#23 Mines (13-5, 8-2 RMAC) vs. Chadron State (7-12, 5-5 RMAC) – Lockridge Arena – Tuesday, 7 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#23 Mines (13-5, 8-2 RMAC) vs. #16 Regis (14-4, 10-0 RMAC) – Lockridge Arena – Friday, 7 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

---

HOME STAND CONTINUES
The Colorado School of Mines Volleyball team will complete the back half of a home stand this week which has featured a run of four matches in eight days. The last two installments include Chadron State coming to Lockridge Arena on Tuesday night for Professor Appreciation Night followed by #16 Regis on Friday night with free pizza on the docket. Only eight matches remain in the regular season as the Orediggers battle for postseason opportunities and seeding. Depending on action around the league, Mines could clinch a berth in the RMAC Tournament by the end of the week.
 
RETURN TO LOCKRIDGE ARENA
After playing their last two matches at Volk Gym during Homecoming Weekend, the Orediggers will return to Lockridge Arena for the remainder of their home matches.
 
PROFESSOR APPRECIATION NIGHT
Mines' first match back inside Lockridge Arena will also be Professor Appreciation Night. All Oredigger faculty and staff are invited to attend the match free of charge along with three guests each by using their Blaster Card. There will be a special recognition prior to first serve at 7 p.m.
 
SERVING UP PIZZA!
Friday night's showdown with nationally-ranked Regis also features free pizza from Dominos for the first 100 Colorado School of Mines students to come through the doors. Plan accordingly, bring your Blaster Card and get loud.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Both matches this week and all remaining matches for Oredigger volleyball in 2022 will stream live and for free on the RMAC Network which can be accessed at minesathletics.com/tv as well as with apps on all major smart TV platforms by searching RMAC. Live statistics are also available at www.minesathletics.com.
 
LOOKING BACK
This past weekend, Mines went 1-1 while celebrating Homecoming 2022 at Volk Gym. The Orediggers started with a sweep of Colorado Christian on Friday night. Rose Stuewe led the way with 14 kills on .500 hitting. Emily Knight produced 11 kills and hit .526. Drew Stokes was 4-for-4 on the attack and dished out 42 assists. Shannon Perna racked up four service aces. Saturday was an instant classic and a heartbreaker for Mines as they pushed #2 MSU Denver to five sets and extra points before falling 2-3 and 16-14 in the final frame. The loss snapped the Orediggers' eight-match win streak. Megan Neil came up with 14 kills while Stuewe and Knight combined for 23 more. Knight also knocked down five total blocks. Stokes notched the 30th double-double of her career thanks to 44 assists and 14 digs.
 
SCOUTING CHADRON STATE
Chadron State charged out to a 5-1 start to its RMAC slate. However, the Eagles will come to Golden with four straight losses in tow. They sit 7-12 overall and 5-5 in the conference. The last win for CSC was a sweep of Western Colorado in Nebraska on Sept. 24. Since then, Chadron State has been swept by New Mexico Highlands, Adams State and #2 MSU Denver. Most recently, the Eagles took a four-set loss at the hands of Colorado Christian. As a team, the Eagles hit .157 on the attack while their opponents have combined for a .204 percentage. Lexi Hurtado has the most kills for CSC with 140 while averaging 2.06 kills per set, but only hits .116. Bella Adams is tops among hitters with a .292 attack percentage and 131 kills through 70 sets. Chadron State's 6-2 system features Breshawna Kelly and Kiley West at setter. In the back row, Rylee Greiman has 185 digs and Abby Schaefer has 184 digs. At the net, Aiyana Fujiyama boasts 75 blocks in 70 sets. Her total blocks rank top-50 in the nation this season.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE EAGLES
Mines holds a 43-24 lead in the all-time series with Chadron State. That mark includes an active win streak of 23 matches against the Eagles. The Orediggers haven't lost to CSC since Oct. 20, 2007. Mines last faced Chadron State on Oct. 19, 2021 and won in four sets thanks to Rose Stuewe's 22 kills on 49 attempts. Elle Duis also notched 24 digs in that match while Drew Stokes put up a 50-assist, 12-dig double-double. Last year's meeting was also the first time the Eagles had taken a set off the Orediggers since Oct. 16, 2015. Mines' current win streak against Chadron State includes 17 sweeps and zero five-set thrillers.
 
SCOUTING REGIS
Regis starts its weekend by coming to Golden with 13 straight wins on the line. The Rangers are 14-4 overall and tied for #1 in the RMAC standings thanks to an unblemished, 10-0 conference record. Regis' win streak started during the Colorado Premier during non-conference play. The Rangers have swept eight of their 13 opponents during that time while also surviving two different five-set affairs. One was against then-#10 Northwest Missouri State. The other was at Fort Lewis in Durango, Colo. Statistically as a team, RU is not overwhelming in any one category. The team hitting percentage is .252 compared to .137 from the opposition. Nationally, the Rangers rank between #27-#50 in six different categories. Their highest ranking is #27 in team hitting percentage followed by blocks per set at #29. Halle Theis is tops on the team with 216 kills, but transfer middle blocker Amelia Davis must be watched. She touts 200 kills on .333 hitting and 69 blocks. Mara LeGrand continues to contend as one of the best setters in the league thanks to 660 assists at 10.00 assists per set. She put up a triple-double earlier this season. Haley Kennedy handles back row leadership with 293 digs.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE RANGERS
Friday marks the second meeting between Mines and Regis in 2022. The Orediggers opened their RMAC schedule at Regis Field House in Denver and suffered a 3-0 loss to the then-#23 Rangers. That moved Mines' all-time record against RU to 26-50-1. The Orediggers haven't defeated Regis since Sept. 16, 2021. That was a four-set victory for Mines in Golden. With 77 meetings already, the rivalry between the Orediggers and Rangers is the second-longest in the history of Mines volleyball. MSU Denver is the Orediggers' longest-standing rival in terms of matches played.
 
RECORDS HAVE FALLEN
Drew Stokes toppled the second major program record of the year on Saturday evening. Her 10 assists in the opening set against #2 MSU Denver put Stokes #1 in the program record book for career assists. She surpassed five-time all-American Danielle Johnson-Hazlewood who dished out 5,375 helpers from 2012-15. Stokes now boasts 5,410 assists with eight matches remaining in the regular season. That number ranks #3 among active career leaders across all three levels of the NCAA. The Illinois native ranks #1 in both total assists and assists per set among active career leaders in NCAA Division II. Elle Duis was responsible for the other major program record this season. She took over #1 in career digs by putting up 15 against Regis on Sept. 7.
 
OFFICIALLY A HALL OF FAMER
This past weekend, Oredigger volleyball all-American Jackie Stabell was officially inducted into the Mines Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the 2022 class. The ceremony took place on Saturday night as part of the Mines Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet and Auction inside Lockridge Arena. Stabell played for the Orediggers from 2009-12 and became the first all-American in Mines Volleyball's decorated history. A two-time all-American, Stabell was a member of four NCAA Tournament-qualifying teams and paced the Orediggers to the first of what would become four consecutive RMAC regular-season championships in 2012. The 2012 RMAC Player of the Year set records along the way from her outside hitter position, establishing herself as the program's all-time kills leader over her four-year career. Her full bio can be found HERE.
 
AT THE HELM
Head Coach Jamie Magalei is in her 15th season leading the Mines volleyball program in 2022. She is easily the program's all-time leader in total wins and win percentage at 331-107 (.755). Her winning percentage going into the season ranked #15 among active NCAA Division II head coaches with a minimum of five years at a DII program. Her 318 wins at the start of 2022 put her #47 in terms of total wins among active DII coaches. Magalei's win total also ranks second among active RMAC coaches. Last season, Magalei became only the sixth head volleyball coach to earn 300 wins while coaching in the RMAC. Through 2021, Magalei has guided Mines to six RMAC regular-season titles and five RMAC Tournament trophies with 12 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Magalei has led the Orediggers to either a RMAC regular-season or tournament title every season since 2012 including a sweep of both in 2015.
 
IN THE RANKINGS
The latest national rankings from the American Volleyball Coaches' Association came out right before the release of this preview on Monday. Despite the Orediggers' win streak being halted, Mines remained inside the top-25, dropping two spots to #23 in the nation. MSU Denver remained #2 and Regis maintained its spot at #16. Colorado Mesa dropped one spot to #20. CSU Pueblo continued to receive votes. One other Mines opponent from 2022 to appear on the list was #7 Southwest Minnesota State with Ferris State receiving votes.
 
UP NEXT
After this week, Mines' next action will be a road trip to CSU Pueblo on Friday, Oct. 21, followed by a match at UCCS on Saturday, Oct. 22. Live coverage of both matches will be offered at www.minesathletics.com.
 
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.