UTEP Athletics

UTEP Volleyball Opens 2025 Season at Sacramento State Invitational

8/28/2025 4:00:00 PM

EL PASO, Texas – UTEP Volleyball begins its 2025 campaign this weekend when the Miners travel to Sacramento, Calif., to compete in the Sacramento State Invitational at Colberg Court at The Nest, Aug. 29-31.

SCHEDULE

Friday, August 29
8 PM	UTEP at Sacramento State	Live Stats	ESPN+
Saturday, August 30
5 PM	UTEP vs. Pepperdine	Live Stats	ESPN+
Sunday, August 31
12 PM	UTEP vs. UC Davis	Live Stats
^ all times listed in mountain

* Due to a scheduling conflict, Sunday morning's UC Davis vs. UTEP matchup will not be streamed.

IN THE MINE SHAFT

UTEP is coming off a record-setting 2024 campaign in which it finished 27-6 overall and 16-2 in Conference USA play, setting a program record for league victories. The Miners closed the year ranked No. 38 in the RPI, the best mark in program history, and secured their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. Along the way, UTEP became the first NCAA Division I team in the country to reach 20 wins during the season.

Returners and Accolades

The Miners bring back a strong group of 13 returners from last year's historic squad, including seven who earned All-Conference USA recognition. Leading the charge is Kaya Weaver, the 2024 CUSA Defensive Player of the Year, who also garnered All-CUSA First Team honors, AVCA Southwest Region First Team, AVCA All-America honors, and VolleyballMag All-America status. Fellow standout Ema Uskokovic joined Weaver on the All-CUSA First Team while also earning AVCA Southwest Region Honorable Mention and being recognized on both the CUSA All-Academic Team and the CSC Academic All-District list.

Additional returners include Kalia Kohler, who was named to the All-CUSA Second Team and earned CSC Academic All-District honors; Torrance Lovesee, who claimed a spot on the All-CUSA Second Team; and Danika Washington, also a Second Team All-CUSA honoree. Rising stars Landry Braziel and Lauren Perry were both named to the CUSA All-Freshman Team, while Sara Pustahija joined Kohler and Uskokovic on the CSC Academic All-District list.

Newcomers
UTEP bolstered its 2025 roster with the addition of four freshmen and one transfer. The incoming true freshmen are Sydney Frazier, Ella Meador, Mackenzi Davis, and Lexee Salas. Joining them is junior NJCAA All-American transfer Fuka Sekita from NMMI.

PRESEASON ACCOLADES

Expectations remain high entering 2025. Weaver was named the Austin Sports Journal Preseason All-Texas College Super Team Defensive Player of the Year and was voted the Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year. She is joined on the CUSA Preseason Team by teammates Uskokovic, Washington, and Pustahija, giving the Miners one of the most decorated preseason groups in the league.

THE OPPONENTS

Sacramento State

The Hornets finished 21-12 in 2024, winning the Big Sky Tournament on their home floor to earn an NCAA berth.
They enter their final season in the Big Sky before moving to the Big West in 2026 and were picked third in the Big Sky Preseason Poll.
Setter Katie Doorn is the team's lone All-Big Sky Preseason selection after helping Sac State lead the league with 12.13 assists per set last season.
Head coach Ruben Volta's squad returns nine players, including four starters, but lost three All-Big Sky honorees to graduation, most notably 2023 Big Sky MVP and All-American Bridgette Smith.
Sacramento State holds a 2-0 lead in the all-time series against UTEP, with wins in 2006 and 2016.

Pepperdine

Pepperdine went 17-11 overall and 14-4 in the WCC last season, finishing 53rd in the RPI.
The Waves were picked second in the WCC Preseason Poll and placed three players on the All-WCC Preseason Team: redshirt junior Vanessa Polk, sophomore Ella Piskorz, and transfer Iva Popovic.
Although Pepperdine returns just one starter from 2024, Polk rejoins the lineup after redshirting in 2024 and was a key member of the Waves' 2023 WCC Championship squad.
Opposite hitter Chloe Pravednikov, an All-WCC Freshman Team selection, is also expected to play a bigger role.
This will be the first-ever meeting between UTEP and Pepperdine.

UC Davis

UC Davis posted a 19-10 record in 2024, including a program-best 13 Big West wins, and was picked second in this year's Big West Preseason Poll.
The Aggies are led by preseason all-conference selections Ally Chandler, who topped the league in hitting percentage (.373), and Jade Light, who ranked among the Big West leaders in kills, service aces, and points last season.
Head coach Dan Conners enters his 12th season at the helm.
Sunday's contest will mark the first-ever matchup between UTEP and UC Davis.

"On paper, people might think this team looks the same because we returned so many players, but it's actually a very different group," head coach Ben Wallis said. "We've added five newcomers, including JUCO All-American Fuka Sekita and four talented freshmen who bring a ton of athleticism and club experience. That mix has changed the complexion of our roster—we're deeper, smarter, and more experienced. Every year we reinvent ourselves, and this group is still figuring out exactly who they want to be. After this opening weekend, we'll start to see how we respond to challenges and what kind of desire we have to compete at a really high level."

Join the 915 Campaign

UTEP Athletics has launched the "915 Campaign" with a goal of signing up 915 members by September 15. Fans can support the Miners by contributing as little as $9.15 per month to UTEP's Talent Acquisition Fund (TAF), which directly impacts the success of UTEP student-athletes.

To join the "915 Campaign" and become a difference maker for UTEP Athletics, please click here.

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