Mines (18-6, 8-4 RMAC) at Chadron State (5-20, 1-12 RMAC) – Chadron, Neb. – Friday, 6 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
Mines (18-6, 8-4 RMAC) at Regis (4-21, 3-10 RMAC) – Denver, Colo. – Saturday, 3 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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REGULAR SEASON FINALE
It's the final weekend of the regular season for Mines volleyball and all of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The Orediggers head to Chadron State on Friday and then Regis on Saturday with postseason aspirations on their minds. A pair of wins for Mines would clinch a berth in the RMAC tournament and likely a home match in the quarterfinals. Even one win provides extremely good odds for conference tournament qualification. Plus, with the latest regional rankings, the Orediggers have the NCAA postseason to think about as well. So, while this weekend may seem lowkey to some, it will be a big one for Mines volleyball.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Both matches will stream on the RMAC Network (pay-per-view). There will also be free live stats linked above and at www.minesathletics.com.
 
RMAC NETWORK CHANGES
This fall, the RMAC Network moved to a pay-per-view model for all events. Fans can purchase monthly and annual subscriptions that will provide them access to all regular-season, championship, and archived broadcasts on the RMAC Network. A monthly subscription costs $25, and an annual subscription costs $130. Single-game passes are available for $10, which grants access to a single game for 24 hours. For technical support questions, fans can contact Hudl Support or email the RMAC directly (rmac@rmacsports.org). For further support, fans can visit the RMAC Network Help page.
 
REGIONAL RANKINGS
The first ordered NCAA Division II volleyball regional rankings came out Wednesday, and Colorado School of Mines is fourth in the South Central Region. Mines debuted last week as a team under consideration on an alphabetical list of 10 squads. This weeks ranked list includes MSU Denver first, West Texas A&M second, UCCS third, Angelo State fifth, CSU Pueblo sixth, Lubbock Christian seventh, Texas Woman's eighth, Colorado Mesa ninth, and Texas A&M-Kingsville 10th. Only the top eight teams in the final edition of the regional rankings advance to the NCAA tournament. That puts CMU and TAMUK on the outside looking in with two weeks before the NCAA bracket is announced. If the season ended today, MSU Denver would host the South Central Region tournament and the Orediggers would face Angelo State in the first round.
 
CONFERENCE OUTLOOK
Only two teams have officially clinched a spot in the RMAC tournament. Both UCCS and #10-ranked MSU Denver are tied for first in the conference at 11-1 and have assured themselves spots in the postseason. The next seven teams in the standings sit within two games of each other with two games left to play. Mines (8-4 RMAC) is tied for fourth with Colorado Mesa and Fort Lewis, all just one game back of CSU Pueblo which is 9-3. The trio of Westminster, Adams State, and South Dakota Mines is 7-5. Additionally, without considering the many tiebreakers in play, Colorado Christian still has a mathematical chance with its league mark of 5-7. Here are the certainties. If the Orediggers go 2-0 this weekend, they are guaranteed a spot in the RMAC tournament. Two wins for Mines also make it very likely to host a quarterfinal match in Golden, Colo., on Tuesday, Nov. 18 since the Orediggers hold the head-to-head tiebreakers with CMU and FLC.  That being said, if Mines goes 1-1, there is a scenario in which seven teams could be tied for third, and nobody knows that tiebreaker math.
 
SCOUTING CHADRON STATE
Chadron State is 5-20 overall and 1-12 in conference play. The Eagles' season will end after their match against Mines on Friday. A five-set loss to Regis this past Tuesday extended CSC's skid to four straight losses. Chadron State's last victory was a 3-0 win at home against Black Hills State during the RMAC Power Pod. The Eagles' lone conference win was also three sets. It came against Western Colorado on Sept. 27 in Nebraska. Mataya Ward's 228 kills lead the CSC attack. Shelby Harding boasts 31 service aces. Jillian Donovan averages 8.46 assists per set. Defensively, Avery Lacy touts an average of 3.55 digs per set, and Bella Adams has 45 blocks. As a team the Eagles are hitting .192 while opposing teams put the ball down at a .252 clip. The later number ranks 15th in the RMAC.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE EAGLES
Mines boasts an all-time record of 45-25 against Chadron State. The Orediggers have won 25 of their last 26 meetings with the Eagles including 19 straight-set victories in that span. Chadron State halted its losing streak against Mines in 2023 with a five-set victory in Golden. Last year, the Orediggers swept CSC in Nebraska thanks to six blocks by Jenna McLaughlin and a team attack percentage of .306.
 
SCOUTING REGIS
Regis has been a perennial power in the RMAC and all of NCAA Division II for decades. However, funding changes at RU decimated the Rangers and have them sitting 4-21 overall with a 3-10 conference record. Even so, veteran skipper Joel List still has his squad scrapping The Rangers own victories over Chadron State, Colorado Christian, Black Hills State and Western Colorado. Fourteen of Regis' 21 losses have come in straight sets. Like Chadron State, RU's season will be over after Saturday's match. Isabella Smith's 231 kills make her the Rangers top hitter. Bailey Nichols has dished out 657 assists and added 35 service aces. Smith's 25 aces also add to the service game. In the back row, Kriss Brei averages 3.21 digs per set. Braiziah Dixon has recorded 79 blocks.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE RANGERS
The volleyball rivalry between Mines and Regis dates back to 1977. Over the past four-plus decades, RU has won 52 matches and the Orediggers have won 28. There was one tie which came in the first-ever meeting between the teams. Despite taking seven straight matches off the Rangers from 2013-15, Mines sits 4-6 in its last 10 meetings with RU. Last year, the Orediggers pushed Regis to five sets in Denver, but fell in the final frame, 15-11, after the near reverse sweep. Five Mines players had double-digit kills in that contest and Olivia Murillo pumped out 15 digs.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Parent Night, Alumni Night, and Senior Night were all last weekend as Mines hosted Black Hills State on Friday and South Dakota Mines on Saturday. The Orediggers handled business against the Yellow Jackets, needing just three sets to get the win. Jenna McLaughlin posted 12 kills on .458 hitting while Cadence McDonald knocked down 10 kills at a .471 clip. Hailee Martinez had 41 assists, Jada Price produced 14 digs, and Morgan McChesney notched four total blocks. Mines hit .394 as a team. Saturday's match against the Hardrockers turned into a grueling, five-set heartbreaker. McChesney churned out 14 kills and a .375 attack percentage with McLaughlin adding 14 kills as well. Francesca Nuzzo and Martinez both posted double-doubles with 22 more digs from Donais Dudley. In the end, SDM prevailed with extra points in the fifth set to dampen the Senior Night festivities.
 
SENIOR CLASS
Last Saturday, Mines volleyball celebrated Senior Night. The group of six Orediggers was recognized on the court after their match with South Dakota Mines. Amanda Donais Dudley, Allison Jansen, Kate Kudlac, Hailee Martinez, Morgan McChesney, and Jada Price were each recognized for their hard work and contributions to the program. Their career highlights can be found in the weekend preview from Nov. 6.
 
JADA JOINS THE CLUB
During Mines' RMAC match at Fort Lewis on Oct. 17, Jada Price surpassed 1,000 digs as an Oredigger. She hit the milestone on the nose thanks to 20 digs in the five-set thriller in Durango. Now, in just under four collegiate seasons, Price owns 1,124 digs, 179 assists, 75 service aces, and five kills from the back row. The last Oredigger to go over 1,000 career digs was Elle Duis who played from 2018-11 and is now an assistant coach for Mines. Duis also happens to be the program's all-time leader in digs with a total of 2,285 across five seasons.
 
1000 KILLS
Earlier this season, Amanda Donais Dudley surpassed 1,000 kills for her collegiate career. The crafty veteran now touts 1,132 kills along with 958 digs, 237 total blocks, 106 aces, and 104 assists. Those who are quick with the simple match know Donais Dudley sits just 42 digs from a second admittance into Club 1K. Donais Dudley originally played for Mines from 2018-21 and was an all-American as a senior. She finished her bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and graduated in the spring of 2022. However, Donais Dudley still had a year of college eligibility remaining due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, when she decided to come back to Mines for a master's degree in mechanical engineering, she decided to play some more volleyball. The 2025 season will be Donais Dudley's final collegiate campaign.
 
STANDING IN THE HALL OF FAME
Five-time all-American Danielle Johnson-Hazlewood was announced as a member of the Mines Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 over the summer. She was officially enshrined on Oct. 4. One of the most decorated players in Mines volleyball history, Johnson-Hazlewood is one of an elite few Orediggers in any sport to have been a four-year RMAC champion. She led Mines to the conference regular-season titles in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Johnson-Hazlewood also helped the Orediggers win the RMAC Tournament title as a senior in 2015. Fans can read her entire Mines Athletics Hall of Fame profile HERE.
 
AT THE HELM
Head Coach Jamie Magalei is in her 18th season leading the Mines volleyball program. She is easily the program's all-time leader in total wins and win percentage at 381-145 (.724). Magalei surpassed 300 career wins in 2021. She's one of six to reach the milestone while coaching in the RMAC. Through 2024, Magalei has coached 31 all-America selections, three Academic All-Americans, and 66 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
Mines awaits the result of its matches and matches around the conference to find out potential qualifying for the RMAC tournament and seeding. If the Orediggers advance to the conference postseason, play will begin with quarterfinals on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Those matches will be hosted by the higher seed in the bracket. All RMAC tournament matches will have free live stats and live video with a subscription to the RMAC Network.
 
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.