Northwest Wayne News

The Wayne State University volleyball team is set to participate in the 17th annual Midwest Region Crossover, taking place in Hammond, Indiana, on October 17-18, 2025. The event is recognized as the largest collegiate volleyball tournament in the nation and will be hosted at the Hammond Sportsplex & Community Center. Wayne State, holding a 12-3 overall record and entering as the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) three seed, will compete against Rockhurst at 12:30 PM ET and Hillsdale at 5:30 PM ET on Friday. The team's Saturday opponent will be determined based on results from the first day.

Head coach Tim Koth commented on the upcoming matches: "We are excited to step out of GLIAC play this weekend to compete in the annual Midwest Regional Crossover. There is no other event like it in collegiate volleyball. We get the opportunity to see where we stack up among the region's best so it should be a fun weekend."

The tournament features teams from three conferences: 11 from the GLIAC, 13 from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC), and 14 from the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).

Wayne State comes into the tournament following its third four-match winning streak of the season. The team recently secured a five-set victory over Parkside after coming back from a six-point deficit in the final set, followed by a sweep against Roosevelt. In that match, Wayne State won with set scores of 25-13, 25-16, and 25-22. Fifteen different players saw court time during that contest.

Rockhurst University enters as the GLVC's two seed with a 12-5 overall record and has also won its last four matches. The team is coached by Trent Jones, who is in his sixth year and has led Rockhurst to four NCAA Tournament appearances during his tenure. Senior outside hitter Sarah Pyle leads Rockhurst's offense with notable national rankings in kills and points per set. Junior setters Molly Trachta and Mary Kate Mulvaney manage playmaking duties for Rockhurst, while defensive efforts are led by freshman Katie Vargo and sophomore Delaney Hope.

Hillsdale College arrives at the crossover with a 6-7 overall record but has won four of its last five matches under head coach Chris Gravel, who is in his thirtieth year leading the program. Offensive contributions for Hillsdale come from senior Adi Sysum and sophomores Caroline Lanicek and Jenna Southland, while Josie TeSlaa handles setting responsibilities. Defensive leaders include freshman Madison Peal and redshirt freshman Ella Byrum.

The Midwest Region Crossover provides an opportunity for Wayne State to measure itself against strong competition from across three conferences.