KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan volleyball team continues its week-long homestand against in-state foes on Friday night as it welcomes Eastern Michigan to University Arena. 

WMU (9-5, 1-2 MAC) vs EMU (7-7, 1-1)
Friday, Oct. 2 | 6 pm | WATCH LIVE | LIVE STATS

FOLLOW ALONG: @WMUVolleyball

HOME SWEET HOME
After spending a month away from home, Western Michigan continues its week-long homestand on Friday against Eastern Michigan. The Broncos are 4-0 at University Arena so far in 2026 and have won nine straight home matches dating back to last season. WMU has been dominant at University Arena under Colleen Munson, who owns a 185-63 (.746) home record for the Brown and Gold. 

SERIES HISTORY
Western Michigan comes into Friday night with a 78-24 advantage in the all-time series against Eastern Michigan and has won 13 consecutive matchups against the Eagles. The Brown and Gold have not lost at home to EMU since 2005. 

LAST TIME OUT
WMU started off its first homestand of MAC play with a straight-set victory over rival Central Michigan on Tuesday night. Leah Richmond recorded her team-leading fifth double-double, totaling 42 assists and 10 digs to help the Broncos hit .305 for the night. Annalise Patchett was the primary beneficiary of Richmond's distribution, putting down 16 kills on a blistering .452 hitting percentage. Izzy Swiercz neared a double-double of her own, tallying nine kills to go with a career-high 14 digs. 

SETTING THE TABLE
Leah Richmond's 42-assist effort against CMU on Tuesday was tied for her top performance this season by assists per set (14.00). The redshirt sophomore's distribution helped the Broncos hit .305 for the night, the third time they've been over .300 as a team in 2026. An All-MAC First Team selection a year ago, Richmond comes into Friday atop the MAC and 28th in NCAA Division I at 10.26 assists per set. She also collected 10 digs on Tuesday to register her team-leading fifth double-double of the season. Last year, she set a single-season program with 26 double-doubles.

BALANCED BRONCOS
Richmond's distribution has enabled WMU to use a balanced attack so far in 2026, with six different Broncos having tallied double-digit kills at least once. The quartet of Annalise Patchett, Izzy Swiercz, Gabby Weihe and Bri Zimmerman are all above 2.00 kills per set, with Patchett sitting eighth in the conference at 3.14 kills per set. Weihe comes into the weekend ranking third in the league and 42nd nationally with a .396 hitting percentage.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Eastern Michigan enters Friday at 1-1 in MAC play, having beaten CMU and lost to Buffalo. The Eagles have been one of the top serving and blocking teams in the conference, ranking second in both aces per set (1.75) and blocks per set (2.22). Azra Eriç leads EMU in both categories and is pacing the league in service aces (22), while ranking second in both total blocks (62) and blocks per set (1.22).