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 Poll of the year. The Muskies were ranked as high as 11th during the season. Muskingum finished the season 27-4 overall with an 8-1 slate in the OAC and secured their best campaign since 1999, a share of the Ohio Athletic Conference Regular-Season Championship for the first time since 1999, and their 10th appearance in the NCAA Division III Volleyball Tournament.

She guided the Muskies to the team's first NCAA Tournament triumph since 1999 after beating Wittenberg to advance to the Regional Semifinals. Cruzen's tutelage helped three players earn All-American Honorable Mention accolades in 2019. In 2018, she was also named the Ohio Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and has led several athletes to All-OAC and Academic All-OAC accolades.

The Captains: Muskingum will be led by a trio of seniors in senior setter Erin Dickson (3-time captain), senior outside hitter Brooke Fatheree (3-time captain), and senior libero/defensive specialist Kamryn Smith (2-time captain). Dickson, a First Team All-OAC award winner, was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III Great Lakes All-Region Team and named AVCA Division III Honorable Mention All-American in 2019. She finished the year playing in 31 matches securing 979 assists and 84 kills.

Fatheree, a First Team All-OAC honoree, was named the OAC Volleyball Player of the Week twice in 2019. She was also named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III Great Lakes All-Region Team and was honored with AVCA Division III Honorable Mention All-American accolades last season. She ended 2019 competing in 31 matches notching 367 kills, 428 digs, and grabbed 35 total blocks. Smith played in eight matches for the Muskies last season and was a Academic All-OAC Honor Roll honoree.

The Players: Players to watch out for this season are senior outside hitter Maddie McGee, senior outside hitter Kaitlin Noble, sophomore middle hitter Emma Dunham, and sophomore setter/outside hitter Emma Conrad. McGee, a Second-Team All-OAC honoree, was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III Great Lakes All-Region Team in 2019. McGee was also honored with AVCA Division III Honorable Mention All-American status. She finished the campaign playing 31 matches logging in 318 kills, 68 digs, and 45 total blocks.

In 2019, Noble played in 28 matches logging in 147 kills, 36 digs, and 28 total blocks, while Dunham finished her freshman campaign playing in 15 matches registering 30 kills and 12 total blocks. Conrad ended her first season with Muskingum competing in 31 matches dishing out 213 assists, grabbing 241 digs, and locking in 23 service aces.

The Schedule: The schedule that features an 18-game schedule for the 2021 spring season. Muskingum will play all OAC schools in doubleheaders on Tuesday and Friday evenings. Game times are scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m or times could be subject to change throughout the season. The Muskies begin their new season on Friday, March 12, at John Carroll.

Spectator Policy: Beginning on March 8, the following policies and protocols will be in place at Muskingum. 

• The home team shall receive two admissions per dressed student-athlete and coach. The visiting team shall also receive two admissions per student-athlete and coach, per established "Travel Squad Limits. 
• These admissions may not exceed 30 percent of spectator area capacity.
• There will be no public sales of tickets, and no passes will be issued for entry.
• Attendees at events will be required to wear masks and abide by social distancing guidelines.

Broadcasts: All home games will be played at the Anne C. Steele Center and will feature an HD video stream accessible through the OAC TV app and on fightingmuskies.com.