VESTAL, N.Y. – With a three-match winning streak in hand, the Binghamton volleyball team heads back out on the road as the Bearcats prepare to play at Michigan State's Kathy DeBoer Invitational from Thursday through Saturday at Jenison Field House.
 
Binghamton (4-6) will first go against Michigan State (7-0) on Thursday at 6 p.m. Then, the Bearcats play Southern Illinois Edwardsville (5-4) on Friday at 3 p.m. To wrap up the weekend, Binghamton faces Bowling Green (4-5) on Saturday at 3 p.m.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES vs MICHIGAN STATE

• Michigan State won the only match between the two programs 3-1 at the UConn Dog Pound Challenge on Sept. 17, 2023.

 
INSIDE THE SERIES vs SOUTHERN ILLINOIS EDWARDSVILLE

• This is the first meeting between the two teams since Sept. 8, 2012 at the Zips Invitational in Akron, Ohio. In the only match between the two schools, SIU Edwardsville won 3-0.

 
INSIDE THE SERIES vs BOWLING GREEN

• Bowling Green leads the all-time series 2-0.
• In the last meeting on Dec. 4, 2024, Bowling Green defeated Binghamton 3-1 in the first round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship.

 
DEFENDING THEIR HOME FLOOR
The Bearcats won all three of their matches at the Binghamton Invitational in the Events Center last weekend. Binghamton first beat both Mercyhurst and Canisius on Sept. 19, before prevailing in a thrilling five-set match over Bucknell on Sept. 20. Merima Smajlovic, Maya Coblentz-Brown, and Alexandra Koleva were each named to the all-tournament team, with Smajlovic being chosen as the most outstanding player.
 
MORE RECOGNITION FOR MARY
For her performance at the Binghamton Invitational, Smajlovic was named the America East Conference's Player of the Week on Tuesday. The outside hitter is the first Bearcat to be chosen as the Player of the Week by the conference this season. In 11 sets played at the Binghamton Invitational, Smajlovic recorded a combined 46 kills, 31 digs, six total blocks and four service aces. The outside hitter ranks third in the America East in both kills per set (3.68) and points per set (4.09) and fourth in digs per set (3.11).
 
BACK-TO-BACK
For the second week in a row, Coblentz-Brown was named America East Rookie of the Week. The right side hitter put up 32 kills, nine total blocks, seven digs and one assist throughout the Binghamton Invitational. Like Smajlovic, Coblentz-Brown also ranks in the top 10 in several categories among America East players. The freshman is sixth in the league in kills per set (2.81), seventh in hitting percentage (.290) and eighth in points per set (3.08). Coblentz-Brown became the fourth Bearcat to be named Rookie of the Week in at least two occasions during one season, following Viktoria Dimitrova (twice in 2024), Ella Schabort (twice in 2023) and Giulia Bonifacio (seven times in 2022). She is also the first Binghamton player to be named Rookie of the Week in consecutive weeks since Bonifacio took home the honor on both Nov. 8 and 15 of 2022.
 
SETTING THE STANDARD
Koleva has emerged as one of the top setters in the America East during her first season with the Bearcats. The graduate student ranks fourth in the America East in assists per set (6.08) and ninth in digs per set (2.63). During the Binghamton Invitational, the native of Sofia, Bulgaria posted 77 assists throughout the weekend to go along with 31 digs.
 
MILESTONE WATCH
Binghamton Head Volleyball Coach Allie Yaeger enters this weekend's tournament with 199 career coaching victories. Yaeger previously won 144 matches at Seton Hall from 2012-21, before adding another 55 victories at Binghamton dating back to 2022. Two previous head coaches won at least 200 matches while leading the Binghamton program. Jeanne Mathias is the program's all-time leader in victories with 293 from 1973-1991, while Yaeger's predecessor, Glenn Kiriyama, won 289 matches from 1999-2021.
 
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