Mines (15-3, 6-2 RMAC) at Westminster (3-14, 2-7 RMAC) – Salt Lake City – Friday, 4 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
Mines (15-3, 6-2 RMAC) at Colorado Mesa (16-3, 8-1 RMAC) – Grand Junction, Colo. – Saturday, 5 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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HEADED WEST
A five-match home stand has come to close, and now the Colorado School of Mines volleyball team is hitting the road for a pair of matches out west. Friday features a 4 p.m. faceoff between the Orediggers and Westminster in Salt Lake City. Saturday brings a 5 p.m. showdown between league-leading Colorado Mesa and Mines in Grand Junction. The Orediggers are riding an eight-match win streak and two more victories would put them one step closer to a potential RMAC title.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Both matches this weekend will stream exclusively on the RMAC Network (pay-per-view). There will also be free live statistics which are linked above.
 
RMAC NETWORK
The RMAC Network continues to have 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 $12.50, 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.
 
PROGRAM RECORD
Last weekend, Mines broke a program record that was nearly half a decade old as the Orediggers swept their seventh and eighth consecutive opponents. The eighth straight 3-0 victory was against Fort Lewis and broke the previous program record of seven consecutive sweeps which was established in 2021. Inevitably, Mines also broke its program record of consecutive sets won. The new mark is 24 and counting. The previous record was 22 during the same run in 2021. Additionally, the Orediggers' eight consecutive straight-set victories are tied for the longest active streak in NCAA Division II. Top-ranked Ferris State is the only other team riding a run of eight straight sweeps.
 
SWEEP STATS
During the Orediggers' run of 3-0 victories, Cadence McDonald, Abbie O'Shay, and Jenna McLaughlin have fueled the offense with more than 60 kills each. McDonald has knocked down 61 kills and hit .275. O'Shay boasts 68 kills with a .425 attack percentage. McLaughlin touts 67 kills and a .383 attack percentage. That production has been coordinated by Kaiya Gilbert's 10.38 assists per set. Gilbert's resume during the streak also includes 72 digs, 21 kills, 21 blocks, and 14 service aces. Defensively, McLaughlin and O'Shay have been a brick wall in the middle after stacking 39 blocks and 22 blocks, respectively. Francesca Nuzzo's production at libero equals 108 digs at 4.50 digs per set. Mines has hit .296 as a team and limited opponents to .101 on the attack across the 28 sets of action.
 
MORE RMAC AWARDS
Kaiya Gilbert was voted RMAC Setter of the Week on Monday, marking her fourth consecutive award and fifth of the season. Jenna McLaughlin joined her as RMAC Defensive Player of the Week for a second straight Monday – also her third of the season. The recognition follows a pair of 3-0 home wins for Mines against Western Colorado and Fort Lewis. Those victories broke Mines' program record for consecutive sweeps which was previously seven and established in 2021. Gilbert's line for the weekend included 62 assists (10.33 aps), 21 digs (3.50 dps), five total blocks, five kills, and three service aces. She ranked #1 in the RMAC in total assists and assists per set. The Castle Rock, Colo., native also tied for #8 in the league in service aces per set. Her setting helped Mines lead the league in hitting percentage for a second straight week at .338. McLaughlin posted 12 total blocks to average 2.00 blocks per set. Her total blocks were tied for #1 in the RMAC and her blocks per set were alone at #1 in the league and tied for #2 in the nation. The middle blocker's defensive production helped the Orediggers hold their opponents to a combined hitting percentage of .091 which led the conference for the week.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Mines received votes in the AVCA-Taraflex Division II Poll put together by the American Volleyball Coaches' Association (AVCA) for a third straight week. The Orediggers have yet to crack the top 25 in 2026, but they are equivalent to #29 with 25 votes in the latest poll. No Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference programs currently appear in the top 25. Colorado Mesa, UCCS, and MSU Denver are all receiving votes as well. Angelo State is the only ranked team in the South Central region at #6 in the nation. Other regional teams receiving votes include UT Tyler and Dallas Baptist.
 
SCOUTING WESTMINSTER
Westminster enters the weekend with a record of 3-14 (2-7 RMAC). The Griffins hosted Colorado Mesa on Tuesday and lost, 3-0. It marked Westminster's third straight 3-0 loss and 11th of the season. The Griffin's earned a five-set, non-conference win against Stanislaus State in early September. They also earned home victories against New Mexico Highlands, 3-0, and Western Colorado, 3-2. Individually, Elsa Gilmore leads the WU offense with 150 kills. Ava Livolsi touts 26 service aces and holds down the back row by way of 305 digs. Both Alie Coleman and Kyra Mahler have recorded 42.0 blocks apiece. Westminster hits .139 as a team while the Griffins' opponents convert at .235.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE GRIFFINS
Mines volleyball is 13-1 all-time against Westminster. The Orediggers' only loss to the Griffins was in 2023 in Salt Lake City. Last year, Mines swept WU in Golden after Jenna McLaughlin posted 11 kills and three total blocks. Naomi Romslo put down 10 kills while hitting .500 as well. Included in the Orediggers' 13 wins against Westminster are seven 3-0 victories, a quartet of four-setters, and two five-set thrillers.
 
SCOUTING COLORADO MESA
Colorado Mesa (16-3, 8-1 RMAC) sits atop the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings after the Mavericks' 3-0 road win at Westminster on Tuesday. They are also the RMAC's highest "ranked" team in the nation thanks to 46 votes in the latest national poll. The Mavericks have now won seven straight matches and are 9-0 at home this season as they celebrate Homecoming this weekend. Mesa's seven-match streak includes victories over Westminster, CSU Pueblo, Colorado Christian, Fort Lewis, and Western Colorado. Four of those wins were in straight sets with three four-setters and no five-set events. The last loss for CMU was Saturday, Sept. 19, at UCCS and it came in five sets. Colorado Mesa's other two losses were at Dallas Baptist and against Biola on opening weekend. The Mavericks did knock of then-#7 ranked Nebraska Kearney at the same event. As a team, CMU ranks #7 in the nation in hitting percentage at .293. In comparison, they hold opponents to a .162 attack percentage. Jaycee Windorski fuels that number with her 98 kills on .365 hitting. Also notable are Ashlee Macias, Henley Madsen, Molly Whalen, and Addie Ritterbush all boasting more than 100 kills so far this season. Macias and Ashlyn Tafoya both tout 25 service aces each. Maya Grant has grinded out 224 digs. Windorski owns the net by way of her 62 total blocks.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE MAVERICKS
The volleyball rivalry between Mines and Colorado Mesa sits at 48-23-1 in favor of the Mavericks. The Orediggers' best run against CMU was four consecutive wins from 2011-13. Mines is 5-5 in its last five meetings with Colorado Mesa. The latest installment between the Orediggers and Mavericks was the first round of last year's RMAC tournament. Colorado Mesa outlasted Mines in five sets in Golden. Earlier in the same season, the Orediggers toppled CMU in five sets – also in Golden. Last year's postseason showdown featured 38 combined kills by Cadence McDonald, Abbie O'Shay, and Jenna McLaughlin. That trio also combined for 18 total blocks as two true freshmen and a sophomore.
 
LAST TIME OUT
As a mentioned above, Mines' last time out proved record-breaking. The Orediggers swept past Western Colorado on Friday behind Cadence McDonald's nine kills with Abbie O'Shay and Caroline Walden adding eight kills each. Jenna McLaughlin finished the match with eight total blocks. On Saturday, Mines made quick work of Fort Lewis as well. That match featured 11 more kills on .556 hitting from O'Shay as Walden chipped in 10 kills on .556 hitting. McLaughlin knocked down four more blocks as well.
 
AT THE HELM
The 2026 season marks the 19th with Jamie Magalei at the helm for Mines volleyball. She's the program's all-time leader in total wins (399-150) and win percentage (.727) by a large margin. Magalei is also the longest-tenured and winningest head coach among current RMAC skippers. Furthermore, the North Dakota native entered the 2026 season ranked 18th in winning percentage and 38th in total wins among active DII head coaches. She surpassed 300 career wins in 2021. She's one of six to reach the milestone while coaching in the RMAC. Through the 2025 season, Magalei has coached 32 all-America selections, three CSC Academic All-Americans, and 72 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) and 14 overall. She 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.
 
MAGALEI LEADS THE RMAC
As referenced above, Mines Head Coach Jamie Magalei is the longest-tenured and winningest head coach among current RMAC skippers. At 399-150 (.727) overall, she's nearly 200 wins ahead of Grayson DuBose at Black Hills State who is just in his second season at BHSU but his 16th overall. Magalei's also nearly 200 wins ahead of Colorado Christian's Bobby Blanken who entered his 10th season at CCU with 192 victories. Regis' Joel List is also entering his 10th season at Regis which ties him and Blanken for the second-longest tenure in the RMAC among active head coaches.
 
UP NEXT
Mines returns home to host Colorado Mesa and Westminster as part of the RMAC's annual Power Pod next Thursday-Saturday.
 
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.