Mines (15-4, 8-3 RMAC) at #12 Regis (16-3, 10-1 RMAC) – Friday, 7 p.m. [Live Stats] [Live Video]
Mines (15-4, 8-3 RMAC) at Colorado Christian (7-12, 3-8 RMAC) – Saturday, 5 p.m.  [Live Stats] [Live Video]
 

---

ON THE RMAC NETWORK
Every Mines home game and all RMAC contests can be seen live and for free on the RMAC Network at minesathletics.com/tv. The RMAC Network can also be found on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Android TV devices by going to the app store and searching "RMAC".
 
SECOND TIME AROUND
The Colorado School of Mines Volleyball team hits the road this weekend for a pair of rematches at #12 Regis and at Colorado Christian. It marks the second time in the 2019 season the Orediggers have faced both the Rangers and Cougars. Regis sits atop the RMAC standings and is still nationally ranked. Colorado Christian is just three wins out of a potential berth in the conference tournament. It's safe to say that both contests carry major postseason implications for all teams involved.
 
THE WEEKEND THAT WAS
Mines returned to its winning ways last Friday and Saturday while also celebrating Homecoming 2019. The Orediggers swept CSU-Pueblo on Friday and did the same to New Mexico Highlands on Saturday. True freshman Rose Stuewe stole the show against the ThunderWolves with a career high 13 kills on a career best .571 hitting percentage. Amanda Donais put up double-digit kills both nights on the way to 21 for the weekend at an overall clip of .500. Elle Duis remained stellar on defense, leading all players with 11 digs against CSU-Pueblo and 12 more against NMHU. The weekend sweep marks Mines' first back-to-back victories since hosting UCCS and Black Hills State on Oct. 1 and Oct. 4.
 
SCOUTING REGIS
Regis University volleyball will ride a seven-match win streak into the weekend. The Rangers' last loss came last month as they fell in four sets to MSU Denver on Sept. 27. Since that time, RU has recorded five sweeps and claimed one five-set thriller to maintain a half-match advantage at #1 in the RMAC standings. The win streak has also fueled Regis's climb to #12 in the nation. Nikki Kennedy leads the Rangers' attack behind 189 kills while hitting .279. Kelsey Green, Caitlyn Burroway, Izzy Gosar and Kristen Hornung boast over 100 kills on the season as well. At setter it could either be the veteran Silvia Basso with 474 assists or true freshman Mara LeGrand with 292 assists. On defense, Caitlyn Burroway is tops on the team with 214 digs while Nikki Kennedy has racked up 78 blocks.
 
RANGERS IN COLORADO
Fans may recall the brief history of Regis University provided in past previews which involved exiled Italian Jesuits and Las Vegas, N.M. However, this preview will focus on Rangers and their role in Colorado. For those who don't know, Regis's athletics nickname is the Rangers. Many have probably heard of the law enforcement/military branches such as the Texas Rangers or Army Rangers. However, in Colorado, Rangers are more like the National Guard. Specifically, the Colorado Rangers Law Enforcement Shared Reserve – or CLER. It is an all-volunteer law enforcement agency that provides state certified reserve peace officers to assist local law enforcement agencies upon their request. It is actually the successor to the Colorado Mounted Rangers which sounds more Canadian than Coloradoan, but both were and are, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. There's plenty more history on the CLER, but we'll save that for later. However, other Ranger connoisseurs may recall the Denver Rangers which were a professional hockey team that lasted exactly two seasons in the late 1980's. Not to be forgotten is the Colorado Ranger which is a horse breed from the Colorado High Plains. And now you know.
 
REGIS FIELDHOUSE
Friday's match will be held inside Regis Fieldhouse on the campus of Regis just outside downtown Denver. Built in 1960, the venue seats 1,800 spectators and also serves as the home court for the men's and women's basketball teams. The Fieldhouse also served as the site of the first three rounds of the 2017 NCAA Volleyball tournament. Seating is arranged in two tiers allowing fans courtside access or a birds-eye view of Regis home events.
 
SCOUTING COLORADO CHRISTIAN
Last weekend, Colorado Christian snapped a four-match losing streak thanks to a five-set win over Adams State on Saturday in Alamosa. It marked CCU's second four-match skid of the year including a sweep at the hands of the Orediggers. Despite those two losing streaks, the Cougars are 7-12 overall and 3-8 in RMAC play which puts them #14 in the conference standings, but only three wins out of a tie for #7 with UCCS coming to Lakewood on Friday night prior to Mines' arrival. Individually, Cali Bahnsen leads CCU's offense thanks to 202 kills over 19 matches. Maddie Burns is the top setter with 530 assists, but also shares time with Jincey Nystedt who touts 212 assists. Mariela Gonzalez is the Cougar's libero boasting 405 digs at a clip of 5.70 digs per set which ranks #17 in DII. Katie Henry leads on defense at the net with 45 blocks.
 
FORMERLY KNOWN AS…
Over the past two seasons, many tidbits and facts have been presented on CCU's cougar nickname, but there are only so many fun facts available. This week, we look at the history of Colorado Christian University itself. Or should we say Denver Bible Institute. Or maybe Rockmont College. Other options include Colorado Baptist University, Western Bible Institute or Colorado Christian College. All of those names were previous monikers for present-day CCU. Originally founded in 1914 as the Denver Bible Institute, the institution experienced six name changes and numerous location changes including Morrison, Longmont, Denver and finally Lakewood. Athletics started in 1946 with the hiring of the school's first basketball coach. In 1989 the CCU name was adopted and then joined the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in 1990. And now you know.
 
CCU EVENT CENTER
Built with airline hangar-like architecture, the CCU Event Center seats 1,100 and also serves as the home for the Cougars' men's and women's basketball teams. The university also holds weekly campus chapel in the event center along with numerous campus-wide events including intramurals and other special activities. Seating goes right down to the floor creating a potentially raucous, intimate atmosphere for CCU home events. The Cougars recently upgraded its floor with the Denver Skyline painted/stained onto the surface.
 
SERIES HISTORY
As previously mentioned, this weekend marks the second time Mines will face off against Regis and Colorado Christian this season. In the first meeting, the Orediggers swept CCU behind 10 kills from Abby Tiesman, 27 assists from Drew Stokes and 13 total blocks as a team. The next night the tables would turn as then #18-ranked Regis swept passed Mines inside Lockridge Arena. Tiesman and Megan Neil put up 12 and 11 kills, respectively. Stokes had 36 assists and Elle Duis came up with 18 digs. Over the last seven years, Mines is a combined 27-7 against Regis and CCU. The two foes have only beaten the Orediggers five times in RMAC play.
 
NO SETTER BETTER
Drew Stokes currently ranks #1 in the nation in assists per set, dishing out dimes at a clip of 12.77 per frame. That #1 ranking applies to NCAA Divisions I, II, and III. Yes, Stokes leads all divisions in the NCAA in assists per set. To put this in perspective, the #1 setter in DI is Jenna Gray of #2-ranked Stanford. She is currently averaging 11.71 assists per set for a total of 692 assists in 59 sets of action. Stokes has 843 assists in 66 sets of action. That's a difference of 151 assists in just seven more sets. At the NCAA Division III level, Emma Griffith of #1-ranked Chicago leads the way with 11.44 assists per set for a total of 858 assists in 75 sets. Stokes' 843 assists in 66 sets ranks #9 in NCAA Division II and also leads the RMAC by 247 total assists and 2.75 assists per set.
 
FUN COACH FACTS
This week's fun coach fact combines the careers of both coaches Magalei and Roberts. The duo played college ball during the exact same time from 2001-04. Magalei (then Skadeland) at North Dakota and Roberts at William Woods in Missouri. Both Oredigger coaches are featured in their program record books for career assists. Magalei still ranks #8 in North Dakota history with 2,791 assists. Roberts still ranks #2 in Williams Woods history with 3,506 assists. In fact, Roberts was the all-time record holder at WWU until 2017 when Brittney Engelbrecht finished her career with 5,023 assists. For Magalei, only three other players have put up more career assists since her graduation. Those who wonder why Mines produces setters at such a high level, it could be the coaching staff knows a thing or two about setting thanks to a combined 6,297 career assists.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Next weekend, Mines will celebrate Parent's Night on Friday and Senior/Alumni Night Saturday as the Orediggers host Chadron State and MSU Denver inside Lockridge Arena. Live stats and video of both matches will be available at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all season long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics. Fans can also follow Mines Volleyball on Twitter using the handle @MinesVolleyball.