SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Coming off back-to-back sweeps last weekend, the Notre Dame volleyball team is gearing up for a home-and-home series with Michigan this weekend. The Irish will host the Wolverines Friday night inside Purcell Pavilion at 6:00 p.m. before trekking to Ann Arbor on Sunday for a 3 p.m. clash. Friday’s game can be viewed on ACC Network Extra while Sunday’s road match will be broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network.
During its first road trip of the season, Notre Dame stormed into Fort Collins, Colorado and came out with two victories, winning all six matches played. The Irish beat host Colorado State on Friday in straight sets in front of a crowd of over 7,700 in the second-largest crowd in Colorado State history before handling East Texas A&M in three sets on Saturday, moving Notre Dame’s early season record to 3-3.
The Irish found success serving in Colorado, including 13 aces in the win over East Texas A&M, the most in over a calendar year. Lucy Trump led the way with six in the match, and her 10 on the season leads the team.
The two-setter look has worked well for Notre Dame, as both Maya Baker (109) and Harmony Sample (101) have eclipsed the century mark in assists in just six matches.
Notre Dame has one player on the roster, Mallory Bohl, from Michigan. Bohl, a native of Saline, has eight kills in five sets played so far this season.
Friday’s match will be the “Cheer Her Name” match for the Irish, celebrating 50 years of Women’s Varsity Athletics at Notre Dame. The special weekend will be a celebration of many past student-athletes from the last five decades. The first 750 fans at the main entrance will receive a ‘Cheer Her Name’ t-shirt.
HISTORY VS. MICHIGAN
- This is the 19th all-time meeting between the two programs. The series is tied 9-9.
- The two teams faced off last season in Starkville, Mississippi. The Wolverines took the match in four sets. It was the first matchup in five years.
- The Irish haven’t had a home-and-home series against Michigan since the 2019 season. The teams split that season, with both home teams securing wins.
ALL EYES ON MORGAN GAERTE
- Morgan Gaerte is playing unlike anyone ever to wear the Blue and Gold has for the Irish to start a season
- The All-ACC Preseason Selection broke the school record for kills in a match last Friday against Illinois with 34. Kathy Cunningham’s record of 33 kills had stood for over 37 years. Those 34 kills are tied for the most in a single match so far this season in the country with
- She is the just the third player in Irish history to have three consecutive games of 20 or more kills. She has 115 kills this season, just 70 off her total all of last season.
- A 2025 Preseason All-ACC Selection, Gaerte is second in the conference and is 11th nationally with 4.79 kills per set. In points per set, she is also second in the ACC and 16th in the country with 5.27.
FRESH FACES
- The Irish welcome five freshmen to the team, bringing the Irish to a roster size of 20.
- The freshman class consists of Maya Baker (S), Maya Evens (DS/L), Mae Kordas (OH/O), Chichi Nnaji (OH), Sophia Thornburg (OH).
- Baker, who was a two-time Max Preps All-American, leads the team with 109 assists and is second on the team with 39 digs so far in 2025.
- The Irish pair a duo of former high school teammates in the incoming freshman class. Maya Evens and Mae Kordas both played together at Cathedral Catholic High School in Carlsbad, California. The duo was part of two Open State Championships (2022, 2024).
- Evens has played in every set for the Irish at libero and leads the team with 89 digs early in the season. She also has 25 assists.
- Chichi Nnaji and Sophia Thornburg were high school teammates in Dallas, Texas at the Ursuline Academy of Dallas. Thornburg was named to the Prep Volleyball Top 100 National List for the Class of 2025 while Nnaji spent time working with the USAV National Team Development Program.
- Nnaji has made an early impact in a short time. She is third on the team with 30 kills and has 20 total blocks for 40.5 points.
- The Irish added one player from the portal, outside hitter Sydney Helmers from Texas. She was a member of the 2023 National Champion team as a freshman for the Longhorns. The junior has 37 kills, 22 digs and is second on the team with six service aces this season.
KEY RETURNERS
- The Irish return 14 to the roster; 5 outside hitters, 3 defensive specialist/liberos, 3 middle blockers, 2 setters and 1 opposite.
- Notre Dame returns all three middle blockers; Mallory Bohl, Anna Bjork and Grace Langer for their sophomore seasons.
- Langer and Bjork have been a dominant presence in the middle for Notre Dame. Langer leads the team with 26 blocks with Bjork right behind her at 25. Offensively, Langer has 25 kills to Bjork’s 24.
- In a homecoming match at Colorado State, Langer tallied nine kills on a career-best .600 hitting percentage to go along with 4.0 blocks.