EL PASO, Texas – UTEP volleyball (10-2) begins Conference USA action this weekend with a two-match series at Sam Houston (8-5). The Miners and Bearkats will square off September 26-27 inside Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville, Texas. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+.
SCHEDULE
LAST TIME OUT
UTEP wrapped up its non-conference slate with a split at the SFA Invitational in Nacogdoches. The Miners battled hard but fell 3-1 to nationally-ranked No. 10 SMU on Friday night. UTEP opened the match with a 25-22 victory before the Mustangs responded to win the next three frames, 25-19, 25-17, 25-20.
The Orange and Blue bounced back Saturday afternoon, sweeping Stephen F. Austin, 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-22). Sara Pustahija and Kalia Kohler were both named to the all-tournament team following the victory, as the Miners improved to 10-2 on the year.
OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER
UTEP enters conference play with one of the most efficient attacks in the nation, hitting .303 as a team. Three Miners are swinging .300 or better with at least 60 kills:
The Miners have posted a hitting percentage over .300 in six matches this season, including a season-best .459 against Oral Roberts (Sept. 13).
BLOCK PARTY
The Miners have totaled 96.0 blocks through 12 matches and have out-blocked opponents, 96-68. UTEP has reached double-digit blocks four times, highlighted by a season-high 12 against both Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Oral Roberts. Washington leads the team with 37.0 blocks (0.93 per set).
BALANCED ATTACK
Four Miners average at least 2.0 kills per set with 80 or more kills:
All four have started every match this season, with Lovesee and Pustahija playing in all 40 sets. As a unit, UTEP averages 13.8 kills per set.
CHAMPS CHECKED
Three of UTEP's nine victories this season have come against defending conference champions and 2024 NCAA Tournament teams: Sacramento State (Big Sky), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Southland), and Texas State (Sun Belt). The Miners also added a win over Arizona on Sept. 16, the reigning NIVC champion.
NEW RECORD WHO DIS?
Sophomore outside hitter Landry Braziel delivered a record-breaking performance in UTEP's sweep of Oral Roberts on Sept. 13 to close out the Sun City Classic. Braziel hit .846 with 11 kills on 13 error-free swings, marking the best hitting percentage in program history for a three-set match with at least 10 kills.
THE 1K KILL CLUB
Torrance Lovesee became the 14th Miner in program history to reach 1,000 career kills, achieving the milestone with 17 kills in a road win at Arizona on Sept. 16. She now ranks 10th all-time at UTEP with 1,034 career kills.
HEAVY HITTERS
UTEP's season-high in kills is 61, recorded in a four-set victory at Arizona. The team's best three-set performance came in the season opener against Sacramento State with 45 kills. Lovesee was the first Miner to eclipse 100 kills this year and enters league play with a team-leading 123.
THROUGH 12
The Miners have dropped just two matches in their opening 12 contests for the sixth time in program history (1985, 1994, 2005, 2021, 2024, 2025). This season's two setbacks came against No. 24 UCLA (Sept. 11) and No. 10 SMU (Sept. 19).
HISTORY AGAINST POWER CONFERENCES
UTEP has now defeated a Power Conference opponent in three consecutive seasons, matching the longest such streak in program history (1983–85). The Miners have earned notable wins over Iowa State (2024), Washington and Clemson (2023), and Northwestern and Arizona (2021). Prior to head coach Ben Wallis's arrival in 2019, UTEP had not beaten a Power 5 opponent since 2005.
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
UTEP ranks among the NCAA's top 50 in multiple statistical categories:
- 12th in hitting percentage (.303, 1st in CUSA)
- 25th in winning percentage (.833)
- 36th in opponent hitting percentage (.162, 1st in CUSA)
- 37th in assists per set (12.78)
- 39th in kills per set (13.78)
Individually, Weaver leads CUSA and ranks 35th nationally in hitting percentage (.414). She also ranks ninth in the league in blocks per set (0.97). Other Miners in the CUSA top 10 include Braziel (4th in hitting percentage, .342) and Fuka Sekita (6th in digs per set, 3.90; 7th in total digs, 152).
SCOUTING SAM HOUSTON
- Sam Houston enters the weekend 8-5 overall after battling through a demanding non-conference schedule.
- The Bearkats have gone to five sets seven times, winning four of those matches, and carry momentum with four wins in their last five outings.
- SHSU leads the nation in team assists (707) and team kills (749) while also pacing CUSA in total attempts (2,031) and digs (842).
- Freshman outside hitter Chloe Monson has emerged as the league's top scorer, leading CUSA in kills (229), points (242), and total attempts (574). She ranks second in the league in kills per set (4.02) and fourth in points per set (4.25).
- Middle blocker Chelsea Butler has been a steady presence, hitting above .300 in six of her last seven matches and ranking among the top five in the league in efficiency.
- The Bearkats, picked eighth in the CUSA preseason poll, are seeking their first win over UTEP since 1991.
- The Miners lead the all-time series, 6-5, and are 4-0 against SHSU as CUSA members after sweeping both matches in El Paso last season.
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