“Penn State is the No. 1 school for Division I Fencing. As a national-level athlete, being recruited to one of the best NCAA teams in the country felt like a dream come true,” Maniar said. “When I arrived as a new student, I realized that many of my teammates didn’t understand my capabilities or how I trained, and it often left me feeling isolated, misunderstood and behind. But it also forced me to confront discomfort head-on, dig deep into my resilience and prove to myself, not anyone else, what I was truly capable of.”

Maniar said her experiences in fencing changed her approach to challenges, teaching her to focus on what she can control and persist with strong, disciplined determination.

She brought the same drive to her studies, leading her to become a Schreyer Scholar. She’s maintained a high grade-point average, crediting it in large part to “the structure, rigor and support the program provided,” she said.

While her honors-level courses were challenging at first, Maniar said she can now see how her analytical skills, interpretations and confidence in handling difficult materials have grown due to her involvement in the program. She said she’s grateful for the professors who guided her intellectually, emotionally and professionally throughout her journey.

“I feel incredibly lucky to have had professors who genuinely cared about me as an individual,” Maniar said. “That’s what makes the College of the Liberal Arts so special, whether it’s a 15-person honors seminar or a 200-person lecture, my professors took the time to listen, guide and support me when I reached out to them.”

Those professors include Associate Teaching Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences John Minbiole, whose honors courses, CAS137H: Rhetoric and Civic Life I and CAS138T: Rhetoric and Civic Life II, left such an impact on Maniar, she said, that she became one of his teaching assistants.

“His teaching style was empathetic yet structured and helped me build confidence in public speaking,” Maniar said. “The safe and encouraging environment he created gave me the skills to speak in front of large audiences, something I know will help me immensely in my career.”

Assistant Professor of English and African Studies Samuel Kolawole and academic adviser Julianna Chaszar were two other influences on Maniar’s college experience, she added.

Kolawole and Maniar initially met at a book reading and later in writing classes. Maniar said Kolawole noticed her enthusiasm, encouraged her to write more and allowed her to gain real-world experience with publishers as a social media content manager for his book releases. In this role, she attended events with Kolawole, including one where he won the prestigious Whiting Award in New York, an experience she describes as unforgettable.

MENU

• 
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  

• 
  

ACCOUNT

SECTIONS

OTHER

CLASSIFIEDS

CONTACT US / FAQ

Captains: Maddi Cuchran, Allison Jacobs, Serena Nyambio

Record: 22-11, 11-9 Big Ten Conference (Ninth Place)

NCAA Tournament: Second Round

The University of Michigan volleyball team finished with its best record since 2018 in head coach Erin Virtue‘s third season at the helm of the Wolverines. Rounding out the season with 22 wins, this marked the 15th time in program history the team has won more than 20 games. U-M finished the season with an NCAA Tournament berth, the first time since 2021 and the first time under Virtue.

Team Highlights

• Michigan compiled a 22-11 overall record and an 11-9 Big Ten Conference mark to finish ninth in the league. The Wolverines were picked to finish 10th in the preseason poll and managed to take sets off five of the eight teams ahead of them, including two wins.

• Eleven of U-M’s 27 opponents earned NCAA Tournament berths, with nine coming from the Big Ten to match a conference record. The Wolverines finished 45th in the RPI, 57 places higher than 2024 and went 20-4 in quads 2-4.

• Michigan started the season 6-0 before dropping a five-set match to Virginia; then finished non-conference play with four consecutive wins to give the Wolverines a 10-1 non-conference record. U-M faced five ranked teams in the first eight games of conference play, but finished the Big Ten season 9-3 to earn an NCAA tournament berth for the first time since 2021.

• The Wolverines got a statement win, defeating then-No. 10-ranked Minnesota — which finished 14th in the RPI and 17th in the AVCA poll. After dropping the first set, U-M went on to dominate the next three sets winning 25-12, 25-14, 25-12 led by a 20-kill performance from Allison Jacobs. U-M finished the match hitting .383 and held Minnesota to a .093 hitting percentage with the help of nine blocks and 53 digs.

• Another highlight came via a five-set win against reigning national champion and No. 19-ranked Penn State. The Nittany Lions controlled the first set with the Wolverines always following close behind before eventually falling 25-21. After falling behind early 11-6 in the second set, U-M battled back to win 25-21. An overall close third set ended in a 28-26 Penn State victory. After a close fourth and fifth set, Michigan won the battle. Four Wolverines tallied double-digit kills, led by 18 each from Jacobs and Ella Demetrician, while Cymarah Gordon added 13 and Serena Nyambio recorded 10.

• Michigan earned its 21st NCAA Tournament appearance, and first since 2021, heading to the Pittsburgh regional where the Wolverines faced off against No.8-seeded Xavier in the first round. U-M won in straight sets (25-19, 25-15, 25-23) for its first NCAA Tournament win since 2019. The Maize and Blue was led by 19 kills from Jacobs and four aces from Maddi Cuchran. The Wolverines then faced off against No.1-seeded Pittsburgh, dropping the first two sets by just two points but fell in three sets.

• The Wolverines retained the state pride flag for the second year in a row. U-M and Michigan State split the series with each program sweeping at home, but U-M held the Spartans to one fewer point over the matches. In the Wolverine win, Cuchran recorded her 1,000th career dig.

• U-M swept Ohio State in both matches this season for the first time since 2019. In Columbus, Michigan hit .471 against the Buckeyes and held OSU to .067, including a -.036 hitting percentage in a 25-9 set-two win. Across the two matches, Jacobs totaled 27 kills and Demetrician added 24 kills, with both recording double-digit kills in both matches.

• Michigan hosted a record 12 games at Crisler Center during the 2025 season. They went 9-3 in those matches, with notable wins over Minnesota, Penn State, and rivals Ohio State and Michigan State, while hosting a record 12,707 fans in a match against Nebraska.

• The Nebraska match marked the first time in program history that Michigan sold out Crisler, and it was just the fourth women’s sports event sell out Crisler. The Wolverines had the highest average attendance in program history, with a 50 percent increase in average attendance compared to 2024. U-M finished the season ranking 17th in the NCAA in total attendance and was 21st in average attendance.

Individual Highlights

• Earning All-Big Ten first-team status and being one of nine unanimous selections, Jacobs had a phenomenal final collegiate season. She tallied 473 kills in 33 matches, including a career-high 26 kills in a double-double performance against Iowa, one of seven double-double matches this season. Jacobs set a new career high in aces with 34, tied for the team lead, and totaled 227 digs (third) and was fifth on the team with 63 total blocks. She finished the season with the 10th-most kills in a single season in program history.

• Making the All-Big Ten second team, Nyambio had a strong senior season. Nyambio became the first U-M player since 2003 with 100 blocks or more in a Big Ten season, recording 104, to tie the program record. She finished the season ranking fourth in the Big Ten and 27th in the nation with a .394 hitting percentage over 449 total attempts, recording 220 kills. Nyambio also led the team with 151 total blocks, good for third in the Big Ten and 22nd in the nation. She finished her career seventh in total blocks, seventh in block assists and 12th in solo blocks.

• Sophomore Jenna Hanes led the Wolverines with a .450 hitting percentage with 185 kills and 23 errors over 360 total attempts. Hanes had the highest hitting percentage in program history since the rally-scoring era began in 2001, with a minimum of 300 attacks. She never had more than two errors in a match and was errorless in 15 matches. Hanes also contributed defensively with 118 total blocks, good for second on the team and 14th in the Big Ten this season.

• Junior Morgan Burke led the Wolverines as their starting setter, playing in all 121 sets and starting all 33 matches, totaling 791 assists this season. Burke recorded 20 assists or more in 20 matches this season, including a career-high 56 against Rutgers. She sits eighth all-time in career assists at Michigan with 2,447. Burke was also second on the team in digs with 241 and tied for the team lead with 34 aces.

• Cuchran led the team with 408 digs, finishing her career with 1,083 — the 13th-best total in program history. She tallied double-digit digs in 24 matches this season, including her first two career double-doubles in back-to-back matches, recording 10 assists against Washington and Oregon. Cuchran added a career-high 27 aces, including four in the NCAA Tournament win over Xavier, to become just the fourth Wolverine with four aces or more in an NCAA Tournament match.

• Demetrician was second on the team in kills with 284 on 700 total attempts, for a .214 hitting percentage. She registered seven double-doubles, including an 18-kill, 11-dig performance against Penn State. Demetrician had 190 total digs this season, good for fourth on the team, and added 20 aces and 41 blocks.

• Lydia Johnson finished the season with a career-best 183 kills and 52 errors on 440 total attempts to give her a .298 hitting percentage. Johnson was also third on the team in total blocks (65). Her strongest match of the season came in the upset win over Minnesota with 14 kills on 22 swings along with three block assists.

• After an injury in last year’s preseason, Gordon contributed in her redshirt freshman season. She had 129 kills on the season and added 56 total blocks, with her season high in kills (13) coming against No. 19 Penn State. Gordon started the final 14 matches, during which U-M went 10-4.

Honors and Awards

American Volleyball Coaches Association

All-America (Honorable Mention): Allison Jacobs

All-North Region (First Team): Allison Jacobs, Serena Nyambio

Big Ten Conference

All-Big Ten (First Team): Allison Jacobs

All-Big Ten (Second Team): Serena Nyambio

Sportsmanship Award: Sydney Schnichels

College Sport Communicators

Academic All-America (Third Team): Allison Jacobs

Academic All-Region: Morgan Burke, Allison Jacobs, Lydia Johnson, Serena Nyambio

Academic All-Big Ten

Morgan Burke, Jr., Movement Science

Maddi Cuchran, Gr., Management

Ella Demetrician, So., LSA undeclared

Camille Edwards, R-Fr., Sport Management

Carly Greskovics, Jr., Sport Management

Jenna Hanes, So., Business Administration

Allison Jacobs, Gr., Management

Lydia Johnson, Jr., Movement Science

Trixie McMillin, So., Engineering

Serena Nyambio, Sr., Biology, Health, & Society

Amalia Simmons, Sr., Biopsychology, Cognition, & Neuroscience

Ellie White, So., LSA undeclared

LOS ANGELES – USC men’s volleyball has revealed its 2026 competition schedule and will play 16 home matches in the spring.
 
NONCONFERENCE
The Trojans open 2026 as host to St. Thomas Aquinas College (Jan. 10) and will face the Spartans at Galen Center for a 5 p.m. PT Saturday-night bout. The next week, USC goes to Costa Mesa for its first road test and takes on Vanguard at the Freed Center for Leadership on Jan. 15. The Trojans’ next five matches will be played at Galen Center starting with Princeton (Jan. 16) followed by Fort Valley State (Jan. 24), Ohio State (Jan. 30), Cal State Northridge (Feb. 4), and UC Santa Barbara (Feb. 7). 
 
USC plays a home-and-home with UC Irvine ahead of Valentine’s weekend and visits the Anteaters for a mid-week match on Feb. 11 at 6 p.m. PT at Bren Events Center. UCI then comes to Galen Center for a Friday-night rematch on Feb. 13 set at 7 p.m.
 
To conclude the month of February, USC will take part in a four-team tournament hosted at the Honda Center Feb. 19-20. The Anaheim arena will serve as the volleyball venue for the 2028 Olympic Games and the tournament—which will also feature UCLA from the MPSF and Big West foes Hawai’i and Long Beach State—will award an NIL prize to the winner.
 
USC’s final nonconference regular-season match will be against Penn State. The Trojans host the Nittany Lions for a mid-conference one-off on March 14 at Galen Center.
 
MPSF CONFERENCE
USC—which was picked to finish second in a preseason poll of the league’s head coaches—opens MPSF play with crosstown rival UCLA and will meet the Bruins on March 4 for a 7 p.m. match at Galen Center. The teams then play a second time on March 6 at Pauley Pavilion. Each home team won in last spring’s meetings. The Trojans then head to Concordia to face the Eagles on March 12 in Irvine, Calif. USC plays CUI just once in an unbalanced conference schedule.
 
The Trojans then play their next six MPSF matches at home and host conference newcomer Jessup in back-to-back matches at USC’s North Gym (March 20-21). Menlo will visit Galen Center for matches on March 27 and 28. While the Oaks joined the MPSF for the 2025 season, USC did not face Menlo last spring. Stanford then comes to Galen Center for the Trojans’ first two matches of the month of April. The teams will meet in Friday-Saturday matches (April 3-4) set for 7 p.m. and 5 p.m. respectively.
 
In its first and only out-of-state regular-season competition, the Trojans head to Provo, Utah, to take on BYU (April 10-11) at the Smith Fieldhouse. USC then closes the regular season with 2025 MPSF champion Pepperdine. The Trojans host the Waves on April 16 for Senior Night and then visit Pepperdine for the rematch on April 18 at Firestone Fieldhouse.
 
MPSF TOURNAMENT
BYU and the Smith Fieldhouse will serve as host of the 2026 MPSF Tournament set for April 22-25 in Provo, Utah. Quarterfinal matches will be played on Wednesday (April 22) followed by two semifinal matches on Thursday (April 23). The MPSF championship match is set for Saturday evening, April 25. The winner receives the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA Championship set to be played May 9-11 at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion.
 
In 2025, the Trojans went 21-7, finished second in the MPSF (8-4), and were awarded the second seed into the conference tournament. There, USC finished as runner-up to Pepperdine, which hosted the championship in Malibu, Calif. USC opened the year with a nine-match win streak for its best start to a season since 1991 (28-0) and won 10 matches in a row (Feb. 26-April 3) for the program’s longest win streak since 2012 (18 in a row). It was head coach Jeff Nygaard‘s second 20-win season (20th in program history). USC led the MPSF for many weeks in all statistical categories but aces and finished the season as the NCAA leader in blocks (2.86 bps) with 16 matches in double-digits. The Trojans set a new school record for hitting percentage in a match (.691 vs. Dominican, Feb. 8) and hit better than .300 in 19 matches (plus-.400 in 10 contests). Dillon Klein was named to the AVCA All-America first team and was a first-team All-MPSF choice.
 
For more information on the USC men’s volleyball team and to purchase tickets, please visit USCTrojans.com/MVB. Fans of the Trojans can follow @USCmensvolley on Instagram, X, and Facebook.