Volleyball Concludes Nonconference Slate in Ohio – Bucknell University Athletics

Setting the Scene, Part II
Who: Bucknell (2-4) vs. Harvard (3-0)
When: Saturday, Sept. 9 at 11 a.m. 
Where: Woodling Gymnasium – Cleveland, Ohio
Live Stats: csuvikings.com

Setting the Scene, Part III
Who: Bucknell (2-4) vs. Cleveland State (4-2)
When: Saturday, Sept. 9 at 5 p.m. 
Where: Woodling Gymnasium – Cleveland, Ohio
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: csuvikings.com

About Bucknell

• The Bison hosted the Bucknell Invitational last Friday and Saturday and went 1-2 on the weekend. The Orange & Blue were defeated by William & Mary and Princeton but swept Cornell in three sets. 
• Bucknell will play Akron on Friday and Harvard and Cleveland State on Saturday. The Cleveland State contest will be streamed on ESPN+ and live stats will be available for all three games. The links are in this article and on the Bucknell volleyball schedule page. 
• Bucknell is 13-11 in non-conference matchups under Head Coach Tyler Hagstrom. Last season, the Bison were 7-2 in non-conference games, including a 6-0 start. That start was the best in Bucknell’s history. 
• The Bison were picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll. Reigning champion Colgate was selected to repeat as title-winners. Jordan Hardy was crowned Preseason Libero of the Year. It is the first time a Bucknell libero was awarded the honor. She led the Patriot League in digs (591), 71 more than the nearest opposition, and digs per serve (5.68). Her digs per serve mark ranked her fifth in the nation. Hardy was All-Patriot League Second Team last season. 
• The Orange & Blue return most of their offensive and defensive prowess. Bri Frazilus, the 2022 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, totaled 293 kills to lead the team and finish fifth in the Patriot League. Senior Catherine “Cat” Jamison collected 263 kills and 277 points, both top-ten in the Patriot League. Along with the returners, the Bison welcome five newcomers to the squad. 
• Hagstrom enters his fourth season at the helm of the Bison herd. He is joined by third-year assistant Jeremy Young and newly hired assistant coach Haylie Clark, who recently graduated from Elon after a stellar playing career. 
• Jordan Hardy currently leads the Patriot League in digs per set and ranks fifth in the nation for the category.  

Scouting Akron/Series History

• The Zips are 3-3. They went 3-0 last weekend as they defeated Morehead State (3-1), Marshall (3-2), and UNC Greensboro (3-0) at the Marshall Invitational Tournament. 
• Akron finished 6-23 last season and did not qualify for the MAC Tournament. 
• Faith Johnson earned Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Week with a team-best 46 kills with a .324 hitting percentage. Johnson also recorded 53.5 points en route to earning Marshall Invitational Tournament MVP and all-tournament team honors. 
• The Zips were selected to finish sixth in the MAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
• Head coach Tyson Norton is in his second season as head coach. 
• Bucknell is 0-2 all-time against Akron. The matchups occurred in 2009 and 2018. 

Scouting Harvard/Series History

• Harvard opened its season last weekend, going 3-0 at the Harvard Invitational. This is the first time since the 2001 season that the Crimson have started the season 3-0.
• The Crimson finished 5-17 in 2022, with a 4-10 mark in Ivy League play. They did not qualify for a postseason tournament. 
• Ashley Wang had an outstanding weekend with the Crimson, making Harvard history as the first to ever post two triple-doubles in one day in games against Holy Cross and UNH. Against the Crusaders, Wang scored a career-high nine aces that currently leads the NCAA in aces in one game. She was rewarded with Ivy League Player of the Week Honors for her efforts.
• Harvard was picked fifth in the Ivy League preseason poll.
• Head Coach Jennifer Weiss enters her 30th season as head coach of the Crimson program.
• Bucknell is 1-1 against Harvard, with two matchups occurring in 1993 and 1997. Harvard won the more recent match by a score of 3-1.

Scouting Cleveland State/Series History

• The Vikings posted a 14-17 record in 2022 but went 10-8 in Horizon League play. They fell 3-1 in the Horizon League semifinals to Wright State.  
• Emma Walker tallied a career-high last time out, notching 33 digs in the five-set victory over Miami (OH). Walker, who leads the team averaging 4.00 digs per set on the season, marked the first 30-dig match of her career with 33 digs against the Redhawks. Through two weeks of the 2023 season, Walker’s 33-dig performance marks an individual match high among Horizon League players. 
• Before the 2023 campaign started, the Vikings were tabbed to finish fifth in the Horizon League Preseason Poll, earning 66 votes. Cleveland State finished behind league favorite Wright State, Northern Kentucky, Green Bay, and Milwaukee.
• Chuck Voss is in his 24th season at the helm of the Vikings and owns a 401-283 (.586) overall record at Cleveland State. He has won five Horizon League titles. 
• Bucknell is 0-7 all-time against Cleveland State, but the two teams haven’t met since 1990. The series started in 1986. The Bison are still looking for their first set win in the series. 

Up Next

• The Bison start Patriot League play by welcoming Army and Colgate to Davis Gym on Sept. 15 and 16.