Mines (5-9, 2-2 RMAC) at New Mexico Highlands (3-11, 1-3 RMAC) – Las Vegas, N.M. – Friday, 5 p.m. [Live Stats] [Live Video]

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ONE NIGHT ONLY
There is one match and one match only on the Colorado School of Mines Volleyball schedule this weekend. The Orediggers will play its lone contest of the weekend against New Mexico Highlands in Las Vegas, N.M. It also marks a return to Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play after a week of regional pod play. First serve is scheduled for 5 p.m. as Mines looks to snap an active three-match skid.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Friday' match will be streamed live and for free on the RMAC Network at www.minesathletics.com/tv. There will also be free live stats for each match linked above and on the Orediggers' schedule page at www.minesathletics.com.
 
REGIONAL POD RECAP
The last action for Mines was a pair of non-conference matches against RMAC opponents as part of the 2024 RMAC Regional Pod. A showdown against #2 MSU Denver started the weekend inside Lockridge Arena. Despite stealing a set from the defending RMAC Champions, the Orediggers couldn't pull off the upset, falling 3-1. Hannah Kinnison and Taylor Helms combined for 24 kills with Helms hitting .450. Jade Price provided two service aces and six digs. Olivia Murillo led the team on nine digs. Morgan McChesney posted seven total blocks and six kills. Saturday brought a rematch against Colorado Christian. Mines won the first set, 25-23. Seven service aces by the Cougars gave the visitors the second set. After that, CCU hit well over .400 to cruise to a 3-1 victory. Murillo had a career night with 14 digs. Kinnison added 12 digs and Jenna McLaughlin knocked down three total blocks.
 
NEW RULES
Collegiate volleyball implemented multiple changes to the rules for the 2024 season. Two of the changes will be most noticeable to fans. Teams are now allowed to designate two liberos for each set, if they so choose. Liberos are defensive players who play only in the back row, have rules against leaving the ground to attack, and substitute differently than other players. While teams can designate two liberos, only one of designees can be in the match at any given time. The change opens options for strategy in service and serve receive. The second notable change applies to the setters. Previously, setters, and other players, had to make sure both hands hit the ball at the same time or be called for a double touch (ball handling error). Now, the setter, and other players, can double touch as long as the set does not go over the net.
 
MAGALEI HONORED BY ALMA MATER
Colorado School of Mines Volleyball Head Coach Jamie Magalei has accumulated numerous accolades during her 17 seasons at the helm. This fall, she's added another honor to her resume. The University of North Dakota, where Magalei played as Jamie Skadeland from 2001-04, announced the Mines head lady as the 2024 recipient of the school's Tom Clifford Award. The Clifford Award, established to honor former UND President Thomas J. Clifford, recognizes the UND alum who serves as an athletics coach at the high school or collegiate level and has been notable successful in their sport. With over 350 career wins at Mines, Magalei has certainly displayed notable success as she ranks top-25 among active coaches in NCAA Division II. She was an exceptional player as well, still ranking eighth all-time at UND in career assists (2,791), fourth all-time in single-season assists (1,417), and is one of only 20 individuals to post 1,000 digs in program history. Magalei also helped North Dakota reach the national tournament in 2002 and 2003 – the first appearances in program history.
 
BIG BLOCK
Mines continues to bring a strong block, flipping the script on a gameplan that featured high attack percentages. So far in 2024, the Orediggers are averaging 2.00 blocks per set. They rank #3 in the RMAC in total blocks and #4 in blocks per set. Both numbers are top-100 in the nation as well. Individually, Jenna McLaughlin is the tip of the spear. She touts 52 total blocks in 52 sets of action to rank #6 in the conference in total blocks and #8 in blocks per set. Also notable is fellow freshman Taylor Helms who has 34 total blocks so far this season.
 
CHASING 1,000
Two Orediggers are chasing 1,000 kills for their respective careers. Graduate transfer Hannah Kinnison is up to 890 career kills including 727 between stops at University of San Francisco and Angelo State. Brianna Binder, who played two full seasons and another partial season at McKendree in Illinois, boasts 801 career kills. The last time two Orediggers on the same roster were legitimately chasing 1,000 career kills simultaneously was when Jackie Stabell (Mines Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2022) and Melanie Wannamaker played together from 2010-12.
 
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
So far in 2024, Mines has put 17 Orediggers on the floor at some point in time. Of those 17 student-athletes, eight are true freshmen and nine had never played in a NCAA volleyball match prior to this season. Taylor Helms and Jenna McLaughlin are fueling the youth movement. Helms has 109 kills and 34 total blocks. McLaughlin boasts 94 kills and 52 total blocks. In the back row, Avery Perreira and Olivia Murillo have seen time at libero resulting in 195 combined digs. Perreira's owns eight service aces too. Furthermore, Brinleigh Davis seen significant time at setter and dished out 264 assists with 48 digs, 17 total blocks, eight kills and two aces. Additional contributions to the explosion of Oredigger youth have come from Ava Swan, Layla Padgett, and Emma Dunwoody.
 
SCOUTING NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS
First-year Head Coach Meg Grose has helped New Mexico Highlands already match its win total from 2023, currently sitting 3-11 (1-3 RMAC). Coach Grose and her team enter the weekend fresh off a midweek, non-conference match against in-state rival Western New Mexico. The Cowgirls prevailed in four sets in Silver City, N.M. Two other wins for the Cowgirls came against transitioning Sul Ross State on Sept. 13, and against Adams State in their RMAC opener. Angelina Burton is NMHU's main weapon on offense, touting 124 kills across 51 sets. Jaylee Gonzales, Meg Pfannerstill, Olivia Archuleta, and Abby Carlsen have all surpassed 100 digs for the season. Carlsen also owns 13 service aces. Jada Lawson is tops on the block with 43 total stuffs.
 
MINES AGAINST THE COWGIRLS
The Orediggers own a 35-28 advantage in the all-time series against New Mexico Highlands including 16 straight wins. Mines' last five victories against NMHU came in straight sets. The Orediggers and Cowgirls have played once a season since 2012. They did not play at all in 2010 or 2011. In 2023, Mines handled New Mexico Highlands in three sets at Lockridge Arena. Most notable among current Orediggers in that match was Allison Jansen who notched six kills on 11 attempts with zero errors to hit .545. Presley Powell handed out 37 assists with one kill, one ace, one block, and three digs. Jada Price walked away touting 10 digs as Mines hit .506 as a team. The last time New Mexico Highlands took a set off the Orediggers was 2017 in New Mexico. Mines' last loss to the Cowgirls was on Oct. 1, 2004, also in New Mexico.
 
AT THE HELM
Head Coach Jamie Magalei is in her 17th season leading the Mines volleyball program in 2024. She is easily the program's all-time leader in total wins and win percentage at 359-131 (.732). Entering the 2024 season, 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 winning percentage entering 2024 ranked 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 2023, Magalei has coached 31 all-America selections, three Academic All-Americans, and 65 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 from 2009-22 (no NCAA tournament in 2020). 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.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
Last Friday's match between Mines and MSU Denver was the Orediggers' 91st meeting with the Roadrunners since Mines formed a varsity volleyball team in 1976. It is the longest standing rivalry in terms of matches played in program history. The first-ever showdown between the Orediggers and Roadrunners was the third match of Mines' inaugural season, MSU Denver won, 2-0, in Denver. The next longest rivalry in program history, in terms of matches played, is against Regis with 80 total meetings. That all-time series began in 1977, the Orediggers' second season of existence.
 
UP NEXT
Mines is back at home next weekend for matches against South Dakota Mines and Black Hills State. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. Free live video will be streamed on the RMAC Network and fee live stats will be linked at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines volleyball on "X" (formerly 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, "X" and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.