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The UTEP volleyball team (3-16, 0-7) fell to FIU (13-7, 5-2) in five sets (25-17, 20-25, 25-19, 19-25, 11-15), 3-2, on Sunday afternoon at Memorial Gym.

Macey Austin led the way for the Miners with a match-high 19 kills, and she also recorded a double-double with 17 digs. Martine Kragholm dominated at the net with eight total blocks. Mallory Yost also added seven total blocks at the net.

Serena Patterson registered the first double-double of her career with 11 kills and 12 digs. Captain Briana Arellano produced 10 kills and nine digs as well for UTEP.

The early stages of set one were dominated by the Miners, as they jumped out to a 10-5 lead. UTEP added to its advantage, ballooning its lead to 21-12. The Orange and Blue polished off the set behind kills from Kragholm and Austin, 25-17.

FIU and UTEP saw 14 ties in the second set. With score tied, 18-18, the Panthers opened up a 7-2 run that sealed the set victory.

The third set saw much of the same with seven ties in the early parts of the set. With the score knotted up at 11-11, the Miners went on a 14-8 run that propelled them to victory in front of the home crowd, 25-19.

A kill by Arellano tied the fourth set at 16-16, forcing an FIU timeout. The timeout by the Panthers proved useful, as they went on a 9-3 run, tying up the match at two sets apiece, 25-19.

FIU gained early control of the deciding fifth set, forcing a Miner timeout, 8-4. That advantage proved to be too much for UTEP to overcome as it dropped the set, 15-11.

Watts’s Thoughts
“We did so many nice things tonight, and battled throughout the whole match. One of the things we have really been trying to work on is consistency. The people out there did a really good job of doing that, and we had really good support from the whole team. We are looking forward to the next opportunity to get in the gym and try it again.”

Up Next

The Miners will travel to LA Tech (6-16, 1-6) to play on Friday at 6 p.m. MT.

The UTEP volleyball team (3-15, 0-6), fell to Florida Atlantic (15-4, 5-1) in three sets (25-21,7-25,23-25), 3-0, on Friday evening at Memorial Gym.

Kristen Fritsche led the squad with 16 assists, seven digs and a team-high four total blocks. Martine Kragholm and Mallory Yost both added three total blocks each.

Florida Atlantic began the match with a 4-1 run that helped seize control of the first set. UTEP would battle back and tie the set off of back-to-back kills from Macey Austin and Cheyenne Jones, 12-12. The Miners were battling in the latter stages, trailing by one point, 21-20. The Owls went on a 4-1 run, capturing the set, 25-21.

FAU tallied an 11-1 run to start the second set, and never looked back. It took the set, 25-7, and held control of the match.

The Miners came out with purpose in the third set, doubling up the Owls efforts, 14-7. FAU stormed back with a 10-0 run of its own, taking the lead, 19-17. From there both teams traded punches, but Florida Atlantic bested the Miners for the set and match, 25-23.

Up Next

The Miners will play host to FIU (12-6, 4-1) on Sunday at 12 p.m. MT at Memorial Gym. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for kids. For more information about the team day program call the UTEP marketing department at (915) 747-6065

The UTEP volleyball team (3-14, 0-5 C-USA) will stay home for a two-match home stand to battle Florida Atlantic (14-4, 4-1 C-USA) and FIU (12-6, 4-1 C-USA) on Friday and Sunday.

The Miners come back home after last weekend’s conference road trip.

On Friday (6 p.m. MT) UTEP will be tested by conference front-runner Florida Atlantic. Sunday (12 p.m. MT) will be bring another Florida team to El Paso, when the Panthers come to town for their seventh conference bout this season.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for kids. For more information about the team day program call the UTEP marketing department at (915) 747-6065.

Live Stats  |  Live Stream Versus FAU   |    Live Stream Versus FIU

FAU Scouting Report

With a record of 4-1 in conference and 14-4 overall, Florida Atlantic sits in the third spot in C-USA. The Owls lead the nation in assists per set (15.05) and kills per set (15.89).  Their sole loss in conference was against their instate rivals FIU.

Senior Ivone Martinez, the national leader in assists per set, was named C-USA setter of the week (10/8) with a season-high 62 assists and 13 digs. It was her fifth double-double of the season. Massiel Matos was named C-USA Offensive Player of the Week (9/24). She notched 17 kills against UAB and recorded her fifth double-double of the season. Matos also has the most aces per set in the conference. She is also ranked third in the league for points per set.

FAU Series Info

UTEP will be seeking to even up the all-time series at three victories against Florida Atlantic on Friday night. The last time the Miners defeated the Owls was Nov. 6, 2016, when then-sophomore Kylie Baumgartner recorded the second-most total blocks in a four set match (12) in program history and a career high in total blocks.

FIU Scouting Report

FIU is 12-6 and 4-1 in conference. In league play wins, the Panthers have notched three clean sweeps and only gave up one set in their win against Florida Atlantic. Their sole loss in conference was against North Texas.

Lina Bernier earned C-USA Defensive Player of the Week (9/24), notching 39 digs against UAB and Marshall. Margherita Bianchin is the conference leader for triple doubles with two this season. FIU boasts an impressive 9-1 record at home this season, but has not been able to replicate that success on the road with only one victory and three losses.

FIU Series Info

The Miners hold a 3-2 series advantage over the Panthers. The last victory came at Memorial Gym during the 2016 season when five current players (Briana Arellano, Kylie Baumgartner, Macey Austin and Ashley Grzebeniak) all recorded double-digit kills.

Setting It Up

Freshman setter Kristen Fritsche has been the model of consistency for the Miners this year. She has amassed a team-leading 582 assists and 175 digs (second on squad).

Fritsche has earned seven double-doubles this season and has the second-most assists per set (9.07) by a freshman in Conference USA. She had a career match against San Diego State (9/15), when she recorded 54 assists and 11 digs and led the Miners to a 3-2 victory. The setter was an all-tournament selection for the Omaha Challenge and SDSU/USD Challenge.

Setting the Bar

Premier player Macey Austin has already left her mark on the 2018 season. Her 23-kill performance against UIW (Aug. 24) ranks fourth for kills during a single match in Conference USA (four sets). Austin has gotten off on the right foot, posting 15 double-digit kill performances. The outside hitter also ranks seventh in C-USA in kills (245).

Austin has stepped up her production on defense this season. She recorded 50 digs her sophomore season and 42 digs her freshman year. Austin has already surpassed those numbers with 112 on the year. Her skills in all facets of the game helped earn her a spot on the 2018 Borderland Invitational All-Tournament Team. She locked in 43 kills, 4.30 kills per set and 18 digs for the invitational.

Austin On Top

Junior outside hitter Macey Austin found a way to improve in almost every single statistical category during her sophomore campaign. She accumulated career highs in kills (359), total attempts (876), kills per set (3.65) and points (379.0).

Austin’s on the court success garnered her an All-Conference USA second team selection. She also finished ranked ninth in conference for kills last season.  The league announced near the beginning of the 2018 campaign that Austin was named to the 2018 C-USA Women’s Volleyball Preseason Team.

Serving The Community

Macey Austin’s excellence is not limited only to the court. For the second straight year Austin received the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal for maintaining a GPA of above a 3.75.

Austin has proven to be an incredible example of an all-around student-athlete, earning the C-USA Spirit of Service Award where she totaled 21.75 hours of community service. She contributed time with the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso, UTEP Volleyball Camp and the Game Change Volleyball Camps.

Miners At The Net

Mallory Yost leads the Miner defensive effort at the net in and total blocks (36) and is second on the team in blocks per set (0.82). Yost is not the only Miner protecting the net, Martine Kragholm pitches in a team-high eight solo blocks and ranks second on team with 34 total blocks.

Kristen Fritsche (27), Kylie Baumgartner (24), Cheyenne Jones (23), Serena Patterson (21) and Macey Austin (14) all contribute double-digit blocks to the Miners’ 112 total blocks as a team.

Baumgartner Making Her Mark

Kylie Baumgartner is looking to place her name in the UTEP record books by the end of her final season. Baumgartner ranks third all-time in total block assists (296). She needs six block assists to become second all-time.

Baumgartner is also poised to pass some major milestones in career total blocks. She only needs four total blocks to rate fifth all-time in program history. She is on pace to become only the second player in Miner history to have 300+ block assists and 400+ total blocks in a career. The middle blocker tallied a season-high eight total blocks against UTSA (9/30)

HUNTINGTON, W.V. – The UTEP volleyball team (3-14, 0-5), fell to Marshall (8-11, 2-4) in five sets (25-21,15-25, 25-19, 21-25, 6-15), 3-2, on Sunday afternoon at the Cam Henderson Center.

Three Miners had double-digit kills, Macey Austin (15), Serena Patterson (15) and Briana Arellano (12). Kristen Fritsche tallied a team-high 38 assists for the match. Briana Bustillos locked in 23 digs for the UTEP defense. Both Austin and Arellano recorded a double-double in kills and digs. Martine Kragholm dominated at the net with a match-high five total blocks.

The Miners leapt out to an early 4-0 lead in the first set. The advantage was short lived, as the Thundering Herd would tie things up. Both teams traded the lead back and forth several times. The difference came when the score was knotted up at 20-20, and UTEP tallied off a 5-1 run to capture the opening set, 25-21.

No team was able to manufacture any deciding momentum in the second set, until a 4-0 run by Marshall gave it a 16-10 lead. The Thundering Herd would not give up the advantage, as they took the set, 25-15.

Behind three straight kills by Arellano, the Miners took a 9-3 lead in the early stages of the third set. UTEP built on this early performance by creating a 19-11 advantage, due in large part because of the domination of Kragholm and Yost at the net. An Austin kill put the finishing touches on the set for UTEP, 25-19.

With Marshall backed up against the wall, it came out firing in the first part of the fourth set, 4-1. The Thundering Herd would build their lead to 18-9 on their home court. UTEP would string together a 4-0 run to cut the lead to four, 22-18. Despite the late rally by the Miners, the Thundering Herd claimed the set and forced a deciding fifth set, 25-21.

The pivotal fifth set was tied at 4-4 early on. Marshall would put together three straight points, forcing the Miners to use a timeout. The Thundering Herd would ride this wave of momentum all the way to set and match victory, 15-6.

Net Notes

• Third 20-plus-dig performance for Bustillos this season
•  The Miners are now 2-2 in five-set matches
• Up Next – The Miners will play Florida Atlantic (13-4, 4-1) on Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. MT at Memorial Gym. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for kids.

For more information about the team day program call the UTEP marketing department at (915) 747-6065.

The UTEP volleyball team (3-12, 0-3, CUSA) will be traveling east to battle UAB (9-8, 1-2 C-USA) and Marshall (8-10, 1-3 C-USA) on Friday and Sunday.

The Miners will first travel to Birmingham, Al., on Friday (6 p.m. MT) for their contest with UAB. Sunday will be another road competition for UTEP when they take on Marshall in Huntington W.V., (11 a.m. MT).

UAB Live Stats   |   UAB Live Stream   |  Marshall Live Stats   |   Marshall Live Stream

UAB SCOUTING REPORT
UAB is coming off its first home game win against Marshall to improve its record 1-2 in conference and 9-8 overall. Senior setter Shelby Holderfield had a career performance against Marshall, totaling 37 assists. The Blazers’ two conference losses come from the fourth (FIU) and fifth (Florida Atlantic) teams in C-USA.

Their middle blocker Victoria Young was named C-USA’s Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 10. That weekend she scored 41.5 points, averaged 1.46 blocks per set and 3.19 points per set. She also tied her career high in blocks and totaled 19 for the weekend.

SERIES INFO UAB
UAB and UTEP will be taking the court against each other for the 20th time since 2003. The Miners captured the first victory of the series during the 2003 campaign with a five-set thriller over the Blazers.

Since that first meeting, UAB has held the edge in the series with 13 victories. They also took the win in the last meeting, during conference play in 2017. The previous meeting at UAB, resulted in a Miner victory in five sets.

Macey Austin notched 18 kills as a freshman, and Sarah Villa locked in her spot in UTEP history with a 31-dig performance, becoming the 14th Miner to reach this milestone.
First Meeting: 09/06/2003 UTEP – 3 UAB – 2
Last Meeting: 10/24/2017 UTEP – 1 UAB – 3

MARSHALL SCOUTING REPORT
The Thundering Herd registered their first conference win on the road against LA Tech improving to 1-3 in conference play and 8-10 overall. Marshall holds some conference highs with the highest team attacks per set in conference (37.42). Ciara DeBell has the highest attacks per set (12.18), kills per set (4.38) and points per set (4.96) in the league.

Amber Weber and Gabrielle Coulter have both earned C-USA Players of the Week Honors this season. Weber earned Defensive Player of the Week and Coulter Freshman of the Week on Sept. 17th.

SERIES INFO MARSHALL
UTEP has secured seven victories over the Thundering Herd since 1997. The Miners have two victories bookending this series. The first meeting and last were both five-set wins over Marshall. Kylie Baumgartner tallied six total blocks with nine kills and a .381 hitting percentage in the 2017 victory.
First Meeting: 09/05/1997 UTEP – 3 Marshall – 2
Last Meeting: 11/08/2017 UTEP – 3 Marshall – 2

SETTING IT UP
Freshman setter Kristen Fritsche has been the model of consistency for the Miners this year. She has amassed a team-leading 517 assists and 162 digs (second on squad).

Fritsche has earned seven double-doubles this season and has the second-most assists per set (9.07) by a freshman in Conference USA. She had a career match against San Diego State (9/15), when she recorded 54 assists and 11 digs and led the Miners to a 3-2, victory. The setter was an all-tournament selection for the Omaha Challenge and SDSU/USD Challenge.

SETTING THE BAR
Premier player Macey Austin has already left her mark on the 2018 season. Her 23-kill performance against UIW (Aug. 24) ranks fourth for kills during a single match in Conference USA (four sets). Austin has gotten off on the right foot, posting 13 double-digit kill performances. The outside hitter also ranks sixth in C-USA in kills (201).

Austin has stepped up her production on defense this season. She recorded 50 digs her sophomore season and 42 digs her freshman year. Austin has already surpassed those numbers with 95 on the year. Her skills in all facets of the game helped earn her a spot on the 2018 Borderland Invitational All-Tournament Team. She locked in 43 kills, 4.30 kills per set and 18 digs for the invitational.

AUSTIN ON TOP
Junior outside hitter Macey Austin found a way to improve in almost every single statistical category during her sophomore campaign. She accumulated career highs in kills (359), total attempts (876), kills per set (3.65) and points (379.0).

Austin’s on the court success garnered her an All-Conference USA second team selection. She also finished ranked ninth in conference for kills last season. The league announced near the beginning of the 2018 campaign that Austin was named to the 2018 C-USA Women’s Volleyball Preseason Team.

SERVING THE COMMUNITY
Macey Austin’s excellence is not limited only to the court. For the second straight year Austin received the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal for maintaining a GPA of above a 3.75.

Austin has proven to be an incredible example of an all-around student-athlete, earning the C-USA Spirit of Service Award where she totaled 21.75 hours of community service. She contributed time with the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso, UTEP Volleyball Camp and the Game Change Volleyball Camps.

MINERS AT THE NET
Mallory Yost leads the Miner defensive effort at the net in and total blocks (34) and is second on the team in blocks per set (0.89).

Yost is not the only Miner protecting the net, Martine Kragholm pitches in a team-high tying six solo blocks (Yost-six) and ranks second on team with 28 total blocks. Kristen Fritsche (24), Kylie Baumgartner (23), Cheyenne Jones (22), Serena Patterson (18) and Macey Austin (13) all contribute double-digit blocks to the Miners’ 98 total blocks as a team.

BAUMGARTNER MAKING HER MARK
Kylie Baumgartner is looking to place her name in the UTEP record books by the end of her final season. Baumgartner ranks third all-time in total block assists (295). She needs two block assists to surpass former teammate Lindsey Larson for sixth all-time.

Baumgartner is also poised to pass some major milestones in career total blocks. She only needs five total blocks to rate fifth all-time in program history. She is on pace to become only the second player in Miner history to have 300+ block assists and 400+ total blocks in a career. The middle blocker tallied a season-high eight total blocks against UTSA (9/30).

2018 SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
The 2018 UTEP volleyball schedule features nine home matches, including seven in the Sun City against Conference USA opponents. The Miners will also host the 2017 Conference USA postseason champion WKU.

UTEP will return home after a conference road trip to Birmingham, Ala., and Huntington, W.V., on October 12th to take on Florida Atlantic.

ACADEMIC CULTURE
UTEP head coach Holly Watts’s hard work on the court and in the classroom culture that she has instilled in her team yielded 12 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll recipients. These students maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better last season.

Among these honor roll students Macey Austin and Cheyenne Jones were also honored with securing Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medals for maintaining a GPA of 3.75 or better. Due to the team’s stellar academic performance in the classroom they were honored as a recipient of the AVCA team academic award.

LIBERO TIME
Sophomore transfer Briana Bustillos has led the way for the Miner defense this season. She has tallied the most digs (207) on the team and rates eighth in conference, which has helped solidify her spot as the premier libero on the squad.

Her career high in digs (29) came against UTSA (9/30). Bustillos has 11 double-digit dig performances on the year.

NEW FACES
The Miners add eight new faces to the UTEP family this season. These new Miners come from a variety of different parts of the world from junior transfer Erika Sianez (El Paso native) to Martine Kragholm (Kristiansand, Norway).

Freshmen Kenidy Howard, Alex Torres and Serena Patterson are all from the Lone Star State. El Paso native Briana Bustillos brings in college playing experience as a junior transfer from the New Mexico Military Institute.

She helped the Broncos to a third place finish in the 2017 NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championship. Two new setters round out the roster for the Miners. They are Hayley Meshay from Phoenix, Ariz. and Kristen Fritsche from Torrance, Calif.

INTERNATIONAL MINERS
Senior Ashley Grzebeniak and junior Niki Cebak represent the great nation of Canada. They combined for 458 digs during the 2017 season and played in 188 sets. They are now joined by another international player, Martine Kragholm of Kristiansand, Norway.

Kragholm will be called upon to contribute quickly, and is a four-time Norwegian Youth National Championship gold-medalist with Kristiansand Sand Volleyball Klubb.

The 5,169 miles is a long way from home for the talented middle blocker, but Grzebeniak and Cebak will surely show her the ropes to help acclimate her to life in the Sun City.

The UTEP volleyball team (3-12, 0-3) fell to Conference USA front-runner UTSA (11-5, 3-1) in five sets (14-25, 26-28, 25-19, 25-19, 12-15), 3-2, on Sunday afternoon at Memorial Gym.

Libero Briana Bustillos was the anchor defensively for the Miners, locking in a career-high 29 digs. Senior Kylie Baumgartner dominated at the net with eight total blocks, and also provided seven kills. Team-captain Briana Arellano was all over the court with a double-double in kills (14) and digs (14).

Macey Austin and Serena Patterson both added double-digit kills. Freshman Kristen Fritsche led UTEP in assists (29), while Hayley Meshay posted her best performance of the season with 15 assists and five kills on a 1.000 hitting percentage.

In the first set, UTSA raced out to a 12-5 lead and never relinquished the advantage. The Roadrunners took the set, 25-14.

The second set was back-and-forth until UTEP took a 20-16 lead. The Miners held that lead and forced set point, 24-19, keeping UTSA on its heels. The Roadrunners, with their backs against the wall, put together a 9-2 run that earned them the set victory, 28-26.

The Miners found themselves once again with set point, 24-18. This time UTEP would not let this one go and earned the set, 25-19, off a sneaky kill from Meshay.

With the score tied at 8-8, UTEP went on a 3-0 run that helped give it space against the Roadrunners. That space helped the Miners balloon their advantage six points on the way to forcing a deciding fifth set, 25-19.

UTSA started out strong in the pivotal fifth set with a 4-0 run. Despite UTEP battling back to tie the set, that early run positioned the Roadrunners to match victory when they captured the set, 15-12.

Watts’s Thoughts

“I think you saw flashes of some really good play. Always our goal is to be more consistent. To be down 0-2 and make it go to five (sets) is a great testament to their willingness to battle.”

Net Notes

• Kylie Baumgartner is now third all-time in block assists (295), and sixth all-time in total blocks (336)
• Hayley Meshay recorded career highs in kills (five) and assists (15)
• Briana Bustillos locked in a career high in digs (29)

The UTEP volleyball team (3-11, 0-2), fell to Southern Miss (7-8, 1-1) in four sets, 3-1, on Sunday afternoon at Memorial gym.

Senior Kylie Baumgartner led the way for the Miners with nine kills and a season-high five total blocks. Macey Austin recorded the most kills for UTEP (10), while Kristen Fritsche added 35 assists to the offensive effort.

In the first set, the Golden Eagles jumped out to a quick start with a 10-6 lead forcing a UTEP timeout. The Miners could not recover from the deficit as the Southern Miss lead ballooned to as much as nine points on its way to a 25-18 set victory.

Baumgartner and Jones got the action started for UTEP with two well-placed kills. USM would respond with a 12-6 run that forced a Miner timeout. UTEP stayed within striking distance, but could not regain the momentum to take back the lead. The Golden Eagles took the set, 25-22.

The Miners raced out to a 15-5 advantage, with Baumgartner and Austin both providing great play at the net. USM attempted to claw their way back into the set, but UTEP and the home crowd closed the door with a kill from Baumgartner, 25-21.

The fourth set proved to be a back and forth affair, with each team responding to one another. The Golden Eagles held a 14-12 lead, midway through the set. USM would then put together a 6-2 run putting them up, 20-14.

UTEP made a last ditch effort to stay alive in the match, but Southern Miss claimed their first conference victory of the season 25-21.

NetNotes
Kylie Baumgartner, is now two block assists away from becoming sixth all time in program history (287)

Baumgartner’s 328 total blocks is now three away from fifth all-time

Up Next
The Miners will play UTSA on Sept. 30 at 12 p.m. MT for their second home-conference match of the season at Memorial Gym. Tickets       are $5 for adults and $3 for kids.

For more information about the team day program call the UTEP marketing department at (915) 747-6065

HOUSTON – The UTEP volleyball team (3-10, 0-1) lost in three sets against Rice (10-4, 1-0) in the first match of conference play in Houston on Friday evening.

Early in the first set the Miners leaned on Briana Bustillos who contributed a service ace and Cheyenne Jones who locked in a kill off an assist from Kristen Fritsche to keep the Owl lead within striking distance at 5-3.

Rice would take control with an 11-3 run that allowed it a comfortable path to victory in the first set, 25-14. Macey Austin, Martine Kragholm and Jones all produced three kills each in the set, with Fritsche distributing the ball notching 11 assists.

It was a historic first couple of points for UTEP in the second set. Senior Kylie Baumgartner added two blocks to her career total (323), which now places her seventh all-time in total blocks in program history.

The Miners were at a two point disadvantage, 8-6, in the early stages of the set. The Owls 4-0 run created separation between the teams, and despite a 3-0 push by the Orange and Blue, Rice took the set, 25-18.

The Miners were within one point, 7-6, when Rice pulled together an 8-0 run capping off an efficient .517 hitting percentage performance for the night. UTEP failed to recover and the Owls took the set, 25-14, and the match in a sweep.

UTEP will host its first match of conference play at Memorial Gym versus Southern Miss (6-7) on Sunday (12 p.m. MT). Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for kids. For more information about the team day program call the UTEP marketing department at (915) 747-6065.

NetNotes
Kylie Baumgartner notched two block assists for the match moving her career block assist total to 284. She is now five away from becoming sixth all-time in program history

RIVERSIDE, Ca. – The UTEP volleyball team (3-9) split the final day of its Golden State road trip with a thrilling five-set victory over San Diego State (1-10) and a loss to California Baptist (9-3), 3-1, Saturday.

Match One
In the opening set UTEP began by distributing the ball, with five different Miners recording a kill in the first 12 points of the match. The Aztecs would string together six straight points, but UTEP would answer with its own run to get within one point, 18-17. The two teams would trade punches until the score was knotted up at 24-24. SDSU would seize the set, scoring the next two points.

An early 5-0 run in the second set by UTEP forced an Aztec timeout. SDSU would put together an answer in the form of a 4-0 run to make the score 10-8. Austin, late in the set, tallied back-to-back kills to tie the score at 21-21. The final points of the set were dominated by Jones and Austin, who combined for five kills to earn victory for the Miners, 25-23.

The Miners started out on fire in the third set behind service aces from Bustillos and Austin to form a Miner lead of 5-1. SDSU would force a timeout by UTEP when it gained control of the set, 12-11, after a 5-0 run.

Back and forth action would ensue and with the score tied, 26-26, for the second time in the match, Jones produced her third ace of the set and secured the victory for UTEP in the set.

The Aztecs raced out to a 15-8 advantage in the fourth set. The Miners chipped away at the lead, forcing an Aztec timeout with the score, 18-16. There was stellar play from Austin, who notched her 18th kill of the match in the set. SDSU locked in its focus and ended up taking control of the final stages of the game to force a fifth set, 25-19.

With the Orange and Blue leading the deciding fifth set, 11-7, SDSU made a push to cut the lead to one point. Briana Arellano halted the home-team momentum with a kill. Jones capped off her career performance, notching her 17th kill of the match as UTEP claimed victory, 15-13.

Watts’s Thoughts
“Every person contributed, whether from the court or from the bench. San Diego State pushed us and we responded well.”

Net Notes

• Cheyenne Jones recorded a career-high 17 kills
• Kristen Fritsche locked in her first 50+ assist performance (54)
• UTEP is now 2-0 in five-set matches this season
• This is the second victory over SDSU in program history
• First victory on an opponent’s home court since November 6, 2016 (FAU)
• Austin and Fritsche both named to SDSU Challenge All-Tournament Team

Match Two
UTEP was led by Macey Austin, who notched 13 kills for the Miners. Senior Ashley Grzebeniak and Martine Kragholm both added eight kills. Briana Bustillos paced UTEP with a career-high 22 digs and Mallory Yost posted three blocks. Kristen Fritsche locked in 37 assists for the Orange and Blue.

The Lancers jump out to a 6-1 lead in the first set and did not look back. Despite efforts from Cheyenne Jones, with three kills and a pair of blocks, CBU took the first set 25-11.

The second set was dominated by Grzebeniak, when she posted six kills and two blocks in the set. UTEP rode that momentum all the way to a set victory (25-19), evening up the set count at 1-1.

The Lancers came out firing to a 7-4 lead, forcing a UTEP timeout behind some efficient offense. CBU would then balloon the lead to 17-8, and seize the set 25-14.

The fourth set was tied at 3-3 but the Lancers went on a 5-0 run to gain the momentum. The Miners would stay within striking distance, but ultimately fell to CBU, 25-18, losing the set and match.

Watts’s Thoughts
“Ali (Vidali) and Ashley (Grzebeniak) went in there and did a really nice job for us. Our middle (blockers) Martine (Kragholm) and Mallory (Yost) also played great at the net. We are looking forward to starting Conference USA play with a clean slate. All of our goals are still ahead of us.”

Net Notes

Grzebeniak’s eight kills was a season high

Up Next
UTEP Volleyball will open up conference play at Rice (9-4), on Thursday (5 p.m. MT), before coming back home to take on Southern Miss (6-7), on Sunday, Sept. 23 (12 p.m. MT). Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for kids. For more information about the team day program call the UTEP marketing department at (915) 747-6065.

SAN DIEGO, Ca. – The UTEP volleyball team (2-8) fell in three sets against Oregon State (7-2) in the first match of the SDSU Challenge Friday afternoon.

Macey Austin posted a match-high 16 kills with 5.33 kills per set. Kristen Fritsche locked in 25 assists and seven digs for the Miners. Libero Briana Bustillos posted 11 digs and Cheyenne Jones added three total blocks for the UTEP defense.

In the first set there were 13 ties between the two teams. Austin propelled the Miners with six kills in the set on a .500 hitting percentage. With the score knotted up at 22-22, the Beavers ran away with the final three points of the set.

The second set was captured behind an Oregon State 9-4 run that UTEP could not recover from. The Miners battled but could not close the gap, losing the set 25-18.

The third set was started by some stellar play at the net with Maddie Morgan and Jones assisting on a couple of blocks for UTEP. What ensued was a back and forth affair resulting in a 12-12 score. OSU tallied a 10-3 run, and then put the set away, 25-17, to capture the match.

Net Notes

Watts’s Thoughts

“We competed today against a tough Oregon State team. It was another match where our aggressive serving gave us chances to score. We need to be more consistent with our passing to have all of our offensive options.”

• Austin has now improved her kills per set this season to 4.14, and recorded the 2000^th attack attempt of her career
• Bustillos notched the eighth double-digit dig performance of the season
• Martine Kragholm recorded the 20^th block of her career
• Mallory Yost now has 25 blocks on the season

UTEP will take on host school San Diego State Saturday morning (10 a.m. MT) in the second match of the SDSU Challenge. The Miners will then travel to Riverside, Calif., to play California Baptist later that evening (8 p.m. MT) for the final match of the road trip.

The UTEP volleyball team will compete in two matches in the SDSU/USD Challenge on Friday and Saturday morning, and then it will hit the road to Riverside, Ca, to play California Baptist (8 p.m. MT).

The Miners will travel to San Diego for the first match of the weekend against Oregon State on Friday at 1 p.m. MT. The following day UTEP will take on host-school San Diego State at 10 a.m. MT.

The Orange and Blue will finish off the weekend traveling north up I-15 to Riverside, Ca, for a match against California Baptist on Saturday.

Live Stats SDSU/USD Challenge   |   Live Stream California Baptist   |   Live Stats California Baptist

OREGON STATE SCOUTING REPORT

Following the K-State Invitational, Oregon State has racked up a 6-2 record for the season. The Beavers are coming off of a strong offensive performance with a win over North Texas notching 50 kills and a .361 hitting percentage. Maddie Goings has a team-high 121 kills and Grace Massey leads the squad in digs (151).

OREGON STATE SERIES INFO

The Miners first and only meeting with the Beavers took place during the 1997 season at the Wyoming Classic where the Miners fell to Oregon State in four sets. UTEP will look to even up the series this weekend at the SDSU Challenge.

First Meeting: 09/12/1997 UTEP 1 SDSU 3

SAN DIEGO STATE SCOUTING REPORT

The Aztecs head into the weekend’s challenge on a seven-loss streak (1-8) after a loss to Hawai’i, with their sole win this season against Seattle (8/25). Ashlyn Dunbar boasts a team-best 126 kills this season, while Sam McGrath leads the team in digs (100).

SAN DIEGO STATE SERIES INFO

The Aztecs and the Miners have squared off 13 times since 1991, when the two teams were members of the WAC. The last time UTEP was victorious against SDSU was in the 1998 season when the Orange and Blue won a thrilling five-set match.

First Meeting: 10/18/1991 UTEP 0 SDSU 3

Last Meeting:  09/13/2008 UTEP 2 SDSU 3

CALIFORNIA BAPTIST SCOUTING REPORT

The California Baptist Lancers have entered Division 1 for the first time in program history with a record of 7-3. Two weeks into their induction to the Western Athletic Conference, Nicole Abreu was named the WAC Defender of the Week. Abreu ranks fifth in the WAC in digs per set (4.19) with a season-high 20 versus American University.

CALIFORNIA BAPTIST SERIES INFO

This will be the opening match in the UTEP versus California Baptist series.

Setting It Up

Freshman setter Kristen Fritsche has been the model of consistency for the Miners this year. She has amassed a team-leading 316 assists and 112 digs (second on squad). Fritsche has earned six double-doubles this season and has the most assists per set (9.58) by a freshman in Conference USA.

She had a career match against UIC (8/31), when she recorded 46 assists and 27 digs. She was an All-Tournament selection for the Omaha Challenge, where she totaled 108 assists and 48 digs for the weekend.

Libero Time

Sophomore transfer Briana Bustillos has led the way for the Miner defense this season She has tallied the most digs (114) on the team, which has helped her solidify her spot as the premier libero on the squad. Her career high in digs (18) came against UMKC (8/31). Bustillos has seven double-digit dig performances on the year, with the last coming against Montana (9/8).

Miners At The Net

Mallory Yost leads the Miner defensive effort at the net with 24 total blocks ranking 10th in Conference USA. The sophomore also rates seventh in conference in blocks per set (1.00). Yost is not the only Miner protecting the net, Martine Kragholm pitches in a team-high six solo blocks and ranks second on team with 19 total blocks.

Serena Patterson (12), Cheyenne Jones (11) and Kristen Fritsche (10) all contribute double-digit blocks to the Miners 56 total blocks as a team.

2018 Schedule Breakdown

The 2018 UTEP volleyball schedule features nine home matches, including seven in the Sun City against Conference USA opponents. The Miners will also host the 2017 Conference USA postseason champion WKU.

Before conference play begins, the team will be traveling to places from the bayou of New Orleans, La., to the beaches of San Diego.

The Miner C-USA schedule will prove to be a battle every night. The Miners open conference play versus Rice (Sept. 21). The Owls are currently third in conference (6-3) and boast a victory over South Carolina. UTSA leads the conference (7-3) and is coming off of a big win over Houston. UTEP will play the Roadrunners Sept. 30 at Memorial Gym.

Academic Culture

UTEP head coach Holly Watts’s hard work on the court and in the classroom culture that she has instilled in her team yielded 12 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll recipients. These students maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better last season.

Among these honor roll students Macey Austin and Cheyenne Jones were also honored with securing Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medals for maintaining a GPA of 3.75 or better. Due to the team’s stellar academic performance in the classroom they were honored as a recipient of the AVCA team academic award.

New Faces

The Miners add eight new faces to the UTEP family this season. These new Miners come from a variety of different parts of the world from junior transfer Erika Sianez (El Paso native) to Martine Kragholm (Kristiansand, Norway). Freshmen Kenidy Howard, Alex Torres and Serena Patterson are all from the Lone Star State.

El Paso native Briana Bustillos brings in college playing experience as a junior transfer from the New Mexico Military Institute. She helped the Broncos to a third place finish in the 2017 NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championship. Two new setters round out the roster for the Miners. They are Hayley Meshay from Phoenix, Ariz. and Kristen Fritsche from Torrance, Calif.

Home Sweet Home

UTEP recorded all six of its victories in Memorial Gym during the 2017 season. The home crowd atmosphere boosted the Miner team to some of their best performances of the campaign, including an upset win over Rice (9/22) in a five-set thriller where All-Conference USA performer Macey Austin had a career-high 27 kills.

Setting the Bar

Premier player Macey Austin has already left her mark on the 2018 season. Her 23-kill performance against UIW (Aug. 24) ranks third for kills during a single match in Conference USA. Austin has gotten off on the right foot posting two double-digit kill performances. She also ranks sixth in C-USA in kills (43).

Austin has also stepped up her production on defense this season. She recorded 50 digs her sophomore season and 42 digs her freshman year. Austin has already surpassed those numbers with 76 on the year and 2.30 digs per set. Her skills in all facets of the game helped earn her a spot on the 2018 All-Tournament Team for the Borderland Invitational, when she locked in 43 kills, 4.30 kills per set and 18 digs for the Invitational.

Austin On Top

Junior outside hitter Macey Austin found a way to improve in almost every single statistical category during her sophomore campaign. She accumulated career highs in kills (359), total attempts (876), kills per set (3.65) and points (379.0).

Austin’s on the court success garnered her an All-Conference USA second-team selection. She also finished ranked ninth in conference for kills last season.  The league announced near the beginning of the 2018 campaign that Austin was named to the 2018 C-USA Women’s Volleyball Preseason Team.

Serving The Community

Macey Austin’s excellence is not limited only to the court. For the second straight year Austin received the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal for maintaining a GPA of above a 3.75. Austin has proven to be an incredible example of an all-around student-athlete, earning the C-USA Spirit of Service Award where she totaled 21.75 hours of community service.

She contributed time with the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso, UTEP Volleyball Camp and the Game Change Volleyball Camps.

Baumgartner Making Her Mark

Kylie Baumgartner is looking to place her name in the UTEP record books by the end of her final season. Baumgartner ranks seventh all-time in total block assists (282). She needs seven block assists to surpass former teammate Lindsey Larson for sixth all-time.

Baumgartner is also poised to pass some major milestones in career total blocks. She only needs two total blocks to rate seventh all-time in program history. She is on pace to become only the second player in Miner history to have 300+ block assists and 400+ total blocks in a career.

International Miners

Senior Ashley Grzebeniak and junior Niki Cebak represent the great nation of Canada. They combined for 458 digs during the 2017 season and played in 188 sets. They are now joined by another international player, Martine Kragholm of Kristiansand, Norway.

Kragholm will be called upon to contribute quickly, and is a four-time Norwegian Youth National Championship gold-medalist with Kristiansand Sand Volleyball Klubb. The 5,169 miles is a long way from home for the talented middle blocker, but Grzebeniak and Cebak will surely show her the ropes to help acclimate her to life in the Sun City.

The UTEP volleyball team (2-7) dropped a match to NM State (8-2) in three sets on Sunday afternoon at Memorial Gym.

Senior Maddie Morgan led the way for the Miners with nine kills and a scorching .643 hitting percentage. Macey Austin and Cheyenne Jones both chipped in seven kills for UTEP.

Kristen Fritsche notched a career-high three blocks and Martine Kragholm, Jones and Morgan all added two blocks each.

The first set was quick work for the Aggies. They jumped out to a 12-3 advantage and never looked back, taking the set 25-11.

In the second set the Miners’ effort on the court gave them a 20-15 lead, which was motivated by the incredible homecourt crowd in Memorial Gym.

The Aggies would string together a 6-1 run, tying the set at 21-21. NM State would get the better of the Miners and finish off the set, 25-22.

The third set was a back and forth affair, having six ties between the teams. UTEP fought back, being led by back-to-back kills from Morgan to cut into the 20-18 Aggie lead.

NM State outscored the Miners 5-2 in the final points to capture the match in three sets over the Orange and Blue.

Net Notes

• Morgan set season highs in kills (nine), hitting percentage (.643) and blocks (two)

The UTEP volleyball team (2-6) dropped a match to Montana (2-7) in three sets on Saturday morning at Memorial Gym.

Macey Austin’s 16 kills led the way for the Miners in their 2018 home opener. Mallory Yost posted eight kills and notched an impressive .444 hitting percentage. Martine Kragholm and Cheyenne Jones both added four blocks to the Miner effort, as well as Yost pitching in three of her own. Kristen Fritsche had a match-high 34 assists.

The Grizzlies got off to a hot start, scoring the first five points of the first set. UTEP would tie things up at 12-12 after a kill by Austin. Back and forth action would ensue between the teams, with both jockeying for winning position. The Miners stayed within one point, facing set point, 24-23, but Montana would capture the set.

After 11 ties in the second set and the score knotted up at 23-23 the Grizzlies took control, seizing the final two points of the set.

With UTEP’s back against the wall it raced out to a 6-1 advantage. Montana would battle back to tie the set at 13-13. The Grizzlies then held match point, 24-20, over the Miners. Yost with a kill kept UTEP’s hopes alive and sparked a 4-0 run to tie the set again at 24-24. After facing match point on six occasions, the Miners finally fell, 28-26, and the Grizzlies completed the sweep.

Watts’s Thoughts
“There was great fight by our team today,” head coach Holly Watts said. “We got down a couple times and had a hard time digging ourselves back out of the hole. We had some great production out of Mallory Yost in the middle.

Macey (Austin) had another great game, hitting double-digits in kills. We can certainly do a better job blocking and playing defense. We have to brush this one off and be ready for New Mexico State on Sunday.”

Net Notes

• Martine Kragholm matched her career high with four blocks

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The UTEP volleyball team (2-5) fell in four sets, 3-1, against undefeated Arizona (8-0) in the first match of the Borderland Invitational Friday evening.

Outside hitter Macey Austin led the attack for the Miners, with a match-high 20 kills and a blistering .378 hitting percentage. Cheyenne Jones followed Austin’s lead, adding 15 kills of her own to the Miner effort.

Freshman-standout Kristen Fritsche provided 45 assists and 14 digs, locking in her sixth double-double of the season. Defensively UTEP was captained by Mallory Yost and Jones, who secured two blocks each. Libero Briana Bustillos tallied a team-high 16 assists.

Early on in the first set freshman Martine Kragholm provided a spark for the Miners, when she managed back-to-back aces to give UTEP an 11-10 advantage. Austin’s four kills in the set helped the Orange and Blue tie the score at 15-15. The Wildcats would take control of the set, and finish things off for the game victory, 25-21.

The Miners jumped out to an 11-5 lead in the second set, forcing Arizona to take two timeouts early. The Wildcats bounced back to get within one point, but one of Jones’s five kills in the set helped UTEP maintain the edge at 18-16. Arizona would tie things up at 23-23, and the two teams traded blows back and forth until the Wildcats came out on top, 28-26, for the two-set advantage in the match.

The third set showed 10 ties between the Miners and Wildcats. With the score knotted up at 16-16 UTEP tallied a 3-0 run highlighted by back-to-back kills from Austin. The push forced Arizona to take a timeout and UTEP never looked back, seizing the set, 25-20, and staying alive in the match 2-1.

In the early stages of the fourth set both teams battled for position. A powerful kill by Austin put the Miners up 10-8, forcing a Wildcat timeout. The momentum switched over to the Arizona side when it put together its own 4-0 run. Yost provided one of her five kills in the match at a crucial moment when she tied the set up at 18-18. Arizona would take control of the final points of the match, forcing a timeout from UTEP facing match point 24-21.

UTEP strung together a pair of points cutting into the lead, but the Wildcats came out on top, 25-23, capturing the match victory.

Up Next
UTEP comes back home to Memorial Gym Saturday at 11 a.m. against Montana (1-6) for the second match of the Borderland Invitational. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for kids. For more information about the team day program call the UTEP marketing department at (915) 747-6065.

Net Notes

• This is the third match this season where Austin recorded 20 or more kills in a match
• Fritsche’s 45 assists is the second most of her career
• Jones recorded a career high in kills (15)
• Kragholm notched a career-high three aces

The UTEP volleyball team will co-host the Borderland Invitational with NM State from Friday through Sunday.

The Miners will travel to Las Cruces for the first match of the weekend against Arizona Friday evening (4 p.m. MT). The following day UTEP will head back home for its first home match of the season versus Montana Saturday afternoon (11 a.m. MT).

The Orange and Blue will finish off the Borderland Invitational Sunday (1 p.m. MT) against FirstLight Federal Credit Union Battle of I-10 rival NM State under the lights of Memorial Gym.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for kids. For more information about the team day program call the UTEP marketing department at (915) 747-6065.

Live Stats: Live Stats    |   Live Stream Home Matches

Looking Back

The last time UTEP hit the court was when it participated in the Omaha Challenge in Omaha, Neb., for a three-match slate. The Miners opened up with a win over UIC (3-2). The match was highlighted by performances from junior outside hitter Macey Austin and freshman Kristen Fritsche.

Austin notched 23 kills and a career-high 14 digs. Fritsche continued her impressive collegiate career, recording career highs in assists (46) and digs (27). Omaha native Mallory Yost dominated at the net with 10 total blocks that helped boost UTEP to victory. The Miners went on to drop two tightly-contested matches to finish out the weekend in Omaha, Neb.

Arizona Scouting Report

The Arizona Wildcats are coming off of a six-match winning streak with an overall 6-0 record this season. Arizona swept the Cactus Classic against Lipscomb, San Diego State and Pacific. The Wildcats have only lost three sets so far. Kendra Dahlke leads the team and Pac-12 in kills (121), Devyn Cross has a team-best 21 blocks. Julia Patterson heads the team in assists (238) with 11 assists per set.

Arizona Series Info

The Miners and Wildcats have squared off eight times since 1975. UTEP swept Arizona in the first match between the two during the 1975 season. The last meeting between the teams occurred at the University of Arizona Invitational in the 2009 season. UTEP holds a 3-5 all-time record versus the Wildcats.

First Meeting: 10/17/1975 UTEP – 2 Arizona – 0

Last Meeting: 09/20/2009 UTEP – 0 Arizona – 3

Montana Scouting Report

After a winless start the Grizzlies edged out a 3-2 victory over Gonzaga.  Mykaela Hammer leads the team in kills (58) and blocks (18). Ashley Watkins is the premier setter with 231 assists and 10 assists per set.

Montana Series Info

Montana has bested the Miners in all three matches. Their first match came in the 1983 season as part of the UNM Invitational. Last season, UTEP and Montana hit the court in the opening match of the year for both programs.

First Meeting: 09/17/1983 UTEP – 0 Montana – 3

Last Meeting: 08/25/2017 UTEP – 1 Montana – 3

NM State Scouting Report

NM State is looking to continue its two-match win streak at the Borderland Invitational. The Aggies are coming off of a 3-0 sweep over in-state rival New Mexico. Ashley Anselmo holds a team-best 22 blocks. Savannah Davidson leads the team in kills (72).

NM State Series Info

The I-10 rivalry is the most storied series in UTEP volleyball history. The teams have competed 85 times since 1974, with the Orange and Blue being victorious on 22 occasions. The first match between the Miners and Aggies resulted in victory for UTEP at the Sul Ross State Invitational. NM State has been a part of UTEP’s schedule every year since the beginning of the program’s history.

First Meeting: 10/04/1974 UTEP – 2 NM State – 1

Last Meeting: 09/19/2017 UTEP – 0 NM State – 3

Setting it Up

Freshman setter Kristen Fritsche has been the model of consistency for the Miners this season. She has amassed a team-leading 215 assists and 83 digs. Fritsche has earned five double-doubles this season, and has the second-most assists (215) by a true freshman in Conference USA. She had a career match against UIC (8/31), when she recorded 46 assists and 27 digs.

Libero Time

Sophomore transfer Briana Bustillos has led the way for the Miner defense this season She has tallied the second-most digs (81) on the team, which has helped her solidify her spot as the premier libero on the squad.

2018 Schedule Breakdown

The 2018 UTEP volleyball schedule features nine home matches, including seven in the Sun City against Conference USA opponents. The Miners will also host the 2017 Conference USA postseason champion WKU.

Before conference play begins, the team will be traveling to places from the bayou of New Orleans, La., to the beaches of San Diego, Calif. UTEP was on the road for three weeks before returning home to open versus Montana (Sept. 8) in the Borderland Invitational.

The Miners will be West Coast bound the following week when they head to San Diego, Calif., to participate in the SDSU/USD Challenge, playing against Oregon State and San Diego State. Following the match versus the Aztecs there will be a quick trip to Riverside, Calif., to play California Baptist and round out pre-conference play.

The Miner C-USA schedule will prove to be a battle every night. Six teams are coming off winning records, and WKU represented the conference in the NCAA Volleyball Championship tournament in 2017.

Academic Culture

UTEP head coach Holly Watts’s hard work on the court and in the classroom culture that she has instilled in her team yielded 12 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll recipients. These students maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better last season.

Among these honor roll students Macey Austin and Cheyenne Jones were also honored with securing Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medals for maintaining a GPA of 3.75 or better. Due to the team’s stellar academic performance in the classroom they were honored as a recipient of the AVCA team academic award.

New Faces

The Miners add eight new faces to the UTEP family this season. These new Miners come from a variety of different parts of the world from junior transfer Erika Sianez (El Paso native) to Martine Kragholm (Kristiansand, Norway). Freshmen Kenidy Howard, Alex Torres and Serena Patterson are all from the Lone Star State.

El Paso native Briana Bustillos brings in college playing experience as a junior transfer from the New Mexico Military Institute. She helped the Broncos to a third place finish in the 2017 NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championship. Two new setters round out the roster for the Miners. They are Hayley Meshay from Phoenix, Az. and Kristen Fritsche from Torrance, Ca.

Home Sweet Home

UTEP recorded all six of its victories in Memorial Gym during the 2017 season. The home crowd atmosphere boosted the Miner team to some of their best performances of the campaign, including an upset win over Rice (9/22) in a five-set thriller where All-Conference USA performer Macey Austin had a career-high 27 kills.

Setting The Bar

Premier player Macey Austin has already left her mark on the 2018 season. Her 23-kill performance against UIW (Aug. 24) ranks third for kills during a single match in Conference USA. Austin has gotten off on the right foot posting two double-digit kill performances. She also ranks sixth in C-USA in kills (43).

Austin On Top

Junior outside hitter Macey Austin found a way to improve in almost every single statistical category during her sophomore campaign. She accumulated career highs in kills (359), total attempts (876), kills per set (3.65) and points (379.0). Austin’s on the court success garnered her an All-Conference USA second-team selection.

She also finished ranked ninth in conference for kills last season.  The league announced near the beginning of the 2018 campaign that Austin was named to the 2018 C-USA Women’s Volleyball Preseason Team.

Serving the Community

Macey Austin’s excellence is not limited only to the court. For the second straight year Austin received the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal for maintaining a GPA of above a 3.75.

Austin has proven to be an incredible example of an all-around student-athlete, earning the C-USA Spirit of Service Award where she totaled 21.75 hours of community service. She contributed time with the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso, UTEP Volleyball Camp and the Game Change Volleyball Camps.

Baumgartner Making Her Mark

Kylie Baumgartner is looking to place her name in the UTEP record books by the end of her final season. Baumgartner ranks seventh all-time in total block assists (282). She needs seven block assists to surpass former teammate Lindsey Larson for sixth all-time.

Baumgartner is also poised to pass some major milestones in career total blocks. She only needs two total blocks to rate seventh all-time in program history. She is on pace to become only the second player in Miner history to have 300+ block assists and 400+ total blocks in a career.

International Miners

Senior Ashley Grzebeniak and junior Niki Cebak represent the great nation of Canada. They combined for 458 digs during the 2017 season and played in 188 sets. They are now joined by another international player, Martine Kragholm of Kristiansand, Norway.

Kragholm will be called upon to contribute quickly, and is a four-time Norwegian Youth National Championship gold-medalist with Kristiansand Sand Volleyball Klubb. The 5,169 miles is a long way from home for the talented middle blocker, but Grzebeniak and Cebak will surely show her the ropes to help acclimate her to life in the Sun City.