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Meet the finalists for the 2024 Michigan Miss Volleyball Award

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Meet the finalists for the 2024 Michigan Miss Volleyball Award


The finalists for the 2024 Michigan Miss Volleyball Award have been named.

The high school seniors were nominated by the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association. The award was first sponsored by the Free Press in 2003.

Here are this year’s 10 nominees, in alphabetical order:

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Isabelle Busignani

School: Birmingham Marian.

Position: Outside hitter.

Height: 6 feet 1.

Career stats: 1,270 kills, 761 digs, 125 aces, .307 hitting percentage

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The buzz: Busignani was a first-team all-state, first-team all-region, and first-team all-Catholic League player as a sophomore and junior. She’s also No. 26 in the country on PrepVolleyball’s class of 2025 rankings and helped Marian win Division 1 championships in 2021 and 2022.

College plans: Busignani will be attending Cincinnati.

YOU MAKE THE CALL: Vote for this week’s Free Press Prep Athlete of the Week

Jessica Costlow

School: Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central.

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Position: Outside hitter.

Height: 5-10.

Career stats: 1,469 kills, 1,247 digs, 139 aces, 90 blocks, .352 hitting percentage.

The Buzz: Costlow received first-team all-state honors in 2022 and 2023, after getting a second-team all-state nod as a freshman in 2021. Her squad won district championships from 2021-2023 and was the runner-up in the 2021 state title game.

College plans: Costlow will attend Toledo, where she will continue to play volleyball and study biomedical engineering.

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Ella Craggs

School: Northville.

Position: Setter.

Height: 5-10.

Career stats: 2,549 Assists, 457 kills, 865 digs.

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The buzz: Craggs is a two-time all-conference player in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association and made the MHSAA All-Region team in 2022 and 2023. Northville won district and regional championships in 2022 and 2023, and were the Division 1 state runners-up in 2022.

College plans: Craggs will attend Illinois State.

Campbell Flynn

School: Farmington Hills Mercy.

Position: Setter.

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Height: 6-3.

2023 Stats: 553 assists, 35 serving aces, 1.3 aces per set, .409 hitting percentage.

The buzz: Flynn was the 2023 Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year, a MIVCA first-team all-state player in 2022 and 2023 and a third-team all-state player in 2021. Flynn is also a member of the 2024 USA Volleyball under-21 national team. She won a state championship in 2023 and a district championship in 2022.

College plans: Flynn will attend Nebraska on a volleyball scholarship.

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Navea Gauthier

School: Shelby.

Position: Outside hitter.

Height: 6-1.

Career Stats: 2,801 kills, 345 aces, 1,490 digs, 138 blocks.

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The buzz: A three-time all-state, all-region and all-conference player, Gauthier has helped her team to three conference championships, two district championships and one regional championship. Gauthier is on pace to set the Michigan record for all-time kills, according to coach Thomas R. Weirich.

College plans: Gauthier has verbally committed to Ohio State.

Victoria Gray

School: Temperance Bedford.

Position: Middle blocker.

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Height: 6-2.

2023 stats: 467 kills, 251 digs, 119 blocks.

The buzz: Gray’s numbers have increased steadily, and it shows in the team’s records. Gray joined Bedford in 2021 and posted 100 kills and 90 digs, and Bedford finished with a 49-14-4 record;. Her sophomore year, the team finished 41-12-2, and Gray tripled her kills and nearly doubled her digs. Last year, the team finished 62-4 and became district champions.

College plans: Gray will attend Indiana.

Olivia Grenadier

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School: Birmingham Detroit Country Day.

Position: Middle blocker.

Height: 6-1.

Career stats: None provided.

The buzz: Grenadier helped her team to a 2021 regional championship. She has received honors throughout her career including 2022 first-team all-state and all-region selections and a 2023 all-region nod. In 2022, she recorded the school’s single season kills record (367 kills).

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College plans: Grenadier will Colorado on a volleyball scholarship.

Shelby Ignash

School: Cass City.

Position: Middle blocker.

Height: 6-1.

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Career stats: 1,388 kills, 180 blocks*, 643 digs* (*sophomore and junior year stats).

The buzz: In 2022, Ignash helped Cass City win its first regional championship since 1977. Ignash is a multiple first-team all-state and all-region player and made the 2023 MHSAA Division 3 All-Tournament Dream Team.

College plans: Ignash has committed to Texas Tech, where she plans on majoring in social work.

McKenna Payne

School: Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central.

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Position: Libero/outside hitter/setter.

Height: 5-7.

Career stats: 809 kills, 1,254 digs, 174 aces, 1,089 assists.

The buzz: Payne has multiple MIVCA all-state honors spanning across her various positions. Last year, she, along with Costlow, lead their team to a 33-9-1 record and a Huron League championship.

College plans: Payne will attend Utah on a volleyball scholarship.

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Cassidy Pratley

School: Harper Creek.

Position: Middle blocker.

Height: 6-1.

2023 stats: 707 kills, 105 blocks.

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The Buzz: Pratley was the team captain and MVP last season as she earned all-state, all-region and all-conference honors.

College plans: Pratley will attend Western Michigan to continue playing volleyball.



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Washington vs. Eastern Michigan Game Thread

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Washington vs. Eastern Michigan Game Thread


In roughly 30 minutes, the Huskies will clash with Eastern Michigan in attempt to go 2-0. The game will be on the Big Ten Network. As noted in the open thread posted earlier, this is your spot to comment on the game and follow along during all of the action with your fellow Husky fans.

We will be extremely loose with the definition of trolling and any offenders will be banned. Also, any comments directed at other posters will be deleted and the offenders may be placed on pre-moderate mode.

The Huskies go into the game as 25-point favorites, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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Eastern Michigan Offensive Preview

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Eastern Michigan Defensive Preview

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Opponent Q&A

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Go Dawgs!



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DNC to fly banners about Trump-Vance ticket,

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DNC to fly banners about Trump-Vance ticket,


Spectators at the University of Michigan football game against Texas on Saturday will be reminded of a different rival before the game: Ohio State. 

At the Big House in Ann Arbor, Michigan, an aerial banner paid for by the Democratic National Committee will read: “JD Vance

From the tailgates until kickoff, fans at four separate college football games in battleground states on Saturday will see aerial banners paid for by the Democratic National Committee, according to details first shared with CBS News. 

DNC banner
A graphic of a banner that the Democratic National Committee will fly during a Michigan football game on Sept. 6, 2024. 

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DNC


The trolling by the DNC comes as they look to keep the election front-of-mind for battleground state voters, particularly younger voters

Other banners about Project 2025 will fly over the University of Georgia vs. Tennessee Tech and the Pennsylvania State vs Bowling Green games. At the University of Wisconsin vs. South Dakota game in Madison, Wisconsin, the banner will say: “Jump Around! Beat Trump + Project 2025,” referencing the football team’s fourth-quarter tradition.

“The DNC is reaching voters where they are,” DNC spokesperson Abhi Rahman told CBS News. “These banners carry a message that resonates with fans and reminds them that the most important contest is still to come in November.”

Trump and his campaign have sought to distance themselves from Project 2025, though a CBS News analysis has found hundreds of its proposals match Trump’s past and proposed campaign promises.

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Vance has alluded to the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry during his own campaign stops in Michigan.

“To my Ohio brethren, guys, we gotta win Michigan. That’s the most important thing this election cycle,” he said at a July event in Grand Rapids. 

Other outside political groups are also looking to tap into the intersection of college sports and politics. 

NextGen America, a non-partisan youth voter engagement organization, is paying hundreds of student-athletes in the battleground states to get them to use their platforms to encourage others to vote.

The payment makes them one of the first political organizations to utilize the “Name, Image, and Likeness” (NIL) ruling that enables athletes to monetize their personal brand. 

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“Sports is a fantastic way of tapping into the cultural zeitgeist of the nation,” NextGen America Vice President of Communications Antion Arellano told CBS News. 

The battle over the young vote

Sustaining the support President Biden received from college-aged voters in 2020 is key for Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign. 

In 2020, Mr. Biden easily garnered more support from voters 18 to 24 years old than former President Donald Trump (65%) as well as those between 25 to 29 (54%), according to a CBS News exit poll. Voters under 30 years old made up 38% of new voters in that election, according to the Pew Research Center.

But comparatively, younger voters turn out at significantly lower numbers than older voters. 

Voter turnout in the 2020 elections for those between the ages of 18 to 24 was just 51.4%, compared to 76% for those between 65 to 74 years old, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This was an increase from 2016 when 46.1% of those between 18 and 29 years old turned out to vote. 

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Both candidates are being backed by college outreach programs.

Turning Point USA, an organization founded for outreach to young conservative voters, has hosted Trump and Vance at multiple events. 

The group said they’ve focused on outreach to Greek life on Arizona and Wisconsin campuses, in addition to having booths at tailgates during college gamedays. Turning Point USA’s founder, Charlie Kirk, also plans to go to over 22 campuses in swing states. Some of his visits so far to Arizona and Wisconsin have been open debates with students, and the organization says it has led to hundreds of new voter registrations. 

Earlier this month, the Harris campaign launched a “Back-to-School” campaign targeting 150 college campuses in the battleground states with social media and campus newspaper ads, visits from surrogates, as well as a doubling of its staff dedicated to youth engagement. They’re also running ads during college football games this fall. 

Likely voters under 30 years old heavily lean towards Harris, according to an August CBS News poll. There has also been a 175% increase in young Black women registering to vote since the vice president became the nominee, according to data firm TargetSmart.

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But young voters were also the group with the lowest marks in terms of saying they “definitely” will vote in November, according to the CBS News poll.

Engagement with social media influencers and content creators has also been frequent this cycle. The Democratic National Convention credentialed more than 200 influencers to attend in person, with some interviewing Harris or her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. 

Trump himself has appeared on multiple podcasts or streaming shows geared toward younger audiences. 

Earlier this summer, he appeared on internet celebrity Adin Ross’ stream. The appearance was panned by Democratic critics who pointed to Ross’ show hosting white supremacist Nick Fuentes, as well as his ties to social media influencer Andrew Tate, who has faced allegations of human trafficking with minors. 

“Make the move now, all you young people,” Trump told viewers on Ross’ show. 

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What channel is Michigan vs. Texas on today? Time, TV schedule for Week 2 game

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What channel is Michigan vs. Texas on today? Time, TV schedule for Week 2 game


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The No. 9 Michigan Wolverines face a challenging nonconference matchup as the Southeastern Conference’s Texas, currently ranked as the No. 3 team in the nation, heads to Big House on Saturday afternoon.

Saturday’s game will mark only the second time these two teams have faced each other. They first time came at the 2005 Rose Bowl, a 38-37 Texas victory led by quarterback Vince Young.

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The Wolverines are no strangers to SEC opponents. The team holds a 26-12-1 record against the conference. With aspirations to repeat as national champions, Michigan will have to find a way to come up with a strong statement victory against the Longhorns.

Watch Michigan vs. Texas live on Fubo (free trial)

Here’s how to watch the Michigan vs. Texas game today, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:

What channel is Michigan vs. Texas on today?

  • TV channel: Fox.
  • Livestream: Fox Sports app and Fubo (free trial).
  • Radio: WWJ-AM (950) in Detroit (radio affiliates throughout the state of Michigan).

[ Michigan fans: Celebrate the 2023 national title with Free Press commemorative books: “Blue Reign” and “Maize & Grand,” and check out special wall art of our front page from the morning after the championship win. ]

Michigan vs. Texas time today

  • Date: Saturday, Sept. 7.
  • Time: 12 p.m. ET.
  • Where: Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

The Michigan vs. Texas game starts at noon from Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

THE GAME: Michigan vs. Texas scouting report, prediction for top-10 showdown

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Michigan vs. Texas predictions, picks, odds

Michigan vs. Texas pick: The rain looks like it may hold off, but it’s going to feel like a crisp fall day in Ann Arbor with a high around 60 degrees. Derek Jeter will be on hand as honorary captain for Michigan, while Matthew McConaughey is expected to make an appearance and represent Texas. ESPN’s “College GameDay” and Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” will add to an incredible environment as the defending national champions try to make an early season statement and fall just short. The pick: Texas 23, Michigan 19. — Tony Garcia, Michigan Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press

Odds via BetMGM as of Friday afternoon.

  • Spread: Texas by 7.
  • Over/under total: 42½ points.
  • Moneyline: Michigan +225, Texas -275.

Michigan football schedule 2024

  • Week 1: Aug. 31 vs. Fresno State (W, 30-10)
  • Week 2: Sept. 7: vs Texas, 12 p.m., Fox
  • Week 3: Sept. 14 vs. Arkansas State, 12 p.m., Big Ten Network
  • Week 4: Sept. 21 vs. USC, 3:30 p.m., CBS
  • Week 5: Sept. 28 vs. Minnesota, TBD
  • Week 6: Oct. 5 at Washington, TBD
  • Week 7: Oct. 12, Bye
  • Week 8: Oct. 19 at Illinois, TBD
  • Week 9: Oct. 26 vs. Michigan State, TBD
  • Week 10: Nov. 2 vs. Oregon, TBD
  • Week 11: Nov. 9 at Indiana, TBD
  • Week 12: Nov. 16, Bye
  • Week 13: Nov. 23 vs. Northwestern, TBD
  • Week 14: Nov. 30 at Ohio State, 12 p.m., Fox

Texas football schedule 2024

  • Week 1: Aug. 31 vs. Colorado State (W, 52-0)
  • Week 2: Sept. 7: at Michigan, 12 p.m., Fox
  • Week 3: Sept. 14 vs. University of Texas at San Antonio
  • Week 4: Sept. 21 vs. University of Louisiana at Monroe
  • Week 5: Sept. 28 vs. Mississippi State
  • Week 6: Oct. 5, Bye
  • Week 7: Oct. 12 vs. Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
  • Week 8: Oct. 19 vs. Georgia
  • Week 9: Oct. 26 at Vanderbilt
  • Week 10: Nov. 2 Bye
  • Week 11: Nov. 9 vs. Florida
  • Week 12: Nov. 16 at Arkansas
  • Week 13: Nov. 23 vs. Kentucky
  • Week 14: Nov. 30 at Texas A&M



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