EL PASO, Texas - UTEP Volleyball (3-0) continues its non-conference schedule at the 2nd annual Southwest Showdown hosted by UTRGV in Edinburg, Texas. The Miners will face Texas A&M–Corpus Christi, UTRGV, and Texas State across three days of action, Sept. 4–6.
SCHEDULE
^All Times Mountain Daylight
ABOUT THE SOUTHWEST SHOWDOWN
The Southwest Showdown is in its second year of competition and will be held Sept. 4–6 in Edinburg, Texas. The four-team field features UTEP, UTRGV, Texas A&M–Corpus Christi, and Texas State. The annual event will rotate hosting duties among the participating schools each season.
LOOKING BACK: 2024 SHOWDOWN RECAP
UTEP captured the inaugural Southwest Showdown title last fall with a perfect 3-0 record at Memorial Gym. The Miners opened with a 3-1 victory over UTRGV before edging Texas A&M–Corpus Christi in a five-set thriller, rallying from a 2-1 deficit to claim the match, 3-2. UTEP then swept Texas State 3-0 to secure the championship, highlighted by a dramatic 34-32 win in the opening set and steady play in the final two frames. Ema Uskokovic was named Tournament MVP, while setters Mattie Gantt and Kalia Kohler also earned spots on the All-Tournament Team.
OPENING WEEKEND SUCCESS
UTEP began its 2025 campaign with a championship run at the Sacramento State Invitational, finishing 3-0.
- The Miners swept Sacramento State (25-17, 25-16, 25-17) in the opener, showcasing a dominant two-way performance.
- UTEP then dispatched Pepperdine in straight sets (25-21, 26-24, 25-23), overcoming early deficits with poise.
- The weekend closed with a 3-1 victory over UC Davis (23-25, 25-18, 25-22, 26-24). Fuka Sekita was named Tournament MVP, while Torrance Lovesee and Sara Pustahija earned All-Tournament honors.
OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER
UTEP enters the weekend hitting .310 as a team, which ranks 22nd nationally and first in Conference USA. The Miners' attack has been powered by three players hitting at or above .310 with at least 20 kills. Sara Pustahija leads the way at a .368 clip, while Torrance Lovesee is hitting .357 and Luvina Oguntimehin follows at .318.
BLOCK PARTY
The Miners have tallied 23.0 total blocks through the opening weekend. Middle blockers Danika Washington and Kaya Weaver lead the charge with 10.0 blocks each.
BALANCED ATTACK
The Miners' offense has been well-distributed, with four players averaging at least 2.0 kills per set with a minimum of 20 kills. Torrance Lovesee leads the group with 3.50 kills per set, followed by Sara Pustahija at 2.50, Luvina Oguntimehin at 2.10, and Kaya Weaver at 2.00.
MINERS IN TOURNAMENT PLAY
UTEP has gone undefeated in 37 tournaments in program history.
STRONG STARTS
Including this season, UTEP has opened 3-0 on 12 occasions. The last came in 2023, when the Miners swept the Southeastern Showdown in Hammond, La.
IN THE CUSA SPOTLIGHT
- 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: W-L percentage (T-1st, 1.000), hitting percentage (22nd, .310), kills per set (24th, 14.50), assists per set (45th, 12.90). UTEP leads C-USA in each category.
C-USA Individual Top 10:
THE OPPONENTS
Texas A&M–Corpus Christi
- 1-2 record after opening weekend, with a win over Alabama State.
- 2024 record: 20-11; NCAA Tournament berth as Southland champions.
- The Islanders' offense is paced by Katelyn Krienke, who is averaging 2.36 kills and 2.73 points per set. She is set by Virginia Van Der Werff, who dishes out 9.00 assists per set, while Brooklyn Jaeger anchors the defense with 3.36 digs per set.
- UTEP leads series 6-0.
UTRGV
- 1-2 record with a win over LIU.
- 2024 record: 16-12.
- The Vaqueros are led by Martina Franco, who is averaging 4.00 kills and 4.38 points per set. She is set by Isabella Constantini, who averages 8.00 assists per set, while Celianiz Cabranes leads the defensive effort with 5.92 digs per set.
- UTEP leads series 19-1.
Texas State
- 1-1 record with a win over UTSA.
- 2024 record: 22-9; NCAA Tournament berth as Sun Belt champions.
- The Bobcats' attack is fueled by Samantha Wunsch, who is averaging 4.38 kills and 5.13 points per set. She is set by Anna Blaine, who contributes 8.50 assists and 2.13 digs per set, while Jade DeFraeye leads the blocking front with 1.50 per set. Blaine and Alyssa Clark also provide defensive support with 2.13 digs per set each.
- UTEP trails series 10-11.
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.
Give a gift to UTEP Women's Volleyball by donating to the Point Miners Club.
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