EL PASO - UTEP Volleyball (18-2, 8-0 Conference USA) travels to Jacksonville, Alabama, to face Jacksonville State in a two-match series at Pete Mathews Coliseum on Oct. 18-19. The Miners will take on the Gamecocks on Friday at 5 p.m. MDT and Saturday with first serve at 1 p.m. MDT.
SCHEDULE
^All Times Mountain Daylight
HITTING WITH CONSISTENCY
UTEP's offense is firing on all cylinders, hitting .285 overall, with three Miners exceeding or matching that mark. Kaya Weaver leads the team, boasting a .440 hitting percentage among players with at least 110 kills. The Miners' efficiency ranks 14th nationally. UTEP reached a season-high .402 in a 3-0 sweep against Louisiana Tech on Oct. 12 and has hit over .300 in 10 matches this season.
BLOCK PARTY
UTEP's defense has been dominant at the net, registering a season-high 16 blocks in a 3-0 sweep against Utah State on Sept. 1. The Miners have reached double-digit blocks in 11 matches this season, with Kaya Weaver leading the team with 98 blocks. Nationally, UTEP ranks 6th in blocks per set (2.96) and leads Conference USA, also sitting 6th in total blocks (198.5), showcasing their strength as a top-tier blocking team.
BALANCED ATTACK
UTEP showed a balanced attack against LA Tech, with three Miners blasting home at least 3.0 kills per set. Among players with at least 10 kills over the weekend, Ema Uskokovic and Landry Braziel (18 kills, 3.00k/s) led the way with Kaya Weaver (12 kills, 2.40k/s) getting after it as well.
MAKING HISTORY
On October 9, during UTEP's 3-1 win over NM State, Alyssa Sianez made history by breaking the all-time program record for career digs. With her outstanding performance, she surpassed the previous record of 1,369 digs, which had been held by Sarah Villa (2013-16) for eight years. Sianez's achievement marks a significant milestone in the program's history and solidifies her legacy as one of its all-time greats.
IN THE CUSA SPOTLIGHT
Landry Braziel – Freshman of the Week (Oct. 14, Week 7)
- Braziel was key to UTEP's 4-0 week, including wins over New Mexico State and LA Tech. She played in three matches, starting two, and totaled 23 kills (2.88/set) with a .439 hitting percentage. Braziel shined against LA Tech with 18 kills and a .469 hitting percentage, finishing the week with 25 points (3.13/set) and four blocks.
Ema Uskokovic – Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 7, Week 6)
- Uskokovic led UTEP to two sweeps over Sam Houston with 24 kills, hitting .373 across six sets. She racked up 33.0 points (5.5 points per set) with five aces, 12 digs, and eight blocks, showcasing her all-around game.
Kaya Weaver – Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 7, Week 6)
- Weaver was dominant at the net, recording 12 blocks (2 solo) and averaging 2.00 blocks per set. She also added 19 kills with a .500 hitting percentage, totaling 26.0 points (4.33 per set) across the two wins.
Mattie Gantt and Kalia Kohler – Co-Setters of the Week (Sep. 23, Week 4)
- Gantt (65 assists) and Kohler (64 assists) combined for 129 assists (10.75 per set) to lead UTEP to a 3-0 record at the UTEP Southwest Showdown, guiding the offense to a .282 hitting percentage.
Mattie Gantt and Kalia Kohler – Co-Setters of the Week (Sep. 16, Week 3)
- Gantt (62 assists) and Kohler (64 assists) directed UTEP's offense at the South Dakota Classic, combining for 126 assists (11.45 per set) and a .262 hitting percentage in a 2-1 weekend, including a sweep over Iowa State.
Mattie Gantt and Kalia Kohler – Co-Setters of the Week (Sept. 9, Week 2)
- Gantt (50 assists) and Kohler (62 assists) led UTEP to a 3-0 weekend at the Borderland Invitational, combining for 112 assists and guiding the team to 14.10 kills per set and a .307 hitting percentage.
Kaya Weaver – Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 9, Week 2)
- Weaver starred at the Borderland Invitational with 27 kills and a .641 hitting percentage. She added 19 blocks and 3 aces, earning tournament MVP honors and helping UTEP to a 3-0 weekend.
Kaya Weaver – Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 2, Week 1)
- Weaver excelled at the Utah Classic, tallying 21 kills and 21 blocks. She set program records with 10 block assists and 12 total blocks against Utah State, helping UTEP to a 2-1 record.
MINER RANKINGS
Nationally, UTEP is ranked in the top 55 in 11 categories:
2. Aces per Set (2.36)*
2. Team Service Aces (158)*
5. Opponent Hitting Percentage (0.141)*
6. Blocks per Set (2.96)*
6. Team Total Blocks (198.5)
8. Match W-L % (0.900)*
14. Hitting Percentage (0.285)
19. Kills per Set (13.78)*
41. Assists per Set (12.54)*
43. Team Kills (923)
53. Team Assists (840)
*CUSA Leader
UTEP has two players ranked in the Top 35 in NCAA while leading the conference.
MINING NEW HEIGHTS
The Miners have stormed out to an 18-2 start this season, which is the best record through 20 matches in program history. UTEP's previous highwater mark at this juncture of the campaign was 16-4 (1985). Three other times (2021, 2011 and 1996) the Miners were 15-5 with 20 matches in the books. That puts head coach Ben Wallis (2024, 2021) alongside the legendary Norm Brandl (1996, 1985) as the lone coaches in school history to have multiple starts of at least 15-5.
UNBEATEN IN CUSA
UTEP is 8-0 in Conference USA, putting it tied for first with WKU (8-0). The 8-0 start to league play is the best in program history for conference action. The 1996 Miners got off out of the gates at 6-0 in the WAC before dropping the next three league matches.
SCHOOL RECORD FOR CONSECUTIVE CONFERENCE WINS
Going back to the end of last year, UTEP has won a school-record 10 straight regular-season conference contests. The Miners defeated Liberty in the final two matches of CUSA action in 2023 before winning their first eight this year.
ELEVEN'S HEAVEN
After the sweep at LA Tech (Oct. 12-13), UTEP has now won 11 straight contests. That breaks the prior school standard (nine; 1996, 1982) for most victories in a row during a season. The overall program record for consecutive contests won is 14, which spanned from Nov. 6, 1987, to Sept. 17, 1988.
HOME SWEET HOME COURT
The Miners have won 20 straight regular-season matches at Club Memorial, including standing 10-0 thus far in 2024. UTEP was 14-1 at home in 2023, with the lone setback coming at the hands of Wichita State (L, 0-3) in the championship contest of the NIVC on Dec. 12. The Miners will have more postseason action in the Sun City in 2024, as they will play host to the Conference USA Championships from Nov. 22-24.
HOT STREAK
Dating to toward the end of the 2022 campaign, UTEP has claimed a school-record 15 straight conference contests at home. The stretch began on Oct. 21, 2022, with the Miners winning the final three home CUSA matches in 2022. UTEP went 8-0 in league matches in the Sun City last year. The Orange and Blue stand 4-0 in league contests at Club Memorial thus far in 2024.
AWARD-WINNING MINERS
The Miners have been honored by the league office with at least one of the weekly awards (including freshman of the week) in six of the first seven weeks of the season. UTEP has secured three setters (co) of the week (Mattie Gantt and Kalia Kohler, Sept. 23, Sept. 16, Sept. 9), a pair of offensive players of the week (Ema Uskokovic, Oct. 7, Kaya Weaver, Sept. 9), two defensive players of the week (Weaver, Oct. 7, Sept. 2) and a freshman of the week (Landry Braziel, Oct. 14). The three co-setters of the week are already the most in a single season for the position in program history. Making it more impressive is that Gantt and Kohler reeled in the honor for three straight weeks. The 11 overall weekly awards (including freshman of the week) already break the prior school standard (10; 2023, 2022).
CLEAN SWEEP CREW
Of UTEP's 18 wins, 13 have been in three sets. The 13 sweeps are already the most in a single season since the Orange and Blue registered 14 such victories in 2005 (21-10).
APPROACHING ANOTHER 20-WIN SEASON
UTEP is two wins shy of securing its third 20-win season in the past four years. Success like that hadn't been seen in El Paso since the Miners recorded at least 20 victories in seven of eight years from 1982-88. Prior to head coach Ben Wallis's arrival in the Sun City, UTEP had registered just one 20-victory campaign (21-10, 2005) in the last 29 seasons.
CHASING DOUBLE-DIGIT CONFERENCE WINS
The Miners are closing in on their third consecutive campaign with double-digit victories in league play. UTEP had three total seasons (2012, 2005, 1996) with at least 10 conference wins from the program's inception in 1974.
THE OPPONENT
Jacksonville State
- Jax State enters the series at 7-14 (0-8 CUSA).
- Last Two: Jacksonville State struggled over the weekend in Murfreesboro, dropping back-to-back matches to Middle Tennessee State. On Saturday, the Gamecocks claimed the first set 28-26 but were outpaced by the Blue Raiders, who took the next three sets 25-17, 28-26, and 25-22. Sunday's rematch saw MTSU sweep Jax State in straight sets, 25-11, 25-11, and 25-17, leaving the Gamecocks at 7-14 overall and winless in conference play at 0-8.
- Team Ranks: Jacksonville State ranks in the top 40 nationally in six statistical categories, with a standout performance in team service aces, where they are 7th in the nation with 147 aces, ranking second in Conference USA.
- Player Ranks: Individually, Kayla Williams leads the Gamecocks and CUSA, ranking in the top 100 in four categories: 9th in total attacks, 10th in total kills, 14th in points, and 95th in attacks per set.
- Series: UTEP leads the all-time series against Jacksonville State 2-0, with both teams' first meeting in 2023 where the Miners swept the Gamecocks twice in El Paso that year.
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