EL PASO, Texas – UTEP Volleyball returns to the Sun City this weekend for its 2025 home opener, hosting the Sun City Classic September 11-13 at Club Memorial. The Miners (6-0) welcome nationally ranked No. 24 UCLA, along with Texas Southern and Oral Roberts, for a three-day tournament.
The Orange and Blue will take the floor at 6 p.m. Thursday against UCLA, marking just the fourth time in program history a nonconference nationally-ranked opponent will visit El Paso. UTEP then meets Texas Southern at 2:30 p.m. Friday before closing the weekend against Oral Roberts at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
SCHEDULE
^All Times Mountain Daylight
OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER
UTEP has been efficient and explosive offensively, hitting .307 as a team, a mark that ranks 12th nationally and first in Conference USA. Five Miners are swinging above .300, including Danika Washington (.333) and Kaya Weaver (.382), who both have 30+ kills.
BLOCK PARTY
The Miners have established themselves at the net with 46.0 team blocks through six matches. Washington leads the group with 21.0 rejections, while five Miners are already in double figures. UTEP's season-high 12 blocks came against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Sept. 4. In comparison, UTEP's opponents have combined for just 39.0 blocks this season.
BALANCED ATTACK
Four Miners are averaging more than 2.0 kills per set with at least 30 total kills: Torrance Lovesee (3.50), Weaver (2.50), Braziel (2.33), and Sara Pustahija (2.20). Each has already surpassed the 40-kill mark on the young season.
MINERS IN TOURNAMENT PLAY
UTEP has finished undefeated in 38 tournaments in program history. The Miners have won multiple tournaments in a season 11 times, most recently in 2024. Of those, five seasons have included back-to-back tournament sweeps, last accomplished in 2021.
FAST STARTS
- UTEP is 6-0 to open the season for the fifth time in program history and second under Wallis.
- Prior to his arrival, it had only happened three times (1988, 2005, 2011).
- The school's best start remains 8-0, set in 1988 and matched in 2011.
- Three of UTEP's six victories this season have come against defending conference champions and NCAA Tournament teams: Sacramento State (Big Sky), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Southland), and Texas State (Sun Belt).
EYEING HISTORY vs. RANKED FOES
The Miners will seek their first-ever win over a nationally ranked opponent Thursday against UCLA. UTEP is 0-22 all-time versus the Top 25, with all matches occurring since 2003. The Miners have managed to take at least one set in four of those contests.
The Bruins become just the fourth nationally ranked nonconference opponent to visit El Paso, joining Texas A&M (2016), Colorado State (2014), and BYU (2014).
STRENGTH vs. POWER CONFERENCE
UTEP has built momentum against power conference programs, posting victories in three straight seasons—a feat last matched from 1983-85. The Miners toppled Iowa State (Big 12) in 2024, while defeating Washington (Pac-12) and Clemson (ACC) in 2023. UTEP also picked up wins over Arizona (Pac-12) and Northwestern (Big Ten) in 2021, ending long droughts against power programs.
IN THE CUSA SPOTLIGHT
- Setter Kalia Kohler was named CUSA Setter of the Week in Week 2. The honor is her 11th career weekly award, setting the program record for the most all-time. Kohler also becomes just the fifth Miner setter to earn a solo weekly honor from the conference.
- Setter Duo Honored: Mattie Gantt and Kalia Kohler earned the first 2025 C-USA Co-Setter of the Week award. The pair combined for 110 assists over 10 sets in Sacramento, while also adding digs, aces, and kills to fuel the Miners' .310 team hitting percentage. This marks the sixth career co-award for the duo.
- Weaver Headlines Preseason Team: Middle blocker Kaya Weaver was named the 2025 Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year, leading a league-best four UTEP honorees on the Preseason All-CUSA Team. She was joined by Ema Uskokovic, Sara Pustahija, and Danika Washington. The Miners were picked second in the preseason poll, earning four first-place votes.
NATIONAL & CONFERENCE RANKINGS
NCAA Top 50 Team Stats: UTEP continues to shine statistically on the national stage, ranking among the NCAA's top 50 in several categories. The Miners are tied for first in the country in match win-loss percentage (1.000) while also checking in at 12th in hitting percentage (.307), 16th in assists per set (13.35), 17th in kills per set (14.35), and 24th in opponent hitting percentage (.132).
CUSA Individual Top 10:
- Fuka Sekita – 4th in digs per set (4.15), 5th in total digs (83)
- Washington – 4th in blocks per set (1.05)
- Lovesee – 5th in points per set (4.03), 7th in kills per set (3.40)
- Weaver – 7th in hitting percentage (.382)
THE OPPONENTS
No. 24 UCLA
- Record: 1-3
- Opened with a win over Long Beach State before dropping three straight.
- Key players include Cheridyn Leverette (3.56 k/s), Zayna Meyer (6.38 a/s), Lola Schumacher (4.19 d/s), and Marianna Singletary (1.31 b/s).
- UCLA leads the series 2-0; the last meetings came in 1980 and 1981.
Texas Southern
- Record: 0-7
- Searching for its first win, though the Tigers have taken three sets this season.
- Leaders: Gracie Hill (2.23 k/s), Kennedi Walker (4.44 a/s), Morelia Lorenzo (2.46 d/s), Morgynne McQueen (0.62 b/s).
- UTEP leads the all-time series 6-0 (18-0 sets), with the most recent sweep in 2013.
Oral Roberts
- Record: 0-5
- The Golden Eagles have dropped all five matches but have earned two set wins.
- Leaders: Hayden Hart (2.94 k/s), Rachel Resta (7.31 a/s), Julia Carr (3.12 d/s), Jenna Salyer (0.47 b/s).
- The all-time series is tied 10-10, though UTEP has a slight edge in set wins (37-34). The Miners defeated ORU, 3-1, in the 2022 meeting.
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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