Tag Archives: utep volleyball

The UTEP volleyball team made their debut on Saturday, beating Western New Mexico 4-1 in an exhibition match that the two programs decided to take to five sets. 

The Miners edged the Mustangs in the first set 25-23 and took the second set 25-20 behind a strong hitting performance from Macey Austin and newcomers Cheyenne Jones and Mallory Yost. The Mustangs avenged the losses by taking set three 27-25, but the Miners bounced back with their strongest hitting percentage of the match (.375), to dominate set four 25-16.

Jones led the Miners in kills during the set, hammering down six in her seven attempts and Niki Cebak kept the UTEP defense in check with eight digs.

UTEP head coach Holly Watts and Western New Mexico head coach Jim Callender agreed to play one more set, which the Miners took 15-11.

“Our ball control and our ball handling was actually pretty good a lot of the match,” Watts said. “We just had a couple little runs there in the third set that ended up giving them a chance to win that one. We had a little bit of a lull in energy in the fourth and the fifth sets, but we were able to come back with a run of our own and push through to win.”

The Miners will now prep for the I-10 Cardinals Classic, hosted by Incarnate Word, Aug. 25-26. First serve against Tulane is 9 a.m. on Aug. 25 in San Antonio, Texas.

The UTEP women’s volleyball team is set to take on Western New Mexico in an exhibition match on Saturday to prep for the 2017 campaign.

First serve against the Mustangs is 1 p.m. The match is free and open to the public.

This will be the first opportunity for fans to get a look at the 2017 team, which features 2016 Conference USA All-Freshman Team selection Macey Austin, junior Kylie Baumgartner, senior Amanda King and El Paso native Briana Arellano.

Austin hammered a team-leading 280 kills as a true freshman in 2016 and Baumgartner paced the squad with 111 total blocks as a middle blocker. King will be at the helm of the setter position and is anticipated to build on her 371 assists registered in 2016.

Arellano, a 2016 Canutillo High School graduate, will return as an outside hitter, but is also skilled defensively, tallying 220 digs as a true freshman.

The Miners will start the regular season Aug. 25 against Tulane at the I-10 Cardinals Classic, hosted by Incarnate Word.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The UTEP volleyball team was announced on Monday as a recipient of the 2016-17 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award.

The award honors teams who have matched their dedication to the sport of volleyball with excellence in the classroom.

“We have an incredible group of young ladies, both on and off the court,” UTEP head coach Holly Watts said. “I couldn’t be prouder of their classroom success. This group is establishing a new set of standards.”

The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.

The AVCA Team Academic Award, celebrating its 25^th year, is the single largest award offered by quantity of schools, players and coaches honored. Since the 2000-2001 season, the number of recipients have increased every single year but two, while amassing a 532 team increase over the span of the last decade.

Since the award’s inception in 1993, the amount of award winners has increased from 62 to its current number of 822.

UTEP will open the 2017 campaign with a trio of matches in San Antonio, Texas, at the I-10 Cardinals Classic. The Miners will take on Tulane on Aug. 25 (9 a.m. MT), followed by a contest against Louisiana-Lafayette the same day (2 p.m.).

The Orange and Blue will then conclude the weekend by taking on host school Incarnate Word on Aug. 26 (10 a.m.).

The home portion of the schedule will commence against Texas Tech on Aug. 30 (6 p.m.) in Memorial Gym, followed by the Glory Road Invitational (Sept. 1-2). The Miners will host New Mexico on Sept. 1 (7:30 p.m.) and will play a doubleheader on Sept. 2 against Youngstown State (1 p.m.) and North Dakota (7:30 p.m.).

Thirty-five past and present UTEP student-athletes will receive their diplomas at spring commencement on Saturday (May 13) in the Don Haskins Center.

The list includes 13 representatives from the football program, five from soccer, three from women’s basketball, three from men’s track and field, two from men’s basketball, two from rifle, two from softball, two from volleyball, and one each from men’s golf, women’s golf and women’s track and field.

Of the 35 graduates, 25 have earned placement on the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll (minimum 3.0 grade point average) during their careers, and seven have been recipients of C-USA Academic Medals (minimum 3.75 GPA).

Spring 2017 UTEP Graduating Student-Athletes

Brittney Adams (Women’s Track & Field)

Has been a part of two C-USA Indoor Championship teams … member of the distance medley unit that won back-to-back conference titles …  Multidisciplinary Studies major.

Dominic Artis (Men’s Basketball)

Second Team All-Conference USA in 2017 … first player in school history to lead the team in rebounding, assists and steals … one of only four players in Conference USA history to tally 400 points, 150 rebounds, 150 assists and 50 steals in a season … ranks fifth in school history in assists including 187 in 2016-17, third-most in the UTEP record book … member of the 2016 C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

Alexa Bain (Soccer)

Four-year starter on defense who helped UTEP post a record of 48-25-11 … started 64 of 76 games played, earning more than 5,000 minutes on the pitch … efforts aided the Miners in notching 33 shutouts for her career, including a single-season school-record tying 11 in 2016 … four-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Marketing major.

Bri Barreiro (Soccer)

Recorded 10 goals and 10 assists for 30 points while playing more than 5,000 minutes in her career … started 69 of 76 games played, including all 22 as a senior … helped UTEP post a combined record of 48-25-11 during her four years … two-time C-USA Women’s Soccer All-Academic Team member … four-time recipient of a Conference USA Academic Medal and four-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … management major.

Tyler Batson (Football)

Three-year letterwinner … saw action in 36 games as a wide receiver … led the team in yards per reception (22.8) in 2016 … during junior season, caught 21 passes for 365 yards with three touchdowns and a team-leading 18.8 yards per catch … posted a career-best 143 yards and a pair of scores, including a career-long 76-yard touchdown, during a win over Florida Atlantic in 2015 … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

Cosmas Boit (Men’s Track & Field)

Four-time All-Conference USA and 2016 All-Region honoree … member of the 2014 C-USA Indoor Championship team … two-time C-USA Cross Country Championship team member … Member of the 2016 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Criminal Justice major.

Cedric Click (Football)

Played in 48 games for the Miners …  tallied a total of 30 tackles, five pass breakups and one fumble recovery … as a sophomore posted 92 yards on five kickoff returns and a career-long return of 30 yards versus San Diego State … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

Aleah Davis (Soccer)

Garnered All-League and All-Region accolades in all four years, making her the first Miner to achieve the feat … started every game (82) of her career … ranked tied for third at UTEP for game-winning goals (10) and tied for eighth in assists (17) … compiled more than 100 community service hours in her career … voted to the 2016 NSCAA Senior women’s College Scholar All-America team and the C-USA Women’s Soccer All-Academic team … recipient of the 2017 “Golden Miner Award” … four-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … kinesiology major.

Frederik Dreier (Men’s Golf)

Two-time Conference USA Golfer of the Year (2015-16, 2016-17), only the third player in C-USA history to garner the award in back-to-back years … has played in 46 tournaments for the Miners, compiling a 72.3 scoring average … led the Miners to their first conference title in 32 years this season … four-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Marketing major.

Derek Elmendorff (Football)

All-Conference USA Freshman Team member in 2014 … has played in 33 games, making 29 starts at right guard … part of an offensive line that led Conference USA in fewest sacks allowed in back-to-back seasons … efforts helped the Miners average 185.5 rushing yards per game and score 20 rushing touchdowns last season … has one year of eligibility remaining in 2017 … Criminal Justice major.

Jake Flaggert (Men’s Basketball)

Has played in 93 games for the Miners, making 31 starts last season … led Conference USA in charges drawn for the second straight year in 2016-17 and has 57 in his career … has one year of eligibility remaining in 2017-18 … two-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Marketing major.

Taylor Grohmann (Softball)

Won nine games during her career on the mound for UTEP, including a victory on Senior Day May 7 …  registered her first career hit on Senior Day and scored a run … posted a 5-3 record in 2016, helping lead the Miners to the Conference USA Tournament … Kinesiology major.

Amber Herrera (Women’s Golf)

Played in 29 tournaments for the Miners … top finish was a tie for fourth place at the New Mexico dual match in February of 2015 … former president of UTEP’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee … two-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Interdisciplinary Studies/Education major.

Carnell Horn (Men’s Track & Field)

Member of the 2013 C-USA Outdoor Championship team … member of the 4x400m relay that qualified to the 2014 and 2015 NCAA West Regional Preliminary … recipient of a Conference USA Academic Medal in 2013 and three-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Biological Sciences major.

Alvin Jones (Football)

Second team All-Conference USA in 2017 … has 241 tackles with a year of eligibility remaining in 2017 … led the team in tackles in back-to-back seasons, notching 93 in both 2015 and 2016 … has 10.5 career sacks and 29.5 career tackles for losses … registered career-high 16 tackles in a pair of games … Communication major.

Lawna Kennedy (Women’s Basketball)

Junior college transfer who helped UTEP win the 2016 C-USA regular-season championship and make a run to the quarterfinals of the WNIT … played in 60 career games, including 36 starts, while earning 14.8 minutes/game … scored more than 250 points and grabbed better than 175 rebounds … health promotion major.

Jessica Kinder (Rifle)

Four-year team member who had career averages of 555 in smallbore and 582 in air rifle … recorded the second-best air rifle average (586) on the team in 2016-17 … fired a 592 in air rifle to tie for the ninth-best in program history at the 2017 Patriot Rifle League Championships … recipient of a Conference USA Academic Medal in 2015 and four-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … kinesiology major.

Anthony Kyles (Football)

Played in 20 games, making five starts at right guard … part of offensive line that led Conference USA in fewest sacks allowed for back-to-back seasons … efforts helped the Miners average 185.5 rushing yards per game and score 20 rushing touchdowns last season … Member of the 2015 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

Lindsey Larson (Volleyball)

Has played in 118 matches and 434 sets for the Miners … led the team in assists (642) and service aces (24) as a senior while finishing her career with 2,677 assists, 71 service aces and 317 blocks … named second team All-Conference USA in 2016 … four-time recipient of a Conference USA Academic Medal and five-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Civil Engineering major.

Mack Leftwich (Football)

Was the starting quarterback in 11 games for the Miners … as a sophomore, led UTEP in passing yards (1,228), touchdown passes (nine), completions (105), attempts (192) and passing efficiency (120.8) … threw for 231 yards with a pair of scores during a victory over Rice in 2015 … four-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

Nicole Lindsay (Soccer)

Played in 81 games, including 55 starts, while securing more than 4,700 minutes of playing time … helped the Miners forge a record of 48-25-11 during her four years … played all over the pitch, contributing two goals and seven assists for 13 points … two-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … marketing major.

Sky Logan (Football)

Has played in 22 games, making 12 starts at the defensive end position … registered a total of 63 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one fumble recovery, four pass breakups and one forced fumble … has one year of eligibility remaining this fall … two-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

Jay Mattox (Football)

Four-year starter that played in all 49 games for the Miners … finished his collegiate career tied for first in program history with 137 PATs … also rates no. 2 among kickers with 257 points, and no. 3 with 40 field goals made … concluded his senior campaign ranked second on the team in points (54) and finished 39-of-40 on PATs … member of the 2014 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Communication major.

Lulu McKinney (Women’s Basketball)

Graduating in just three years and has one season of eligibility remaining … helped UTEP win the 2016 C-USA regular-season championship and advance to the WNIT quarterfinals … has played in 92 games with 45 starts … already ranks sixth all-time at UTEP for three-pointers made (107)… two-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Communication major.

Sterling Napier (Football)

Has played in 36 games for the Miners … was utilized in multiple blocking schemes last season, helping the team average 185.5 rushing yards with 20 rushing touchdowns … hauled in his first career touchdown last year versus Florida Atlantic … coming back for his senior season in 2017 … member of the 2015 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Criminal Justice major.

Hannah Nicholson (Soccer)

Two-year letterwinner for the Miners before her career was derailed by injuries … in 2014 contributed one goal and five assists for seven points … four-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Mechanical Engineering major.

Danielle Pearson (Softball)

Ranks second on UTEP’s all-time wins list … hurled over 490 innings and recorded over 200 strikeouts for the Orange and Blue … also collected over 80 hits during her career, while showing power at the plate with three home runs and 45 RBI … Member of the 2016 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Organizational & Corporate Communication major.

Erik Ramirez (Football)

Saw the field in the Miners’ 52-24 victory over North Texas last season … also played in two games as a freshman … has one year of eligibility remaining in 2017 … recipient of a Conference USA Academic Medal in 2014 and four-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Chemistry major.

Kevin Rincon (Men’s Track & Field)

Has ranked among the top-10 in the javelin at the C-USA meets … helped the Miners to a second-place finish at the 2015 C-USA Outdoor Championships …. five-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Kinesiology major.

Brendan Royal (Football)

Played one season for the Miners, seeing action in all 12 games in 2016 … recorded 33 tackles, 1.5 tackles for losses, an interception and three pass breakups … opened the campaign with three pass breakups, tied for third-most in a game in program history, during a victory over rival NM State … recipient of a Conference USA Academic Medal in 2016 and two-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

Monthserrat Serna (Rifle)

Four-year competitor who had a career average of 531 in smallbore and 556 in air rifle … set a career-high in air rifle (569) at the 2016 NCAA Qualifier …three-time recipient of a Conference USA Academic Medal and four-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Biological Sciences major.

Sparkle Taylor (Women’s Basketball)

Prolific scorer who finished second all-time at UTEP in field goals made (530) and third in points (1,352) … also tied for sixth in free throws made (272) … 2017 All-Conference USA second team honoree and 2016 C-USA Sixth Player of the Year … helped UTEP win the 2016 C-USA regular-season championship … member of the 2017 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Criminal Justice major.

Nick Usher (Football)

A three-year starter who saw the field in 49 games … last season he started all 12 contests and led the team in tackles for losses (8.0), sacks (5.5) and quarterback hurries (five) … rated third on the team with 77 tackles and added two pass breakups and a blocked kick … finished career tied for no. 10 in school history with 12 sacks … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

Adrian Ward (Football)

Played two seasons for the Miners, starting in 22 games after transferring from Chabot College … earned 2004 All-WAC first team honors after tallying 59 tackles, 12 pass break-ups and five interceptions … led the Miners to eight wins and the Houston Bowl … registered a total of 98 tackles, 18 deflections and eight picks at UTEP … was chosen in the seventh round of the NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

Naomi Whitehair (Volleyball)

Played in 260 sets over 87 matches in three years as a Miner … tallied 415 digs in her career … notched a career-high 16 digs against South Alabama as a senior … Health Promotion major.

The UTEP volleyball team announced its tentative 2017 fall schedule. Thirteen home matches, including two home tournaments, will take place in Memorial Gym this fall. UTEP will open the year with 14 non-conference matches, including Texas Tech and New Mexico, before Conference USA play begins September 22.

“There’s a couple teams we saw last year,” head coach Holly Watts said. “We played at North Dakota and we played against Samford and to have them play here at our home court will be nice. They were both tough matches last year, but tough matches that we played well.”

The fall schedule kicks off August 25-26 in a rotating tournament in San Antonio, Texas, when the Miners take on Lafayette, Tulane, and UIW. The Miners will return home on Aug. 30 to take on Big 12’s Texas Tech in Memorial Gym.

The Miners will also host two tournaments in as many weeks, beginning with the Glory Road Invitational, which will bring New Mexico, Youngstown, and North Dakota, Sept. 1-2 and ending with the Borderland Invitational featuring Samford, Delaware State, and Abilene Christian Sept. 8-10.

“It’ll be great to have two tournaments, two weekends back to back right here at home,” Watts said. “It’ll give our fans something to watch early in the season so they’ll be excited to come back and watch more as the season goes on.”

A trip to Portland, Oregon, for the Portland Tournament Sept. 15-16 will round out tournament play for the Miners before the Interstate 10 rivalry match against NM State Sept. 19 in Las Cruses, N.M.

Conference USA play will begin with a two game home stand beginning with a Sept. 22 meeting with Rice and ending with a Sept. 24 match against UAB.

The Miners will then hit the road Oct. 1-8 for three matches against UTSA, Charlotte, and Southern Miss.

“That’s probably our toughest road trip in terms of logistics and getting to those campuses,” Watts said of the October weekend. “I’m glad that’s early in the season as far as the conference play goes, but really, we flip back and forth every weekend except for that stretch of three matches. We don’t have a game on the Friday before that Sunday away so I think its going to work out.”

The team will play host to North Texas Oct. 13 and have a rematch with UTSA at Memorial Gym that Sunday. The Miners will go to Bowling Green, KY, to face WKU, then meet with Rice again in Houston.

LA Tech and Middle Tennessee will battle the Miners Oct. 27 and 29, respectively, at Memorial Gym before the Orange and Blue make a trip to Florida to face FIU and FAU. Conference USA play will end with Marshall on Nov. 8 in Memorial Gym.

The Miners will face New Mexico in a non-conference matchup in Albuquerque before the Conference USA Tournament hosted by WKU beginning Nov. 17.

“We are playing some teams that have been to the NCAA Tournament recently so theres a level of teams that would be good wins,” Watts said. “At the same time, there’s some opportunities to win quite a few matches, so hopefully we’ll take care of business and get some wins.”

2017 UTEP VB Schedule (1)

UTEP Volleyball’s head coach Holly Watts announced the addition of Abby Adams for the 2017-18 campaign on Tuesday.

“I chose UTEP because of the competitive Biology academic program, and the Pre-Dentistry curriculum,” Adams said. “I am excited about all the courses they have to offer. UTEP is a beautiful campus, and a university full of tradition. I am looking forward to being a part of the University of Texas at El Paso and the volleyball program.”

Adams is 5’8 from Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colo., where she played at the defensive specialist position for three years.  During her time with the Eagles, Adams took the court in 157 sets as the starting libero while tallying 440 digs at 2.8 digs per set, 56 assists, 19 service aces and 14 kills.

The Valor Christian squad wrapped up the 2016 season by finishing in the Final Four of the 4A State Volleyball Tournament for the second time in school history. Adams finished her senior campaign earning accolades for her work in the classroom and on the court.

Her awards included being named to the 2016 CHSAA 4A First-Team All-League, CHSAA All-State First-Team All-Academic, CHSAA All-State Honorable Mention and 4A Honorable Mention All-Academic.

“We are excited to add Abby to our roster for the 2017 season,” Watts said. “Abby comes in with her experience as a defensive player and specifically libero, she will bring additional ball control and experience at a high level to our gym.

“We are thrilled she has decided to come to UTEP and bring her back-row prowess with her. She is playing again this club season with a quality club and great coaches and she will continue to gain experience even before her arrival.”

Aside from high school volleyball, Adams played club volleyball since the age of nine. She plays for Colorado Juniors 18 Jess, who will play in the 18 Patriot Division of the 2017 Girls’ Junior National Championships (GJNC) in Minneapolis this summer.

The UTEP volleyball team will play host to a spring volleyball tournament on Saturday, March 25. The five-team tournament will begin at 9 a.m. at Memorial Gym. 

UTEP will play in a round-robin tourney that will bring NM State, New Mexico Military Institute, Eastern Arizona and Western New Mexico.

The Miners will begin the day with a 9 a.m. meeting with Eastern Arizona followed by a 10 a.m. showing with NMMI, both on court one. The Miners will then move to court two at 11 a.m. to face off against I-10 rival NM State. 

UTEP will have a bye at noon before closing out the tourney at 1 p.m. against Western New Mexico on court two. 

Admission is free and open to the public. 

2017 UTEP Spring Volleyball Tournament

Teams: UTEP, NM State, NMMI, Eastern Arizona, Western New Mexico

Round one (9 a.m.) match schedule:

Court one- UTEP vs Eastern Arizona

Court two- NM State vs NMMI

Bye: Western New Mexico

Round two (10 a.m.) match schedule:

Court one- NMMI vs UTEP

Court two- Eastern Arizona vs Western New Mexico

Bye: NM State

Round three (11 a.m.) match schedule:

Court one- Western New Mexico vs NMMI

Court two- UTEP vs NM State 

Bye: Eastern Arizona

Round four (noon) match schedule:

Court one- NM State vs Western New Mexico

Court two- NMMI vs Eastern Arizona

Bye: UTEP

Round five (1 p.m.) match schedule: 

Court one- Eastern Arizona vs NM State

Court two – Western New Mexico vs UTEP

Bye: NMMI

UTEP Volleyball’s head coach Holly Watts announced the addition of Abby Adams for the 2017-18 campaign on Tuesday.

“I chose UTEP because of the competitive Biology academic program, and the Pre-Dentistry curriculum,” Adams said. “I am excited about all the courses they have to offer. UTEP is a beautiful campus, and a university full of tradition. I am looking forward to being a part of the University of Texas at El Paso, and the volleyball program.”

Adams is 5’8 from Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colo., where she played at the defensive specialist position for three years.  During her time with the Eagles, Adams took the court in 157 sets as the starting libero while tallying 440 digs at 2.8 digs per set, 56 assists, 19 service aces and 14 kills.

The Valor Christian squad wrapped up the 2016 season by finishing in the Final Four of the 4A State Volleyball Tournament for the second time in school history. Adams finished her senior campaign earning accolades for her work in the classroom and on the court.

Her awards include, 2016 CHSAA 4A First-Team All-League, CHSAA All-State First-Team All-Academic, CHSAA All-State Honorable Mention and 4A Honorable Mention All-Academic.

“Abby comes in with her experience as a defensive player and specifically libero,” said Watts. “We are thrilled she has decided to come to UTEP and bring her back row prowess with her. She is playing again this club season with a quality club and great coaches and she will continue to gain experience even before her arrival.”

Aside from high school volleyball, Adams played club volleyball since the age of nine. She was part of the Colorado Juniors -18 Jessen, who recently earned a GJNC Bid after finishing Gold in the 2016 Far Western National Qualifier.

UTEP volleyball head coach Holly Watts announced the addition of Mallory Yost, Sahara Martinez and Cheyenne Jones for the 2017-18 season.

“All three of these young ladies come from great families and support systems and we are grateful and excited they have chosen to be part of the University of Texas at El Paso volleyball program,” said head coach Holly Watts. “We are pleased to include them in our 2017 recruiting class.”

Mallory Yost, a 6’1 middle blocker from Gretna, Nebr., is a long, athletic player with great quickness and lateral speed.

Throughout her time at Gretna High School, Yost played with the varsity team for four years. She saw action in 317 sets and dished out 816 kills at a .377 hitting efficiency, 182 digs, 151 blocks (56s/95a), 11 assists and nine service aces. As a senior, Yost played alongside her sister Lydia, a freshman outside hitter. The duo led Gretna High School to the Class B State Volleyball Tournament, where they combined for nine kills in a five-set thrilling victory over Waverly High School in the B-2 District Volleyball Final.

“Mallory will add to our attacking and defending across the net”, said Watts. “She brings with her a history of winning both in high school and club ball and will have the potential to contribute quickly in her career.”

Yost played club volleyball for six years for the Nebraska Juniors, who have finished in the Top 25 in the open division of the AAU Nationals for the past three seasons.

“I felt really comfortable with the players and coaches,” Yost said. “The campus was beautiful and I love the city of El Paso.”

Sahara Martinez is a 5’10 setter who was a three-year starter for Bonita High School. Martinez is a three-time All-Palomares League selection, who saw action in 231 sets while connecting for 1,987 assists throughout her high school career. Her other totals include 553 digs, 105 kills, 100 service aces and 81 total blocks (31s/50a).

“Sahara has played with a variety of teams and levels and is a consistent voice on her teams,” Watts said. “She will have the opportunity to learn our offense and will push to find a place on the court.”

Martinez played club volleyball for eight years. Martinez led Club West 15-National to a 10th-place finish at the 2014 USAV Girls’ Junior National Championships. The setter participated with Forza 1 North 17 Asics as well, which finished 13th at the USAV Girls’ Junior National Championships in 2016.

“UTEP has everything I want in a school,” Martinez said. “It is a perfect fit for me.”

Cheyenne Jones is 6’1 from Valley Christian School in Missoula, Mont., where she played at the middle, right side and outside hitter position as well as a defensive specialist. Jones holds the state record for kills in a match with 51, which she set as a junior. She nearly broke her record this year in the District 13-C tournament with a 50-kill match against Seeley-Swan. After her outstanding season as a senior, Jones was placed on the All-State First Team.

“Cheyenne has potential to be another piece of the offensive puzzle for the Miners in 2017,” Watts said. “Part of a winning high school and club program, Cheyenne can actually attack at any point across the net.”

Jones also participated in club volleyball for eight total years, with seven of those being with Montana Volleyball Academy.

“I chose UTEP because the university offered my major, great coaches and players as well as a great volleyball program,” Jones said.

Senior Sarah Villa became the UTEP volleyball program’s all-time leader in career digs as the Miners forced I-10 rival NM State to five tough sets, but the Aggies upended the Miners (25-20, 18-25, 23-25, 26-24, 15-12) in the final match of the 2016 season in Memorial gym on Wednesday.

Freshman Macey Austin paced the Orange and Blue’s efforts with 12 total kills but Kylie Baumgartner followed with 10 kills at a .348 clip. Senior Lindsey Larson connected for 31 assists while adding 19 digs, eight kills and four blocks in the match for her 18th double-double of the season. Sarah Villa and Briana Arellano also saw double-digit digs in the match with 26 digs and 15 digs, respectively.

NM State’s Tatyana Battle led the Aggies on 20 kills and was followed by Jordan Abalos (13) and Sasha-Lee Thomas (10). The Aggies rotated setters Brianna Ainsworth and Alexsa Parker who hashed out 29 assists and 21 assists apiece. Ariadnne Sierra served as the libero for NM State as she knotted a total of 36 digs while Thomas and Kassandra Tohm each picked up four blocks.

The opening stanza saw eight tied scores and six lead changes as both teams fought to take control of the match. The Aggies got on the board first but the Miners stayed close behind throughout the majority of the set until a 5-2 run gave the Aggies a 25-20 victory in the set and a 1-0 advantage in the match.

The second set was another tight battle between the teams with seven knotted scores and five lead changes. NM State was leading 12-8 before UTEP called its first timeout on the court. After regrouping, the Miners dished out a 5-1 run to force NM State to call a timeout of its own as the score was tied at 13. The Miners claimed a 18-15 lead before another Aggie timeout was called but the Miners were unstoppable and took the second stanza, 25-18, to tie the match.

In the third period there were 13 tie scores and two lead changes but the Miners came out of the intermission on a mission. The Miners were up 4-0 before a block from Thomas and Abalos slowed down the Orange and Blue. However, the Miners continued to respond and the Aggies called for a timeout as the score was tied at 19. The timeout resulted to be more beneficial to the UTEP squad as it took a 22-21 lead before another timeout was called on the visitor’s side. Both teams would go on to score three points each in the set but UTEP came out on top with a 25-23 victory in the third.

UTEP scored the first two points of the fourth frame but NM State responded with a 7-1 run to take a 7-3 lead. Head coach Holly Watts took a timeout to regroup as the Aggies were up 5-10 and the squad was able to dish out 11 more points to trail the Aggies by only one point. NM State took a timeout of its own to stop the Miners from going on a run but UTEP continued to fight back. The Miners would call for two more timeouts in the frame but the 3-0 gave the Aggies a 26-24 victory in the fourth to tie the match, 2-2.

The fifth set was another close battle with four tied scores. The Miners continued to respond to every point the Aggies dished out but it was not enough as the Aggies claimed the fifth stanza, 15-12, and the match, 3-2.

UTEP closed out its 2016 with a 8-22 overall record and a 5-9 mark in Conference USA matches.

The UTEP volleyball team will close out the 2016 season with a non-conference matchup against I-10 rival, NM State on Wednesday. The first serve of the match is scheduled for 1 p.m. MT at Memorial Gym.

Although senior night was celebrated earlier in the season (Nov. 06), this match will serve as the senior’s (Lindsey Larson, Sarah Villa and Tatum Winter) last contest of their careers at UTEP.

Last week, the team put up a great effort against the no. 1 seeded Western Kentucky in the quarterfinal round of the 2016 C-USA Volleyball Championships in Houston, Texas, but fell to the Lady Toppers in three sets (19-25, 23-25, 24-26).

The squad was led by Winter who notched eight kills at a .375 hitting percentage, two blocks, two digs and a service ace. Macey Austin paced UTEP with nine total kills while  Larson registered a double-double with 27 assists and 12 digs while adding six kills and two blocks.

LIVE STATS:

UTEP vs. NM STATE:

http://www.utepathletics.com/gametracker/launch/gt_wvolley.html?event=1496657&school=utep&sport=wvolley&camefrom=&startschool=&

SCOUTING NM STATE

Series: Wednesday’s non-conference matchup will be the 83rd meeting for the I-10 rivals, with the Aggies holding the win margin 61-22. NM State swept the Miners in three sets in the first meeting earlier this year (10/5). The Miners have not beaten the Aggies since a five-set thriller in 2012.

AGGIES NOTABLES

The Aggies were voted by league coaches in the preseason to win the Western Athletic Conference this season and achieved the regular-season title with a five-set victory over Chicago State. NM State went onto host the 2016 WAC tournament in hopes to defend the WAC tournament crown. However, the Aggies were defeated by the no. 5 seeded UT-Rio Grande Valley, 3-2.

NM State will look to Jordan Abalos, Ariadnne Sierra and Tatyana Battle, who recently earned WAC Player of the Week honors (Nov. 7).  Abalos leads the team with 413 kills (3.75 kills/set) and Battle is close behind with 369 (3.32 kills/set). Sierra paces the squad in digs. (4.56 digs/set).

KILLIN’ IT

Five Miners have reached triple-digit kills so far this season. Macey Austin is first on the team with a total of 268 kills but Lindsey Larson follows with a total of 214 kills. Ashley Grzebeniak and Tatum Winter are tied for third on the squad with 143 kills while Kylie Baumgartner totaled 133. Maddie Morgan and Briana Arellano are relatively close to reaching triple-digit kills as well. Morgan needs three kills and Arellano would need five kills to reach the 100-kill mark in 2016.

TOP GEAR

Senior Lindsey Larson is a six-rotation player and is UTEP’s strongest weapon on the court this season.  She is first on the team in assists (611) and service aces (24) and second on the squad in digs (302), kills (214), blocks (86) and points (284.0).

TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT

Five Miners have joined the triple-digit dig club so far this season. Senior Sarah Villa paves the way for the UTEP squad with an impressive 527 digs in 2016. Fellow classmate Lindsey Larson follows with a total of 302 digs so far.  Three of the UTEP players that have reached triple-digit digs are newcomers (Briana Arellano, Amanda King and Niki Cebak). Arellano totals 205 digs, King has 186 and Cebak tallied 148 total digs.

BLOCKSTAR

Sophomore Kylie Baumgartner has been a force at the net all season and leads the squad with a total of 107 blocks (18s/89 a). She currently ranks sixth in Conference USA with 1.01 blocks per set. The California native, reached a career-high 12 blocks in a 3-1 win over Florida Atlantic (11/6), which places her first in the league for most blocks in a four-set match and second for most blocks in a single match this season.

VILLA’S CAREER

Villa is an El Paso native who arrived at UTEP in 2013 after graduating from Burges High School. In her first season, Villa saw action in 66 sets and 21 matches. Her totals included 117 digs, 14 assists, five service aces and three kills. In 2014, Villa took the court for 90 sets in a total of 28 matches. The defensive specialist registered 265 digs, 35 assists, six service aces and a kill. 2015 was Villa’s breakout season where she earned her spot as the starting libero for the Miners for the first time in her career.

She played in 100 sets and 28 matches for UTEP and nearly doubled her total digs from the previous season. She notched 434 digs at 4.34 digs per set, 65 assists, nine service aces and four kills on the season.

Villa also set a Conference USA record for most digs in a single match with a striking 45 digs while taking Southern Miss to five sets in Hattiesburg, Miss. (10/23). During her senior season, Villa has seen action in 105 sets and 29 matches. Her totals include 527 digs, 97 assists, 15 service aces and seven kills.

Throughout her career, Villa has tallied 1,343 total digs which puts her second in the UTEP record book for most career digs. She trails the record-holder, Jennifer Abbruzzese, by only 25 digs. Abbruzzese played for the Miners from 2000-2003 and notched a total of 1,368 digs in her career. Recently, Villa was named to C-USA’s All-Conference Second Team.

WINTER’S CAREER

Winter arrived as junior transfer from Scottsdale Community College in 2015. In her debut as a Miner, the middle blocker saw action in 65 sets and 23 matches with 14 starting appearances. The Gilbert, Ariz. native, finished fourth on the team with 61 (3s/58a) total blocks. Winter also tallied 80 kills, 32 digs, four service aces and an assist. Winter has taken the court in 105 sets and 29 matches in 2016 as senior. Her totals include, 79 blocks (11s/68a), 143 kills, 61 digs, 10 assists and nine service aces.

LARSON’S CAREER

Larson arrived at UTEP in 2012 and redshirted her first season. In 2013, she made her debut in a Miner uniform as she participated in 97 sets and 28 matches on the season. She totaled 126 kills, 72 digs, 51 assists, 51 blocks (3s/48a) and four service aces. In 2014, Larson took the role of the starting setter for the Miners and fulfilled the role immaculately. She notched 920 assists at a career-best 8.93 assists per set and tabbed 227 digs, 72 blocks (2s/68a), 53 kills and eight service aces.

Before the 2015 season began, Larson earned a spot on the 2015 Canada National Team, which she trained with during the summer. She played in 121 sets and 32 matches during her junior season.

The product of Humbolt, Saskatchewan, Canada, finished the 2015 season with 1,064 assists, 369 digs, 108 kills, 104 blocks (11s/93a) and 35 service aces. During the 2016 season, Larson has picked up 611 assists, 302 digs, 214 kills, 86 (6s/80a) and 24 service aces while playing in 108 sets and 29 matches.

Throughout her career, the setter has totaled 2,646 assists, 970 digs, 501 kills, 313 blocks and 71 service aces. Larson has also reached a double-double on 46 occasions including five triple-doubles.

Most recently, Larson was named to C-USA’s 2016 All-Conference Second Team.

Aside from her amazing stats on the court, Larson is also an all-star in the classroom as she sports a 3.93 GPA in Civil Engineering. She is a regular member on the UTEP Dean’s List and has been named to C-USA’s Commissioner’s Honor Roll from 2012-2016. She has also received a C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal for the past three seasons. Larson has also garnered C-USA All-Academic Team honors for three consecutive seasons (2014-2016).

AUSTIN; C-USA ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

Rookie Macey Austin has made an immediate impact for the Orange and Blue and was awarded for her efforts by being named to C-USA’s 2016 All-Freshman team. A regular starter for UTEP, Austin has played in 98 sets this season. The outside hitter paces the Miners with 259 total kills with a 2.64 kill per set average. Austin has also registered 41 digs, 30 blocks, three service aces and an assist. In league matches, the Fort Worth, Texas native, hammered 151 total kills, 24 digs, 15 blocks and a service ace. Austin registered double-digit kills in 14 matches this season, including a season-best 18 kills twice.

LARSON & VILLA; C-USA ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM

Two members of the UTEP volleyball team received All-Conference honors Wednesday as the league named seniors Sarah Villa and Lindsey Larson to the Second-Team All-C-USA list.

Lindsey Larson is rounding out her time as a Miner in superb fashion as the senior will finish her UTEP career having played in 108 sets this season. Larson serves as team captain along with Villa. The setter is first on the team in assists (611) as well as service aces (24) and second in kills (214), digs (302) and blocks (86). The Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Canada native, reached a double-double 18 times including five triple-doubles in 2016, making her the only one in C-USA to reach a triple-double on the season.

In regular-season C-USA matches, Larson was first on the team in assists (304) and second in service aces (12), kills (98), digs (154) and total blocks (40). Larson reached a career-high 13 kills while hitting at a .650 clip versus Samford (9/16) and another career-best in digs (28) against UAB (9/25).

Sarah Villa has proven to be one of UTEP’s most potent defensive weapons as the libero has seen action in 108 sets in 2016. She is first on the team and conference in digs (527) with an average 4.88 digs per set. Villa is third on the team with 97 assists and has registered 15 service aces and seven kills. The El Paso native, reached 20 or more digs 11 times this season including a season-best 31 digs at Rice (9/23). In regular-season C-USA matches, the senior totaled 253 digs, 45 assists, six service aces and three kills.

ON THE RADAR

After a successful weekend at home, middle blocker Kylie Baumgartner was named C-USA’s Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 7, making it her first weekly honor of her career. Baumgartner led the Miners to a perfect 3-0 weekend. The sophomore provided a dominant performance in a 3-1 win over Florida Atlantic with 11 kills at a .421 hitting percentage combined with 12 blocks, the second-most of any C-USA player in a conference match this season. On the season, Baumgartner totals 107 total blocks (18s/89a), 133 kills, 12 digs and six assists.

FILLING IN THE SHOES

UTEP’s freshmen have been making quite the splash this season. Macey Austin leads the UTEP pack with a team-best 259 kills while adding 41 digs, 30 blocks, three service aces and an assist on the season. Briana Arellano has also proved to be force on the court with 197 digs, 92 kills, 21 service aces, nine blocks and eight assists. Ali Vidali follows in suit with totals including, 75 kills, 34 digs, four blocks, four assists and two service aces. Niki Cebak has also made contributions of her own with 146 total digs, 16 service aces and 23 assists.

HOUSTON, Texas – The UTEP volleyball team put up a great effort against Western Kentucky in the quarterfinal round of the C-USA Championships but fell to the Lady Toppers in three sets (19-25, 23-25, 24-26).

Senior Tatum Winter put up an impressive performance with eight kills at a .375 hitting percentage, two blocks, two digs and a service ace while Macey Austin paced UTEP with nine total kills. Lindsey Larson registered a double-double with 27 assists and 12 digs while adding six kills and two blocks.

The first set was a tight battle as both sides struggled to build any type of a substantial lead. Rachel Anderson led the WKU offense with six kills in the frame. The Lady Toppers pulled away in the second half of the set, earning a 25-19 win.

In set two, the Miners raced out to a 7-1 lead fueled by three kills from Tatum Winter. WKU would rally however, notching eight of the next 11 points en route to a 10-9 lead. The Lady Toppers stretched their lead all the way to 20-15 but the Miners put together an impressive stretch, taking eight of the next 11 points drawing the set to a 23-23 tie. WKU would hold on and pull out the final two points off a pair of kills from Anderson, giving the Lady Toppers a 2-0 lead at intermission.

Set three took on the same tone as the first set as both sides were deadlocked at 14 at the first timeout. The match remained tight as both sides refused to give ground either way. WKU took a slight 25-24 lead and then claimed the set and the match after a UTEP ball handling error.

UTEP has one more match on the schedule for the 2016 season. The Miners will take on NM State on Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. (MT) in Memorial Gym.

HOUSTON, Texas – After concluding the regular season, UTEP travels to Houston, Texas, as the Miners battle it out against Western Kentucky in the first round of the Conference USA Championship Tournament.

The squads are set to take the court at 11 a.m. (MT) on Friday. Rice will serve as host of the tournament from Nov. 18-20 at the Tudor Fieldhouse.

UTEP (8-20 overall, 5-9 C-USA) concluded the regular conference season at Marshall on Nov. 10, where the Miners fell to The Herd in straight sets (20-25, 13-25, 14-25) at the Cam Henderson Center.

Freshman Briana Arellano led the squad with seven kills with only two errors. Helping protect the net was senior Lindsey Larson, who posted three blocks, five digs, four kills and added 12 assists. Kylie Baumgartner matched Larson with three blocks and registered three kills on the night. Sarah Villa contributed the defense with seven total digs.

 LIVE STREAM: UTEP vs. WKU: http://conferenceusa.com/watch/?Live=1806

LIVE STATS:

UTEP vs. WKU: http://www.wkusports.com/gametracker/launch/?event=1499720&school=wky&sport=wvolley&

SCOUTING MARSHALL

Series: Western Kentucky leads the all-time series over the Miners with a 5-0 advantage entering Friday’s meeting. The Lady Toppers finished the regular season with a 27-2 overall record and an undefeated 14-0 mark in league matches.

THUNDERING HERD NOTABLES

WKU’s offense is led by Alyssa Cavanaugh, an outside hitter from Louisville, Ky. The junior has hammered a total of 444 kills on the season while hitting at an impressive .338 clip. She has been named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week two times this season. Her other totals include 48 blocks, 61 digs and eight assists. Cavanaugh is followed by Rachel Anderson who has registered 337 kills at a .403 hitting percentage. Anderson’s other totals include, 87 blocks, 45 digs, five service aces and two assists. Jessica Lucas is the starting setter for the Lady Toppers and has achieved numerous accolades of her own.

Just this season, she has been honored as C-USA Setter of the Week five times in addition to earning a Co-Setter of the Week honor twice. The junior’s totals include 1,092 total assists, 256 digs, 133 kills, 63 blocks and 13 service aces. The Lady Topper’s strongest defensive weapons are Amara Listenbee and Georgia O’Connell.

Listenbee is a sophomore middle blocker out of Beloit, Wis. Who has a team-leading 97 blocks (24s/73a) on the season. O’connell serves as a defensive specialist on the squad and paces the team with 407 digs and adds 19 service aces. Three Lady Toppers  (Anderson, Cavanaugh and Lucas) were named to C-SUA’s 2016 All-Conference First Team while O’Connell and Sydney Engle made it to the Second Team list.

WITH A WIN

The Miners would advance to play the winner of the No. 4 UTSA/No. 5 FAU match in the C-USA Semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 1:30 p.m. (MT).

KILLIN’ IT

Five Miners have reached triple-digit kills so far this season. Macey Austin is first on the team with a total of 259 kills but Lindsey Larson follows with a total of 208 kills. Ashley Grzebeniak finished third on the squad with 138 kills while Tatum Winter and Kylie Baumgartner totaled 135 and 128 kills, respectively. Maddie Morgan and Briana Arellano are relatively close to reaching triple-digit kills as well. Morgan needs three kills and Arellano would need eight kills to reach the 100-kill mark.

TOP GEAR

Senior Lindsey Larson is a six-rotation player and is UTEP’s strongest weapon on the court this season.  She is first on the team in assists (584) and service aces (24) and second on the squad in digs (290), kills (208), blocks (84) and points (277.0).

TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT

Five Miners have joined the triple-digit dig club so far this season. Senior Sarah Villa paves the way for the UTEP squad with an impressive 514 digs in 2016. Fellow classmate Lindsey Larson follows with a total of 290 digs so far.  Three of the UTEP players that have reached triple-digit digs are newcomers (Briana Arellano, Amanda King and Niki Cebak). Arellano totals 197 digs, King has 181 and Cebak tallied 146 total digs.

BLOCKSTAR

Sophomore Kylie Baumgartner has been a force at the net all season and leads the squad with a total of 103 blocks (18s/85 a). She currently ranks sixth in Conference USA with 1.01 blocks per set. The California native, reached a career-high 12 blocks in a 3-1 win over Florida Atlantic (11/6), which places her first in the league for most blocks in a four-set match.

AUSTIN; C-USA ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

Rookie Macey Austin has made an immediate impact for the Orange and Blue and was awarded for her efforts by being named to C-USA’s 2016 All-Freshman team. A regular starter for UTEP, Austin has played in 98 sets this season. The outside hitter paces the Miners with 259 total kills with a 2.64 kill per set average.

Austin has also registered 41 digs, 30 blocks, three service aces and an assist. In league matches, the Fort Worth, Texas native, hammered 151 total kills, 24 digs, 15 blocks and a service ace. Austin registered double-digit kills in 14 matches this season, including a season-best 18 kills twice.

LARSON & VILLA; C-USA ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM

Two members of the UTEP volleyball team received All-Conference honors Wednesday as the league named seniors Sarah Villa and Lindsey Larson to the Second-Team All-C-USA list.

Lindsey Larson is rounding out her time as a Miner in superb fashion as the senior will finish her UTEP career having played in 105 sets this season. Larson serves as team captain along with Villa. The setter is first on the team in assists (584) as well as service aces (24) and second in kills (208), digs (290) and blocks (84). The Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Canada native, reached a double-double 17 times including five triple-doubles in 2016, making her the only one in C-USA to reach a triple-double on the season.

In C-USA matches, Larson is first on the team in assists (304) and second in service aces (12), kills (98), digs (154) and total blocks (40). Larson reached a career-high 13 kills while hitting at a .650 clip versus Samford (9/16) and another career-best in digs (28) against UAB (9/25).

Sarah Villa has proven to be one of UTEP’s most potent defensive weapons as the libero has seen action in 105 sets in 2016. She is first on the team and conference in digs (514) with an average 4.90 digs per set. Villa is third on the team with 94 assists and has registered 14 service aces and seven kills.

The El Paso native, reached 20 or more digs 11 times this season including a season-best 31 digs at Rice (9/23). In C-USA matches, the senior totaled 253 digs, 45 assists, six service aces and three kills.

ON THE RADAR

After a successful weekend at home, middle blocker Kylie Baumgartner was named C-USA’s Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 7, making it her first weekly honor of her career. Baumgartner led the Miners to a perfect 3-0 weekend.

The sophomore provided a dominant performance in a 3-1 win over Florida Atlantic with 11 kills at a .421 hitting percentage combined with 12 blocks, the most of any C-USA player in a conference match this season. Her 17.0 total blocks over the weekend pushed her into fifth place among C-USA leaders in blocks, averaging 1.01 per set.

On the season, Baumgartner totals 100 total blocks (18s/82a), 125 kills, 11 digs and six assists.

FRESHEN UP

This year’s Miner squad has a mix of youth and experience as the newcomers are providing impact along with the veteran members of the team. Freshmen Macey Austin has seen action in 98 sets, Briana Arellano in 93, Niki Cebak has participated in 90 sets and Ali Vidali has played in 44. Junior transfer Amanda King is the only newcomer this season who has taken the court in all 102 sets this season.

RANKED IN C-USA

Senior defensive specialist and El Paso native, Sarah Villa is back on top of the C-USA charts this week. The libero is first in the league with 4.90 digs per set and has a total of 514 digs on the season. Villa is the only one in the league to reach 500 digs this season. Allie Kellerman of Marshall has registered the second-most digs this season with 482 total digs.

FILLING IN THE SHOES

UTEP’s freshmen have been making quite the splash this season. Macey Austin leads the UTEP pack with a team-best 259 kills while adding 41 digs, 30 blocks, three service aces and an assist on the season. Briana Arellano has also proved to be force on the court with 197 digs, 92 kills, 21 service aces, nine blocks and eight assists.

Ali Vidali follows in suit with totals including, 75 kills, 34 digs, four blocks, four assists and two service aces. Niki Cebak has also made contributions of her own with 146 total digs, 16 service aces and 23 assists.

CANADA

Canada is well represented on the Miners’ squad this season. Three athletes (Lindsey Larson, Ashley Grzebeniak and Niki Cebak) on the roster are natives of the country and have made a tremendous impact since their arrival at UTEP.  Lindsey Larson is a product of Humboldt, Saskatchewan and is the Orange and Blue’s strongest weapon with 2016 totals including a team-best in assists (584) and service aces (24). She owns a second-best team ranking in digs (290), kills (208) and total blocks (84).

Sophomore Ashley Grzebeniak is from Winnipeg, Manitoba and provides the Miners with a powerful swing. She has racked up a total of 138 kills, 79 digs, 26 blocks (3s/23a), four service aces and five assists so far this season. Redshirt freshman Niki Cebak is the final Canada representative from Airdrie, Alberta. The defensive specialist has a petite appearance, but has shown to have a powerful swing from the serving line with 16 service aces this season. Cebak’s other totals include 146 digs and 23 assists.

DOUBLE DOWN

Senior Lindsey Larson has made it a habit to reach double-digits in various categories in UTEP’s matches. She has reached a double-double in 17 of the Miners’ matches so far this season, which include five triple-doubles.

She is second in conference in total double-doubles but she is the only one in the league to reach a triple-double. Amanda King is second on the team with a total of five double-doubles and Ashley Grzebeniak and Kylie Baumgartner have notched one on the season.

ANALYZING THE DEPTH

OUTSIDE HITTERS

UTEP has the most depth in the outside position with a total of six outside hitters. The Miners returned Ashley Grzebeniak who brings a year of experience. Ali Vidali is a redshirt freshman who sat out the 2015 season due to a wrist injury. Vidali is joined by El Paso native Briana Arellano and Macey Austin from Fort Worth, Texas who bring tremendous size and power as incoming freshmen.

MIDDLE BLOCKERS

At the middle blocker position, the Miners returned senior Tatum Winter and sophomores Kylie Baumgartner and Maddie Morgan. Baumgartner was named to the C-USA All-Freshman team in 2015 after tallying 128 total blocks, 165 kills and 20 digs in her breakout season.

SETTERS

Senior setter Lindsey Larson is a key cornerstone as a six-rotation player. In 2015, she led the team with 1,064 assists and 35 service aces while finishing second in digs (369) and blocks (11s/93a). Larson not only works hard on the court but on her studies as well. She is a four-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll, three-time C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medalist and a two-time C-USA All-Academic Team selection. Junior transfer Amanda King will also bring depth at the setter position this season.

DEFENSIVE SPECIALISTS

On defense, UTEP returned Sarah Villa, an El Paso native who was the starting libero for the majority of the 2015 season. As a junior, Villa set the C-USA record for digs in an individual match with 45 in a five-set battle against Southern Miss. The Miners also have Dania Orozco and Niki Cebak. Orozco is also from El Paso but played two years at New Mexico Military Institute as the libero.

OMNIPRESENT

Lindsey Larson is one of four in the nation with five or more triple-doubles this season and is the only one in C-USA to reach one. Larson notched her first triple-double of her career as she led the UTEP squad to a 3-1 victory over Bradley (9/3). She totaled 25 assists, 17 digs and 10 kills while adding four blocks and a service ace.

She recorded two more at the UT-Arlington Invitational. Against Samford (9/16), the senior notched 22 assists, 13 kills, 11 digs and three blocks and versus UT-Arlington (9/17) her totals included 27 assists, 11 digs and 10 kills. In the league opener (9/23), Larson totaled 22 assists, 18 digs and 12 kills while forcing Rice to five sets. In the victory over UAB (9/25), she recorded a career-high in digs and blocks with 28 and eight, respectively and added 10 kills and three service aces.

IRVING, Texas – Three members of the UTEP volleyball team received All-Conference USA honors Wednesday as the league named seniors Sarah Villa and Lindsey Larson to the Second-Team All-C-USA list.

Rookie outside hitter Macey Austin was named to the league’s All-Freshman team.

Lindsey Larson is rounding out her time as a Miner in superb fashion as the senior will finish her UTEP career having played in 105 sets this season. Larson serves as team captain along with Villa. The setter is first on the team in assists (584) as well as service aces (24) and second in kills (208), digs (290) and blocks (84).

The Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Canada native, reached a double-double 17 times including five triple-doubles in 2016, making her the only one in C-USA to reach a triple-double on the season. In C-USA matches, Larson is first on the team in assists (304) and second in service aces (12), kills (98), digs (154) and total blocks (40). Larson reached a career-high 13 kills while hitting at a .650 clip versus Samford (9/16) and another career-best in digs (28) against UAB (9/25).

Sarah Villa has proven to be one of UTEP’s most potent defensive weapons as the libero has seen action in 105 sets in 2016. She is first on the team and conference in digs (514) with an average 4.90 digs per set. Villa is third on the team with 94 assists and has registered 14 service aces and seven kills. The El Paso native, reached 20 or more digs 11 times this season including a season-best 31 digs at Rice (9/23). In C-USA matches, the senior totaled 253 digs, 45 assists, six service aces and three kills.

We’re extremely excited for the C-USA coaches to have recognized the effort and results of Sarah and Lindsey by rewarding them with second team All Conference”, head coach Holly Watts said. “It is such a great honor. They have shown consistency and determination this season and I’m pleased the team is rewarded by qualifying for the C-USA Tournament and them individually with conference awards.  They have been team leaders on and off the court and for that we are grateful. They will be missed on the volleyball court, but we are so proud they will be graduating in 2017.”

Rookie Macey Austin has made an immediate impact for the Orange and Blue and was awarded for her efforts by being named to C-USA’s All-Freshman team. A regular starter for UTEP, Austin has played in 98 sets this season. The outside hitter paces the Miners with 259 total kills with a 2.64 kill per set average. Austin has also registered 41 digs, 30 blocks, three service aces and an assist. In league matches, the Fort Worth, Texas native, hammered 151 total kills, 24 digs, 15 blocks and a service ace. Austin registered double-digit kills in 14 matches this season, including a season-best 18 kills twice.

“Thank you also to the conference coaches for awarding Macey with freshman team honors”, Watts said. “She was able to come in right away and contribute on both sides of the court at the outside and right side hitting positions. We are looking forward to continued great things from her in the years to come!  All three, and in fact the team, are excited to play for another weekend!”

The Miners enter this week’s conference tournament in Houston, Texas, as the eighth overall seed and are set to face No. 1 Western Kentucky at 11 a.m. (MT) on Friday.

All-Freshman Team

Sigourney Kame, FAU

Jac’cara Walker, MAR

Madison Hill, MAR

Catherine Repsher, USM

Emma Eakin, NT

Madelyn Cole, MAR

Macey Austin, UTEP

Lee Ann Cunningham, Rice

First Team

Alyssa Cavanaugh, WKU

Jessica Lucas, WKU

Stephany Purdue, USM

Chelsey Harris, Rice

Dajana Boskovic, UTSA

Sarah Bell, USM

Rachel Anderson, WKU

Maja Ristic, FAU

Amanda Chamberlain, NT

Holly Milam, NT

Madison McDaniel, Rice

Allie Kellerman, MAR

Abbi Reid, FAU

Ally Kiekover, MAR

Second Team

Leah Mikesky, Rice

Madison Hill, MAR

Portia Okafor, Rice

Georgia O’Connell, WKU

Kylie Grandy, USM

Catherine Repsher, USM

Marijeta Runjic, UTSA

Katie Hogan, FIU

Sydney Engle, WKU

Chanel Joyce, USM

Sarah Villa, UTEP

Lindsey Larson, UTEP