AUBURN, Ala. – The seventh-seeded Tigers open the 2023 NCAA Tournament with Western Michigan on Thursday, Nov. 30 at 3 p.m. CT inside the KFC Yum! Center.
The match will be streamed live on ESPN+. Jeff Milby and Stephanie Cantway will have the call.
QUICK HITS
Auburn received its third berth into the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. It's the first time in program history the Tigers head to the tournament in back-to-back years. The Orange and Blue carry a 2-2 record all-time in the big dance.
Sophomore outside hitter Madison Scheer was named All-SEC on Sunday. The Eureka, Missouri native closed out the regular season with career-highs in kills (374), kills per set (3.34), points per set (3.60), hitting percentage (.262) and blocks per set (0.48).
Jackie Barrett reached yet another milestone in her Auburn career. The senior setter reached 3,000 career assists last Friday against Arkansas, becoming just the fifth player in program history to reach the mark.
Usually known for her powerful arm, Akasha Anderson has been filling up the stat sheet in other ways lately. The Reston, Virginia product has produced four straight double-doubles, including a career-best 20 dig performance last Friday against Arkansas.
Auburn's front row has earned the right to be amongst the nation's elite blocking units. At 2.51 blocks per set ranks third in the SEC and No. 35 in the country. With 289 total blocks, the Tigers are No. 1 in the conference and No. 22 in the nation.
Kendal Kemp and Kyla Swanson are responsible for the majority of Auburn rejections. The duo each averages north of 1.00 blocks per set with Kemp leading the charge at 1.28, the fourth-highest mark in the SEC.
Don't leave out Bella Bell when talking about blocking. The transfer from Kentucky tied her career-high with 10 against Arkansas.
LAST TIME OUT VS WESTERN MICHIGAN
In an early tournament in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 2019, Chesney McClellan went for 12 kills while Payton White gobbled up 21 digs as the Tigers made quick work of the Broncos, 3-0 (28-26, 25-20, 25-18).
SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Head coach Colleen Munson has spent 19 years in Kalamazoo at the helm of the Western Michigan program. This year, her Bronco squad is just one of two teams to boast 30 wins entering the NCAA Tournament. Western Michigan is also riding a 20-match winning streak, its longest since 1983.
Senior setter Logan Case leads the charge for WMU. The MAC Player of the Year and Setter of the Year averages 11.87 assists per set, the second-highest mark in the country.
Case has a trio of experienced attackers to choose from offensively. Graduate outside hitter Maggie King paces the team in kills per set (3.69) and points per set (4.10). Keona Salesman and Anna Calcagno aren't too far behind. Salesman averages a robust 3.45 kills per set while Calcagno comes in at 3.00.
Western Michigan's defense is captained by Michigan native Andelyn Simkins. The senior libero took home MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors, averaging 4.89 digs per set.
AUBURN-WESTERN MICHIGAN SERIES
Auburn and Western Michigan first met in 1998. The Tigers have won both matchups in Kalamazoo (1998 & 2019) while the Broncos claimed the win in 2001 in an early season tournament in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
UP NEXT
Should the Tigers advance to round two, Auburn will matchup against the winner of Wright State and No. 7 Louisville on Friday, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m. CT inside the KFC Yum! Center.
Auburn Volleyball begins NCAA Tournament with Western Michigan
