Mines (6-6, 1-3 RMAC) vs. #7 MSU Denver (9-3, 4-0 RMAC) – Lakewood, Colo. – Friday, 7 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
Mines (6-6, 1-3 RMAC) at Colorado Christian (6-6, 2-2 RMAC) – Lakewood, Colo. – Saturday, 4 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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RMAC POWER POD
Official Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play goes on hold this weekend as schools around the league host newly-formed Power Pods. While the wins and losses won't go towards the conference standings, the opponents will still be from the RMAC. What the means for Mines is a neutral match against #7-ranked MSU Denver at Colorado Christian in Lakewood, Colo., on Friday at 7 p.m. Saturday includes a showdown between the Orediggers and Cougars at 4 p.m., also in Lakewood. The nationally-ranked Roadrunners and CCU play on Thursday evening to round out the pod.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Free, live video will be offered on the RMAC Network at www.minesathletics.com/tv. In fact, all of Mines matches for the rest of the season will be available on the RMAC Network. There will also be free live stats this weekend at the individual links above.
 
LOOKING BACK
Last weekend saw Mines start the road portion of its RMAC schedule. The result was a four-set loss to Westminster on Friday in Salt Lake City, and a four-set loss to then #11-ranked Colorado Mesa on Saturday in Grand Junction, Colo. Overall, Rose Stuewe led the Oredigger offense with 24 kills, averaging 3.00 kills per set. Morgan McChesney and Madison Glassco totaled 17 kills apiece as well. Also notable on offense was Allison Jansen's hitting percentage of .417 in one appearance. On defense, Jada Price averaged 3.38 digs per set, and McChesney had five total blocks. Presley Powell finished the trip with 85 assists, 12 digs, two blocks, and one kill.
 
1,000 KILLS AND COUNTING
Rose Stuewe surpassed 1,000 kills for her career during Mines' first road trip of the year which took the Orediggers to California and The Cougar Classic hosted by Cal State San Marcos. The monumental kill came against Concordia Irvine when she tied the third set at 19-19. Mines went on to win the match in four sets. Now, 12 matches into the season and four into conference play, Stuewe touts 159 kills for the year and  1,083 for her career. As of Thursday, the Texan needs just 183 kills to break onto Mines' all-time career list.
 
PRESLEY POWELL
Oredigger true freshman setter Presley Powell continues to make a national impact at setter in her inaugural college campaign. In the very first match of her post-prep career, the Texas native dished out 64 assists which tied for #7 in the Mines record book. Those 64 assists are also the most in any NCAA Division II four-set match this season. Through 12 contests, Powell's 504 assists rank #19 in NCAA Division II and her average of 10.72 assists per set rank #14 in the division. Both those numbers also sit #2 in the RMAC.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Mines started the season ranked #22 in the national preseason poll managed by the American Volleyball Coaches' Association (AVCA). Despite dropping out of the top-25, the Orediggers have continued receiving votes for four straight weeks. In the latest rankings, Wayne State (Neb.) remained #1, MSU Denver climbed to #7, Colorado Mesa remained #11, and Regis jumped to #13. Non-conference foe and Oredigger Volleyball Classic participant Seattle Pacific took over the #24 position. Defending national champion West Texas A&M dropped from #3 to #5.
 
SCOUTING MSU DENVER
The Roadrunners from Denver enter the weekend at the top of the conference standings. They are 9-3 overall and 4-0 in league play. As previously mentioned, that last record won't change as this week's matches are non-RMAC. They will play Colorado Christian on Thursday before facing Mines on Friday. Most recently, #7-ranked MSU Denver was on the road at #11-ranked Colorado Mesa and at Westminster. The Roadrunners handled business with a 3-1 win against the nationally-ranked Mavericks in Grand Junction, and a sweep of the Griffins in Salt Lake City. MSU Denver's only losses of the season were a pair of five-setters against then #19 Cal State San Bernardino and then #1 West Texas A&M along with a four-set loss to a Lewis team which was receiving votes. Nationally, the Roadrunners are #11 in the nation in blocks per set and #25 in kills per set. Individually, Riley Anderson and Ember Canty are the main players to watch. Anderson boasts 180 kills (4.09 kps) on .298 hitting. Canty touts a total of 50 blocks giving her an average of 1.14 blocks per set. Also notable are Mikayla McClinton and Maddy Williams who own 46.0 and 43.0 total blocks, respectively.
 
MINES AGAINST THE ROADRUNNERS
For the Orediggers, the rivalry with MSU Denver is the longest-standing rivalry in program history in terms of matches played. Mines has faced off against the Roadrunners 88 times dating back to 1976. Overall, the Orediggers trail in the all-time series, 21-67. However, Mines is currently 5-5 against MSU Denver over the last 10 meetings between the two powerhouses. Last season, the Orediggers dropped two matches to the Roadrunners. The regular-season meeting was a five-set heartbreaker in Volk Gym during Mines' homecoming weekend. The second was a four-set loss in the semifinals of the 2022 RMAC Volleyball Tournament. That match featured 19 kills from Rose Stuewe on .350 hitting. In 2021, the Orediggers and Roadrunners played three times. Two of those were five-set postseason showdowns. Mines took the first to win the RMAC Tournament. MSU Denver, won the second to end the Orediggers' season. Friday marks the first of two scheduled meetings between Mines and the Roadrunners in 2023.
 
SCOUTING COLORADO CHRISTIAN
Colorado Christian rolls into the RMAC Power Pod with a 6-6 record overall while sitting 2-2 in conference play. The Cougars, who host MSU Denver Thursday before facing Mines on Saturday, went 2-0 last weekend by sweeping Fort Lewis and Western Colorado. Prior to that, CCU suffered an 0-2 weekend to start RMAC play, falling to then-#9 MSU Denver in three sets before a five-set loss at the hands of the Orediggers. Among other matches, Colorado Christian also participated in the Oredigger Volleyball Classic but did not play Mines there. The Cougars did go 2-2 with wins against Augustana and Pittsburg State. Alli Douglass continues to lead her team on offense thanks to 100 kills. Renee Phillips is the most efficient fulltime hitter as evidenced by her .333 attack percentage. Izzy Jones is the setter and she is dangerous. Jones averages 10.18 assists per set while hitting .429 with 26 kills. She also touts 20 service aces, 63 digs, and 13 total blocks. Defensively, Phillips has 35 total blocks and Lilly Woods is right behind with 32 total blocks.
 
MINES AGAINST THE COUGARS
Saturday marks the second of three meetings between the Orediggers and Colorado Christian this season. Mines took the first showdown two weeks ago, downing CCU in five sets at Lockridge Arena. That improved the Orediggers to 41-24 in the all-time series against Colorado Christian. It also gave Mines its lone RMAC win of the season so far. In that match, Rose Stuewe powered out 20 kills at a .471 clip. Additionally, Shannon Perna did it all for the home team, notching 12 kills, six total blocks, four digs, and three service aces. Madison Glassco had 10 kills and seven digs while Jada Price stacked up 20 digs as well. In 2021, Mines swept the Cougars in their lone meeting of the fall. The Orediggers currently boast a four-match winning streak against CCU.
 
SHE'S THE BOSS
Head Coach Jamie Magalei is in 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 345-115 (.750). As of Aug. 30, 2023, her winning percentage ranked inside the top-20 among active coaches in NCAA Division II, and her total wins were 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.
 
UP NEXT
The next action for Mines after rounding out a four-match road trip will be a home meeting with New Mexico Highlands on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 5 p.m. inside Lockridge Arena. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at www.minesathletics.com/tickets. There will also be free live stats linked on the Orediggers' homepage and free video on the RMAC Network at www.minesathletic.com/tv.
 
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.