GRAYLING---The Bay College Norse volleyball team has won the MCCAA North Conference championship for the first time in program history.
The Norse Monday night beat the Kirtland Community College Firebirds, 3-0, in Grayling, by scores of 25-20, 25-22, and 25-15. Bay improved to 9-2 in conference play (16-8 overall) and lead Delta College by a half game in the standings.
But Delta (9-3, 15-13) has completed its season, and even if Bay loses its regular season finale Wednesday night, the Norse would still finish first thanks to sweeping the season series from the Pioneers.
“Kirtland was ready to play,” Porath told RRN Sports Monday night. “They had to win, too, to get into the regional tournament. So they were giving us everything that they had. We didn't play our best. But we played good enough to win. It feels really good to secure that North championship for the first time. I feel great and the team feels great.”
Kirtland fell to 10-16 overall and 3-8 in conference play in its first-ever volleyball season. The Firebirds have one match left but will not make the post-season.
Meanwhile, Bay had never had a season like this before.
The Norse went 11-17 in 2022, 12-17 in 2023, 6-19 in 2024, and 13-12 in 2025. That's a 42-65 record in 107 matches. But the program has been building, and Bay got a taste of playoff volleyball last season with a tough five-set loss to Kellogg Community College in the NJCAA Region 12 play-in game.
Now, there's no “play-in game” as the Norse will host the MCAA state championship this Sunday in Escanaba. Regardless of what happens on Sunday, Bay will have a good seed in the regional semifinals the following week in Grand Rapids.
Things still need to be sorted out downstate this Wednesday, with Grand Rapids and Southwest Michigan battling for the west championship, and St. Clair and Mott battling for the east championship. What we do know is that two of those four teams will come north of the Mackinac Bridge to play in Escanaba Sunday morning at 10:00.
Bay will play the winner at 12:30.
“I think it's going to be great for our area's volleyball, and to see that level of volleyball.” Porath said. “I think it will show what our division is, what our conference is, and I think it's going to draw a lot of attention to Bay College.”
The Norse, despite a pair of non-conference losses last weekend in Milwaukee, have still won 16 of their last 20 matches. And Porath says that the 0-4 start down in Illinois to open the season back in August was a catalyst for this team's recent success.
“With us going 0-4, it was setting some goals of making sure that this team stays together for the whole year,” Porath said. “That kind of solidified our team. They've rolled with it and the team really gets along. What did it take? I think it took a special group of volleyball players that are here at Bay College.”
Before the Norse head into the post-season, there is one more piece of unfinished business: a home match Wednesday night against Alpena Community College (5-14 overall, 3-8 MCCAA). The match means nothing for the standings, but Porath says it means a lot to the community beyond the sport of volleyball.
“It's our annual cancer awareness, pink-out game,” Porath said. “It's important for everyone to show up, and give support to help out a local person in need.”
The match starts at 6:30 Wednesday night at the Bay College Gym.
