Sept. 1-2 – Lockridge Arena – Golden, Colo. – Tournament Central
#22 Mines (0-0) vs. Fort Hays State (0-0) – Friday, 1 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#22 Mines (0-0) vs. Pittsburg State (0-0) – Friday, 6 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#22 Mines (0-0) vs. San Francisco State (0-0) – Saturday, 11 a.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#22 Mines (0-0) vs. Findlay (0-0) – Saturday, 4 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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LIVE COVERAGE
All 16 matches of the 2023 Oredigger Volleyball Classic presented by Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott will stream live and for free on the RMAC Network. Fans can access the live video by going to www.minesathletics.com/tv. There will also be live stats for each match on both courts. Those can be accessed at the tournament central at www.minesathletics.com/orediggerclassic.
 
TICKETS AND PARKING
Fans are encouraged to purchase digital tickets or print tickets at home ahead of the tournament by going to www.minesathletics.com/tickets. Adults are $10 for the entire day, children, seniors, and military are $5 for the day. Mines faculty, staff, and students get in free with their Blaster Card. Those planning to attend in person will need to pay for parking prior to 5 p.m. on Friday. Parking is free after 5 p.m. on Friday and all day Saturday. The two best options for parking are Lot D (1651 Elm Street), and the Parking Garage (1400 Maple Street). Fans can visit the Parking page for more information.
 
DAWNING OF A NEW SEASON
This Friday and Saturday mark the dawn of another season of college volleyball for Colorado School of Mines as it hosts the 18th edition of the Oredigger Classic presented by Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott. The invitational style event features eight teams combining to play 16 matches across two days inside Lockridge Arena. Friday's slate begins at 11 a.m. with additional matches at 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday starts at 9 a.m. with additional action at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. Mines' opponents for the weekend include Fort Hays State, Pittsburg State, San Francisco State, and Findlay. The Orediggers' will play at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Friday with match times of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday.
 
PERUSING THE FIELD
The full guest list for the weekend includes Augustana (S.D.), Colorado Christian, Colorado Mesa, Findlay (Ohio), Fort Hays State, Pittsburg State, San Francisco State, and of course the hosting Orediggers. In 2022, Mines' seven guests combined for an overall record of 117-86. Five of the seven teams advanced to their respective conference tournaments. Colorado Mesa was the only program, besides Mines, to qualify for the NCAA tournament. In regards to conference alignment, Fort Hays State and Pittsburg State both represent the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). San Francisco State is out of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Augustana hails from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Colorado Christian, Colorado Mesa, and Mines are all out of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). None of the teams from the same conference will face each other this weekend.
 
SERIES HISTORIES
Mines opens the season against a somewhat familiar face. Fort Hays State used to be a member of the RMAC before departing to the MIAA in 2006. Since the Orediggers started their volleyball program in 1976, they have gone 15-27 against the Tigers. Mines and FHSU last played on Oct. 29, 2008. The Orediggers won the match in Golden in four sets. Mines has never played Pittsburg State, San Francisco State, or Findlay in volleyball. That being said, Pittsburg State used to be a member of the RMAC, but the Gorillas did not add volleyball until after their departure in 1972. San Francisco is an affiliate member of the RMAC for men's wrestling only.
 
EIGHTEEN YEARS OF THE CLASSIC
In 2005, former Mines Head Volleyball Coach Shelly Johnson started the Oredigger Volleyball Classic. When current skipper Jamie Magalei took over in 2008, she made it Mines' season opener and it has stayed that way for 14 of the last 16 seasons. Overall, the hosts tout a record of 54-15 in the invitational with Coach Magalei going 48-9 during her time at the helm. The Orediggers have won a total of 175 sets compared to 72 losses while Magalei's set record is 151-51. Since 2014, Mines is 26-5 at the Oredigger Classic including 18 sweeps, five four-setters, and three five-set classics. Most recently, in 2022, Magalei's Orediggers went 3-1 by sweeping Western Colorado, Northern State, and then #19-ranked UT Tyler. Their only loss was to #22-ranked Southwest Minnesota State.
 
SHE'S THE BOSS
Head Coach Jamie Magalei enters her 16th season leading the Mines volleyball program in 2023. She is easily the program's all-time leader in total wins and win percentage at 340-110 (.755). As of Aug. 30, 2023, her winning percentage ranks inside the top-20 among active coaches in NCAA Division II, and her total wins are top-50 in the same category. Additionally, her current winning percentage is top-25 all-time in DII. Magalei surpassed 300 career wins in 2021. She's one of six to reach the milestone while coaching in the RMAC. Through 2022, Magalei has coached 31 all-America selections, three Academic All-Americans, and 63 all-conference performers. Her resume also includes three Regional Players of the Year, two Regional Freshmen of the Year, and 16 RMAC major award winners. Magalei has guided Mines to six RMAC regular-season championships, and five RMAC Tournament titles with 13 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. The North Dakota native also guided the Orediggers to either a conference regular-season or tournament title every season from 2012-21 including a sweep of both in 2015.
 
LAST SEASON
In 2022, Colorado School of Mines volleyball posted an overall record of 22-8 while going 15-3 in conference play. The Orediggers' RMAC mark was good enough for the #4 seed in the conference tournament where they knocked off CSU Pueblo in the first round before falling to top-seeded and #1-ranked MSU Denver. Mines also qualified for the NCAA tournament and started its run with a five-set win over third-seeded and #14-ranked Regis. The Orediggers closed the year with a five-set loss to eventual national champion West Texas A&M. Signature victories during the season included nationally-ranked wins over #19 UT Tyler, #17 Gannon, and #22 Hillsdale. Mines also knocked off Regis twice when the Rangers were ranked #16 and #14. Overall, the Orediggers made 14 edits to the program record book. Elle Duis became Mines' all-time digs leader with 2,285. Drew Stokes shattered the all-time assists record as she finished her career with 5,899.
 
THE 2023 SCHEDULE
After opening weekend, the Orediggers will travel to San Marcos, Calif., to compete at The Cougar Classic hosted by Cal State San Marcos. Their opponents include St. Edward's, Concordia Irvine, Seattle Pacific, and Cal State San Marcos. That marks Mines' last tournament before turning its focus to opposition from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The Orediggers begin RMAC play at home on Friday, Sept. 15, against Chadron State and Colorado Christian comes to Golden on Saturday, Sept. 16. Additional home RMAC matches include New Mexico Highlands, #18 Regis, UCCS, Fort Lewis, and Western Colorado. New to the 2023 schedule are a set of pods including a Regional Pod and a Power Pod. That gives the Orediggers non-RMAC matches against #3 MSU Denver, Colorado Christian, and CSU Pueblo. The first two will be played in Lakewood on Sept. 29-30. A third showdown against CCU and the CSU Pueblo match will be inside Lockridge rena on Oct. 26 and Oct. 28.
 
FAMILIAR FACES
Mines returns 13 of 21 players from its 2022 squad that advanced to the NCAA tournament. Meghan Slaninka, Morgan McChesney, Jada Price, Rose Stuewe, Madison Glassco, Kate Kudlac, Veronique Magnan, Chase Kluna, Shannon Perna, Allison Jansen, Emma Smithey, Hope Storm, and Emily Knight are the familiar faces on the roster. That returning group represents over 75 percent of the Orediggers' offense from a year ago including three of the top four hitters in Stuewe, Knight, and Perna. Mines' returners also bring back over 50 percent of the service ace production from 2022. Defensively, the Oredigger veterans in 2023 represent nearly 70 percent of Mines' block production from 2022.
 
MEET THE NEWCOMERS
Coach Magalei bolstered her 2023 roster with five signees including four true freshmen and a transfer. Renata Bolado Corona, Naomi Romslo, Tatum Brandt, and Presley Powell make up the quartet of first-years. Kaitlyn Mayo is a junior transfer from Lubbock Christian of the Lone Star Conference.
 
PRESEASON POLLS
Two different preseason polls were released earlier this month. The first was the RMAC Preseason Coaches' poll which featured Mines at #4. MSU Denver was picked to repeat as conference champion. Regis checked in at #2 with one first-place vote. Colorado Mesa was #3 with another first-place vote. CSU Pueblo, Colorado Christian, UCCS, and South Dakota Mines rounded out the projected RMAC Tournament field. The second poll was the American Volleyball Coaches' Association (AVCA)/TARAFLEX Division II Women's Volleyball Poll. The Orediggers were #22 on the national preseason list. Other notable names in the rankings included defending national champion West Texas A&M at #1, MSU Denver at #3, Regis at #18, and Colorado Mesa at #21. Mines' second-week opponent Seattle Pacific also received votes.
 
FEELING 22
Thanks to the leadership of Coach Magalei and the outstanding performance from numerous signing classes, Mines has posted 10 consecutive 20-win seasons. That does not include the spring of 2021 which only featured 15 total matches. In fact, the Orediggers' lowest win total since 2012 was 22 in 2022. Since taking over in 2008, Magalei's teams have won at least 19 matches in every full-length season.
 
TERMINATING THE BALL
For the last decade, Colorado School of Mines volleyball has been one of the best in the nation at terminating the ball. That is to say, the Orediggers have put the ball on the floor on their opponents side of the net at a very high, efficient rate. Just last season, Mines was #1 in all off NCAA Division II in kills per set and #2 in assists per set. In 2021, the Orediggers were #1 in DII in hitting percentage and #5 in kills per set. Those types of numbers go all the way back to 2013 when Mines was #3 in DII in kills per set. Needless to say, it's not a passing phase, but an established pattern, and fans can watch for more electric offense from the Orediggers in 2023.
 
ONE ROSE IS BETTER…
The entire quote attributed to English actress Wendy Craig is, "One rose says more than the dozen." Oredigger volleyball would agree as their own Rose Stuewe says plenty with her play. In 2022, Stuewe was named AVCA Third-Team All-America, making her the first outside hitter to earn third-team all-America, or better, in program history. Fellow outside hitter and teammate Lindsey Jin was named AVCA Honorable Mention All-America in 2021. Stuewe led Mines in 2022 with 383 kills at a clip of 3.5 kills per set while hitting .266 on the pin. She was also third on the team in blocking thanks to 41.0 total blocks. Now, in 2023, the Fredericksburg, Texas, native is back for her final season as she pursues a master's degree in chemistry. She sits just 76 kills shy of the 1,000-kill milestone, and 342 kills short of Mines' all-time, top-10 in career kills.
 
UP NEXT
Mines' next action will be four matches across two days at The Cougar Classic in San Marcos, Calif. The Orediggers face St. Edward's and Concordia Irvine on Friday, Sept. 8. They finish their trip with Seattle Pacific and Cal State San Marcos on Saturday, Sept. 9. Free live stats will be linked at www.minesathletics.com. There will also be pay-per-view video offered through the CCAA Network.
 
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.