GOLDEN – The No. 19 Colorado School of Mines volleyball team will kick off its RMAC schedule on Tuesday evening with a matchup against Colorado Christian at Lockridge Arena at 7 p.m.
Mines (5-3) posted a 4-0 record during its action as host of the Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott Oredigger Volleyball Classic on Friday and Saturday. The squad opened with a 3-0 win over Western Oregon on Friday before closing the day with a 3-0 win over Texas Woman's. The squad opened Saturday with a 3-1 win over No. 22 Central Washington before closing action with a 3-0 win over Tarleton State to push its win streak to five.
Senior Melanie Wannamaker continued her torrid pace to start the season with 62 kills over the four matches at an average of 4.77 kills per set on a .431 attack percentage en route to All-Tournament Team honors and this week's RMAC Offensive Player of the Week award.
Freshman Alanna Winfield finished second on the team with 54 kills on a .348 attack percentage during the weekend. The All-Tournament Team member added 4.15 kills per set and set a new program record during her home debut with an .800 attack percentage on 20 attacks with 16 kills – a record that tops the attack percentage mark on 20 or more attacks of .636 set by former All-American and current student assistant coach Jackie Stabell.
Sophomore Danielle Johnson-Hazlewood posted 172 assists at an average of 13.23 assists per set while adding a pair of double-doubles in the process. She was named both the MVP of the All-Tournament Team as well as the RMAC Setter of the Week.
Senior Hannah Margheim led the defense with 69 digs at an average of 5.31 digs per set over the weekend.
Wannamaker leads the team with 132 kills at an average of 4.71 kills per set while also posting a .414 attack percentage for the Orediggers through eight matches. Winfield follows with 104 kills on a .339 attack percentage while junior Sarah Pekarek sits third on the team with 83 kills at an average of 2.96 kills per set.
Pekarek sits tied for the team lead with three double-doubles on the year with Johnson-Hazlewood, who through eight matches is averaging 12.82 assists per set.
Mines' back line defense has been tremendous so far this season, led by Margheim who has recorded a team-high 145 digs at an average of 5.18 digs per set. Pekarek follows with 93 digs at an average of 3.32 per set and Taryn Huber and Corrine Din have added 70 and 61, respectively.
Colorado Christian (4-4) posted a 3-1 record over the weekend at the NMHU Tournament, with the team's lone loss falling to RMAC foe Western New Mexico by a 3-2 final. The squad also posted wins over McMurry (3-0), St. Edward's (3-1) and Eastern New Mexico (3-0).
Mines owns a 22-19 record against the Cougars in the Division II Era (1992-present), including a 4-0 record against the Cougars a season ago. Mines captured a pair of 3-0 wins during the regular season before posting a 3-1 win in the semifinal round of the RMAC Tournament. The two squads met once again in the first round of the NCAA Tournament with Mines' prevailing by a 3-1 score.
The two teams will kick off the RMAC schedule on Tuesday at Lockridge Arena at 7 p.m.
