Mississippi State volleyball will host two Big Ten teams at the Newell-Grissom Building this week, marking their first home matches of the season. The Bulldogs face Iowa on Thursday and Northwestern on Friday.
Mississippi State enters the challenge with a 2-1 record after competing in the Jaguar Classic. The team won their first six sets of the season, sweeping Georgia State and South Alabama before dropping a 3-1 decision to Rice, which was receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll, on the final day of the event.
Senior Lindsey Mangelson led the Bulldogs with an average of four kills per set over the weekend, recording the team’s top offensive numbers in all three matches. The Bulldogs are returning to their home court, where they posted a 7-6 record last season.
Iowa, which is 3-0, enters the challenge on a three-game winning streak. The Hawkeyes are coached by Jim Barnes, who is in his 30th season overall and his fifth at Iowa. Northwestern, with a 1-2 record, secured a 3-0 win over Georgetown in their last outing. The Wildcats are led by third-year head coach Tim Nollan.
This will be the first-ever meeting between Mississippi State and Iowa. The Bulldogs and Northwestern have met once before, with Northwestern winning 3-1 on September 1, 2001. Fans can watch the matches on SECN+ and follow updates on the team’s social media accounts under the handle ‘HailStateVB.’
