Sept. 10-11 – Mountain Lion Classic – Colorado Springs, Colo. – Tournament Central
#15 Mines (3-1) vs. William Jewell (3-1) – Friday, 10 a.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#15 Mines (3-1) vs. Lubbock Christian (3-1) – Friday, 2:30 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#15 Mines (3-1) vs. Texas A&M-International (0-4) – Saturday, 11:30 a.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#15 Mines (3-1) vs. #4 Washburn (5-0) – Saturday, 4:30 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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THE 2021 MOUNTAIN LION VOLLEYBALL CLASSIC
The #15-ranked Colorado School of Mines Volleyball team continues its non-conference schedule this Friday and Saturday at the Mountain Lion Volleyball Classic hosted by UCCS in Colorado Springs. Teams from the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) and the Lone Star Conference (LSC) fill Mines' four-match schedule for the weekend. The Orediggers face William Jewell of the GLVC at 10 a.m. on Friday followed by a match against Lubbock Christian at 2:30 p.m. on the same day. Saturday features Texas A&M-International at 11:30 a.m. and #4-ranked Washburn in the finale at 4:30 p.m.
 
FAN INFORMATION
Campus policy at UCCS requires that all students, faculty, staff and visitors on the campus are required to wear a face covering while indoors regardless of vaccination status. Fans parking on campus on Friday will need to purchase a parking pass from a kiosk or the Parking App until 4 p.m. Parking is free after 4 p.m. on Friday and all day Saturday. Tickets are available for purchase daily at the admissions table (cash only). Fans will need to scan a QR code upon entry and enter their contact information. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for non-UCCS students with student ID and children ages 13-17, $3 for military members and seniors age 55 and up.
 
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.
 
RECAPPING THE OREDIGGER CLASSIC
The Orediggers opened their fall 2021 season with a 3-1 record as they hosted seven teams at the Oredigger Classic last weekend. Mines swept passed Seattle Pacific and Midwestern State on Friday. The Orediggers made it three straight with a five-set victory over Grand Valley State on Saturday morning. However, Southwest Minnesota State stopped the hosts' run with a 3-0 win over the Orediggers in the weekend finale. The Mustangs of SMSU were receiving votes in the national poll prior to the weekend and jumped to #16 after going 4-0 in Golden. For Mines, Taylor Hicken, Drew Stokes and Rose Stuewe earned all-tournament status.
 
OPPOSITION RUNDOWN
As stated above, the weekend slate features William Jewell and Lubbock Christian on Friday with Texas A&M-International and #4 Washburn on Saturday. The four opponents hold a combined record of 11-6 with the nationally-ranked Ichabods sitting 5-0 while TAMIU enters the weekend 0-4. Signature wins within the conglomerate include Washburn knocking off #19 Harding in three sets and #15 Northern State in four sets. Texas A&M-International went to Alaska for opening weekend on won just one set in four losses. Wasburn hosted William Jewell at its opening invite. Lubbock Christian played St. Mary's, Oklahoma Christian and Bentley in Oklahoma City. Washburn was the only team out of the four to go to the NCAA Tournament in 2019 with a 27-4 record where they bowed out against Concordia-St. Paul. The other three combined for a 2019 record of 32-53.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Friday morning marks the first-ever meeting between Mines and William Jewell on the volleyball court. The afternoon match will be the third time the Orediggers have faced LCU since 1976 in a series that is tied 1-1. Mines won the last meeting in straight sets as they hosted the Lady Chaps at the Oredigger Classic on Sept. 6, 2019. Texas A&M-International played the Orediggers once in 2009. Mines won that match 3-0 in Austin, Texas, on the campus of St. Edward's. Against Washburn, the Orediggers are 0-2 in the all-time series. The last time Mines faced the Ichabods was Sept. 5, 2008 in a three-set affair in St. Louis.
 
FIRST OF THE YEAR
On Monday, Taylor Hicken and Drew Stokes became the first RMAC Offensive Player of the Week and RMAC Setter of the Week this fall. Both earned all-tournament distinction at the Oredigger Classic last weekend. Hicken produced 47 kills in four matches at a clip of 3.36 kills per set while hitting. 468 on the attack. She also added seven total blocks and four service aces. Hicken's .468 hitting percentage and 3.89 points per set both rank first in the RMAC. Stokes dished out 164 assists, 22 digs, 13 kills, seven blocks and five service aces while converting at .600 on the attack. She is first in the RMAC in total assists and second in assists per set.
 
NATIONAL STAT RANKINGS
After one weekend of play, Mines has positioned itself as one of the top offensive teams in NCAA Division II. The Orediggers' team hitting percentage of .333 ranks fifth in the nation and their 13.64 assists per set ranks 13th. Mines is also top-25 as a team in kills per set. Drew Stokes Is 10th in the country in assists per set and 17th in total assists. Other top-25 individuals include Taylor Hicken and Amanda Donais in hitting percentage. Within the RMAC, Mines leads the way in three different statistical categories.
 
DII RANKINGS
The first national poll of the regular season saw the Orediggers take a slight dip from #12 to #15. At the same time, Mines' lone loss to Southwest Minnesota State helped the Mustangs go from receiving votes up to #16. Other RMAC programs were hit harder for losses on opening weekend with MSU Denver dropping from #11 to #20 and Colorado Mesa plummeting from #10 to #22. Regis dropped out of the top-25 completely and sits the equivalent of 29th in the receiving votes section. CSU Pueblo worked its way into the receiving votes section and is now the 49th-ranked team in DII according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Additional teams from the South Central Region appearing the top-25 include Angelo State at #2 and UT Tyler at #23.
 
FUN FACT OF THE WEEK
After Colorado School of Mines hosted 22 NCAA Division II athletic events on campus last weekend, the Orediggers are only hosting two this weekend. That's not the fun fact of the week, it just seemed like solid follow up from the last preview. All that being said, this week's fun fact may seem like a deep dive to some as we cross over sports, but it's all up to the author so fans can take it or leave it. When Mines faces William Jewell on Friday, it will mark the first time any Oredigger program has played the Cardinals since former football offensive coordinator Mike McGlinchey departed Golden to become the head coach at William Jewell. Since McGlinchey made the move, Mines Athletics has racked up 101 wins compared to 47 losses and six draws across all 18 varsity programs. Meanwhile, the William Jewell Football team is 0-4 including three losses during pandemic-adjusted 2020-21 season. In the spirit of fairness, the author also looked at William Jewell Athletics as a whole. Since McGlinchey's arrival, the department holds an overall record of 52-154-4 with women's basketball as the only program above .500. We aren't trying to say anything, it just seemed like a fun – albeit deep diving – fact.
 
UP NEXT
Mines opens RMAC play on Thursday, Sept. 16, by hosting Regis inside Lockridge Arena at 7 p.m. 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.