#11 Mines (7-1) vs. #33 Regis (5-3) – Thursday, 7 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#11 Mines (7-1) at Westminster (2-5) – Saturday, 4 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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CONFERENCE PLAY COMMENCES
After posting a 7-1 record against strong opponents in non-conference play, the #11-ranked Colorado School of Mines Volleyball team will begin its slate of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play this week. The Orediggers host #33-ranked Regis on Thursday at 7 p.m. inside Lockridge Arena. Mines then makes the flight to Salt Lake City to face Westminster. With a four-match win streak on the line, the Orediggers will look to start their RMAC campaign 2-0 for the first time since 2018.
 
FAN INFORMATION
Mines athletics continues to welcome fans back to home matches this fall. Campus policy asks that all unvaccinated individuals wear masks indoors while every individual is strongly encouraged to wear a mask when social distancing is not possible. Tickets for all matches are available at the box office (cash or credit) or online at www.minesathletics.com/tickets. Westminster policy requires masks for all individuals in shared indoor spaces across campus, regardless of vaccination status.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The RMAC Network has relaunched for 2021-22, and fans used to watching on their smart TV or other device must download the new app by searching "RMAC" in your device's app store. The new watch portal is available online at www.minesathletics.com/tv or www.rmacnetwork.com. All Mines home matches will stream live and for free on the RMAC Network this fall.
 
UNDEFEATED WEEKEND
Last Friday and Saturday, the Orediggers traveled to Colorado Springs for the Mountain Lion Classic hosted by UCCS. Mines proceeded to go 4-0 with straight-set wins over William Jewell, Lubbock Christian and Texas A&M-International. The Orediggers' capped the trip with a 3-1 victory over then #4-ranked Washburn. Taylor Hicken was crowned tournament MVP and Drew Stokes was voted to the all-tournament team as well. It marked the program's first meeting with William Jewell and its first win against Washburn.
 
SCOUTING REGIS
History has seen Regis assert itself as a perennial powerhouse in the RMAC. In fact, the Rangers serve as the defending South Central Region Champions after defeating Mines in the Sweet 16 in 2019. However, RU saw its fall 2021 campaign get off to a sluggish 2-3 start including losses to #3 Cal State San Bernardino, Point Loma and #2 Angelo State. The Rangers rallied last weekend by closing the Colorado Premier with three straight wins including a 3-1 upset of then #5-ranked Lewis. Rachel Siurek is the team leader on offense with 87 kills in 31 sets while hitting .198. Mara LeGrand is the Rangers' setter and defending RMAC Setter of the Week, touting season totals of 306 assists, 121 digs, 20 kills, nine blocks and seven service aces. Her digs total is also tops on the team. Regis mainstays Caitlyn Burroway and Haley Kennedy are right behind on the back line at 114 and 101 digs, respectively. Also notable are Nadine Burbink's 33 blocks over the course of 31 sets.
 
SCOUTING WESTMINSTER
Westminster finished the spring 2021 campaign with a record of 7-11 while going 4-9 in RMAC action. The fall 2021 season has started in similar fashion with the Griffins going 2-5 through the non-conference portion of the schedule. Westminster's two wins include Eastern New Mexico and Cal State Dominguez Hills in a pair of five-set thrillers. Conversely, WC has been swept by then #24-ranked Wayne State College and Arkansas Tech while pushing Azusa Pacific and Cal Poly Pomona to four sets. Before facing the Orediggers, Westminster will host #24 Colorado Mesa on Friday night at 6 p.m. with Lydia Parkinson leading the charge boasting 70 kills in 29 sets. She's hitting .207 in the early going. Bri Mortensen serves as WC's primary setter with 235 assists at a clip of 8.10 assists per set. Mortensen also touts eight service aces. Defensively, Alanna Lee manages the back line to the tune of 97 digs while Malinda Messner supervises at the net with 19 total blocks.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The volleyball rivalry between Mines and Regis is the second-largest in program history when measured by number of matches. The only other team Mines has faced more is MSU Denver. This Thursday, the Orediggers and Rangers will face off for the 75th time since 1976. Regis leads the all-time series by a margin of 48-25-1. The lone tie came the first time the teams met in 1977. Mines and RU last met in the spring at the RMAC pod in Pueblo. Regis won that match in five sets. The Orediggers are 3-7 over their last 10 showdowns with the Ranges which includes four meetings in the 2019 season. As robust as the rivalry is between Mines and Regis, the series history with Westminster is relatively inverse. The Orediggers are 6-0 against the Griffins since the rivalry began in 2015. Mines has swept three of the six matches and dropped just three total sets to WC. The teams' last match was also in the spring in Salt Lake City. Mines emerged victorious after the first-ever, five-set thriller between the Orediggers and Griffins.
 
MAGALEI VS. THE OPPOSITION
Mines Head Coach Jamie Magalei took over as the head lady of the Orediggers in 2008. While Mines trails the all-time series with Regis, Magalei has found modest success against the Rangers by way of a 19-12 record. That mark includes a seven-match win streak running from 2013-15 which turned into a 9-1 record dating into 2016. Magalei's record against Regis combined with her success against Westminster puts her at 25-12 against her upcoming opponents. Also notable is the fact that Magalei has only faced Regis four times in the RMAC Tournament and holds a record of 2-2 against the Rangers in the RMAC postseason. Additionally, Magalei has guided the Orediggers to the NCAA Tournament every year since 2009. During that run, Mines and Regis have only played twice with the Rangers winning both matches.
 
ENGINEERING EFFICIENCY
Two weeks of DII volleyball is in the books, and Mines continues to engineer efficiency. As a team the Orediggers are #4 in the nation in kills per set, #5 in hitting percentage and #8 in assists per set. They also lead the RMAC in all three of those categories plus win-loss percentage. Those rankings are boosted by individual numbers from Taylor Hicken, Drew Stokes and Amanda Donais. Hicken is #4 in the nation in hitting percentage. Donais sits #19 in the same category. Stokes is #4 in the nation in assists per set and #13 in total assists. Keep in mind, the Orediggers have needed just 27 sets to earn seven wins.
 
DII RANKINGS
Mines' undefeated weekend in Colorado Springs boosted their national ranking from #15 up to #11. The Orediggers started the season ranked #12 and their only loss was to now #8 Southwest Minnesota State. Despite Wasburn's four-set loss to Mines, the Ichabods moved from #4 up to #3. RMAC foe MSU Denver made a massive jump from #20 to #6 after their own 4-0 weekend at the Colorado Premier. Colorado Mesa is the only other RMAC team inside the top 25 at #24. Regis serves as the equivalent of #33 in the receiving votes section. Additional teams from the South Central Region include Angelo State remaining #2 even though they dropped two matches including a sweep at the hands of Adams State while UT Tyler slotted in tied for #25. West Texas A&M and Texas A&M-Kingsville also received votes.
 
FUN FACT OF THE WEEK
Coach Magalei's next victory will give her 300 wins in her career as a college head coach. Ironically, her next defeat will make 100 career defeats. The author is tempted to leave it there, but will provide some context. Since taking the helm in 2008, Magalei has never won fewer than 19 matches. That does not include last spring's truncated schedule in which she went 11-4. The Williston, N.D., native has guided Mines to at least 25 wins in eight straight complete seasons with no more than seven losses per season in that same span. Magalei's 281-94 record in 12 complete seasons comes out to an average record of 23-7. She ranks in the top-25 among active DII coaches in total wins and win percentage (.751). The graduate of the University of North Dakota is easily the winningest coach in program history in both total wins and winning percentage. The next closest on volleyball's all-time list is Michele Harris (1993-02) at 110-182. Within the RMAC, Magalei is second only to Colorado Mesa's head man Dave Fleming who touts a career record of 305-161 over the course of 16+ seasons. Like Magalei, all of Fleming's wins have come in the RMAC. After Fleming surpassed 300 career wins in the spring, Magalei will become the sixth coach in RMAC history to reach 300 career wins while coaching in the league. We could go on, but this seems like enough fun facting for the week.
 
UP NEXT
After a split week to start RMAC play, Mines returns home Sept. 24-25 to host South Dakota Mines at Black Hills State inside Lockridge Arena. Tickets for the match are available for sale online at www.minesathletics.com/tickets or at the gate. Live stats and video on the RMAC Network will be offered at www.minesathletics.com as well.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines volleyball on Twitter at @MinesVolleyball and on Instagram at @mines.volleyball. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.