Sept. 12-14 – Northwest Nazarene Tournament – Nampa, Idaho
Mines (1-3) vs. Saint Martin's (1-3) – Thursday, 11:30 a.m. [Live Stats] [Live Video]
Mines (1-3) vs. Point Loma (3-0) – Thursday, 4:30 p.m. [Live Stats] [Live Video]
Mines (1-3) vs. Biola (1-3) – Friday, 11:30 a.m. [Live Stats] [Live Video]
Mines (1-3) vs. Augustana (2-2) – Saturday, 11:30 a.m. [Live Stats] [Live Video]

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ON THE ROAD TO IDAHO
For the first time in the history of Colorado School of Mines Volleyball, the Orediggers will head to the state of Idaho. They're headed north and west for the 2024 edition of the Northwest Nazarene Tournament. Mines will play four matches across three days, bringing its overall total to eight matches in nine days. Action starts Thursday morning and wraps early Saturday afternoon. Overall, the Orediggers will look to improve on their 1-3 start to the season against a field of quality competition.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
There will be a live stream for each of Mines' four matches in Idaho. The video will stream live on Northwest Nazarene's YouTube page titled NNU Sports. The direct links to each stream are also above and on the Mines volleyball schedule page. There will also be live stats for all four matches. Those can be accessed at the links above and on the Mines volleyball schedule page as well.
 
WEEKEND FORMAT
Similar to the Oredigger Volleyball Classic, the Northwest Nazarene Tournament is more like an invitational. There is no bracket and the matchups are preset. Unlike Mines' season-opening event, NNU will only be playing matches on one court. The premade schedule for the Orediggers starts on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. against Saint Martin's. Mines plays again on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. against Point Loma. Friday brings a single match at 11:30 a.m. against Biola. The Orediggers finish their trip to Idaho on Saturday with an 11:30 a.m. showdown against Augustana. In total, the NNU event includes seven teams playing a total of 13 matches in three days.
 
OREDIGGER OPPOSITION
Mines' opponents were laid out above. Saint Martin's will arrive in Idaho with a 1-3 record after defeating Hawaii Pacific in its season opener before falling to Bemidji State, Hawaii Hilo, and Cal Poly Humboldt at the Hawaii Hilo Tournament last weekend. Point Loma started its season 3-0, downing Chadron State (three sets), Simon Fraser (five sets), and Cal State San Marcos (three sets). That opening weekend helped PLNU receive 42 votes in the latest AVCA national rankings. Biola carries a 1-3 record to the NNU Tournament after playing four nationally-ranked teams to open the 2024 campaign. The Eagles fell to top-ranked Cal State L.A., #8-ranked Cal State San Bernardino, and #21-ranked Cal Poly Pomona. Biola did toppled #19-ranked Seattle Pacific in four sets. All four matches were played in San Bernardino, Calif. Rounding out the list of Mines' weekend opponents is 2-2 Augustana. The Vikings swept South Dakota Mines and downed Northwest Missouri State in four sets in Sioux Falls. At the same event, Northern State defeated Augie in five and Alaska Anchorage did it in four sets.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Orediggers are 0-1 in the all-time series against both Saint Martin's and Point Loma. Mines lost to Saint Martin's in four sets on Aug. 30, 2003, in Golden, Colo. The Orediggers faced PLNU on Aug. 30, 1997 in Irvine, Calif. The result was also a four-set loss. Current Mines Head Coach Jamie Magalei was not on staff for either loss. Friday marks the first-ever meeting between the Orediggers and Biola on the volleyball court. Augustana owns a 2-1 advantage on Mines after sweeping the Orediggers in Golden on Sept. 6, 2014. Mines and Augie first played on Sept. 14, 1991 – a five-set thriller in Colorado Springs. The Orediggers lone win over the Vikings was a 3-1 decision on Sept. 3, 2010, in Golden, Colo.
 
RECAPPING THE CLASSIC
Last weekend brought the 19th edition of the Oredigger Volleyball Classic to Golden, Colo., and Lockridge Arena. It marked Mines' 2024 season opener where the hosts went 1-3. The Orediggers started the season 1-0 after a 3-1 victory over Concord on Friday. Straight-set losses to Missouri Western and Gannon along with a four-set loss to Michigan Tech ended the weekend.
 
KINNISON NAMED ALL-TOURNAMENT
Mines newcomer Hannah Kinnison earned all-tournament status last weekend at the 2024 Oredigger Volleyball Classic presented by Marriott Denver West. Kinnison totaled 24 kills, 42 digs, seven total blocks, three assists and two service aces to earn the distinction. She started the weekend, season, and her career at Mines with 21 kills on .364 hitting in a 3-1 win against Concord. Her match resume also included eight digs, two blocks, and two assists. The rest of the weekend included 23 more kills, aces against Missouri Western and Michigan Tech, double-digit digs against the aforementioned opponents, and three total blocks against Michigan Tech as well.
 
DAZZLING DEBUTS
Eleven different individuals took the court wearing an Oredigger uniform in competition for the first time last weekend. Several of the debuts for Mines proved dazzling. At the top of the list was all-tournament performer Hannah Kinnison who joined the Orediggers after two years at the University of San Francisco and two more at Angelo State. Her statistics are laid out above. Freshman Jenna McLaughlin was also big with 38 kills on .279 hitting in the middle while adding nine total blocks. True freshman Taylor Helms hammered out 37 kills for the weekend including 17 in her first collegiate match. Her line also included nine total blocks. Fellow true freshman Ava Swan joined the nine-block club thanks to eight alone against Michigan Tech. Brinleigh Davis made her collegiate debut at setter and tallied 59 assists. In the back row, Avery Perreira played her first college match and put up 20 digs against Concord before finishing the weekend with 33. Olivia Murillo and Kekililani Helekahi also debuted in the back row with Helekahi adding three service aces to her resume. Additional Oredigger debuts on the weekend included Lyla Padgett, Brianna Binder, and Emma Dunwoody.
 
THAT'S PRETTY NEAT
In Mines' 3-1 win against Concord in the 2024 season opener, the Orediggers knocked down 69 kills on 64 assists. Those 69 kills are tied for #1 in a four set match in NCAA Division II so far this season. The other teams with 69 kills in a four set match in 2024 include Purdue Northwest and #1-ranked Tampa. Mines's 64 assists in the same match are also tied for #1 in a DII, four-set match this season. Purdue Northwest produced 64 assists as well.
 
CHASING 1,000
Two Oredigger newcomers are chasing 1,000 kills for their respective careers. Between San Francisco and Angelo State, Hannah Kinnison came to Mines with 727 kills and now has 772. Brianna Binder played two full seasons and another partial season at McKendree in Illinois, and joined the Orediggers touting 793 kills. She's now sitting on 799 kills and two seasons of eligibility after receiving a medical redshirt.
 
THE 2024 SLATE
After the Oredigger Volleyball Classic, Mines will play four matches at the Northwest Nazarene Tournament in Nampa, Idaho. Opposition there includes Saint Martin's, Point Loma, Biola, and Augustana. Conference action begins on the road on Friday, Sept. 20, at Chadron State. The rest of Mines' home schedule includes Colorado Mesa, MSU Denver (twice), Colorado Christian, South Dakota Mines, Black Hills State, CSU Pueblo, and Adams State. Road contests, including the last six matches of the year, come at New Mexico Highlands, Colorado Christian, Westminster, Regis, UCCS, Fort Lewis, and Western Colorado. October 4-5 (MSU Denver, Colorado Christian) and Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 (Colorado Christian, Westminster) are all part of the RMAC pod schedule and are non-conference contests.
 
SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
The Orediggers 2024 campaign features a total of 26 matches against 22 different teams including 13 home showdowns, 14 RMAC matches, and 12 non-conference contests. The slate includes five NCAA tournament teams from last season, three 2023 conference champions, and five opponents who appeared in or received votes in the final national rankings of 2023. The combined record of Mines' opposition from last season was 330-290 with 12 programs finishing with a winning record including six teams with at least 20 wins.
 
AT THE HELM
Head Coach Jamie Magalei enters 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 355-125 (.739). Entering the 2024 season, 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 winning percentage prior to 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.
 
UP NEXT
After the trip to Idaho, Mines begins Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play with trips to Chadron State and Colorado Christian Sept. 20-21. Free live video of both matches will be available on the RMAC Network, along with live stats 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.