Top-Seeded Utah State Tangles With Eighth-Seeded UT Arlington Monday In WAC Volleyball Tournament
Nov. 18, 2012
LOGAN, Utah -
Utah State Volleyball Notes for WAC Tournament 
2012 WAC VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT
Monday-Wednesday, Nov. 19-21
UTSA Convocation Center (4,000)
San Antonio, Texas
Monday, Nov. 19
6-San Jose State vs. 3-UTSA - 11 a.m. (MT)
7-Texas State vs. 2-Idaho - 1:30 p.m. (MT)
5-Denver vs. 4-New Mexico State - 4 p.m. (MT)
8-UT Arlington vs. 1-UTAH STATE - 6:30 p.m. (MT)
Tuesday, Nov. 20
6/3 Winner vs. 7/2 Winner - 3 p.m. (MT)
5/4 Winner vs. 8/1 Winner - 5:30 p.m. (MT)
Wednesday, Nov. 21
WAC Championship Match - 3 p.m. (MT) - ESPNU
Follow all the action with "Live Stats" and "Watch Live" links
at UtahStateAggies.com
STORYLINES
• Utah State volleyball is the number one seed for the 2012 Western Athletic Conference Tournament and will take on eighth-seeded UT Arlington in the quarterfinals on Monday, Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m. (MT)... The eight-team, single-elimination tournament is hosted by UTSA and all matches are held at the UTSA Convocation Center (4,000).
• All seven matches of the WAC Volleyball Tournament will be streamed via the Internet with live video along with live stats of every match... Fans can follow the action with "Live Stats" and "Watch Live" links at www.UtahStateAggies.com.
• The Aggies earned the top spot by winning their first WAC regular-season title.
• USU is in pursuit of its second WAC Tournament title in three years, winning the 2010 WAC Tournament at Las Vegas, Nev., knocking off top-seed and third-ranked Hawai'i in three sets.
• The Aggies are 5-5 all-time in WAC Tournament action, having played in two conference title matches, winning it all in 2010 as the third-seed... USU also advanced to the championship match in 2005 as the second-seed, falling to top-seeded Hawai'i.
• This is the first WAC regular-season title for the Aggies, adding to Utah State's WAC Tournament title won in 2010... USU's last regular-season conference title was winning the Eastern Division of the Big West in 1999.
• The Aggies' 15 WAC wins are a school record for most WAC wins as well as most conference wins, as USU topped its previous mark of 12 Big West Conference wins in 2001.
• USU's 18 conference matches played is also tied for the most in school history, joining 1990-1995 and 2001-2004 in the Big West.
• Utah State's .833 (15-3) conference winning percentage is its highest since 1981 when USU had a .900 league winning percentage, going 9-1 in Intermountain Conference action.
• USU has now won 20 matches in a season twice under head coach Grayson DuBose, joining the 24 wins in Utah State's 2010 WAC Tournament title season... Overall, the Aggies have won 20 matches in a season for the 11th time in school history.
• Utah State enters the WAC Tournament winning seven of its last eight matches, having a six-match win streak halted with a loss at San Jose State on Nov. 10, and the Aggies have won 12 of their last 15 overall matches.
The Last Meeting
| UT Arlington | 0 |
| |
| Utah State | 3 |
October 25, 2012
Logan, Utah
LIVE STATS
Live stats for all the WAC Tournament matches are available via "Live Stats" links at www.utahstateaggies.com, the official web site of USU athletics.
WAC TO STREAM VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT FROM UTSA
The Western Athletic Conference, in conjunction with its Web site partner NeuLion, has announced it will stream the first two days of the 2012 WAC Volleyball Tournament. Viewers can sign up by visiting www.WAC.tv.
The volleyball tournament will be held in San Antonio, Texas, Nov. 19-21. The top eight teams will advance to the tournament with all seeds and bracketing determined by Nov. 15. The quarterfinals will take place on Monday, Nov. 19 while the two semifinal matches begin at 4:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday. The championship final will not be streamed as it will be televised by ESPNU on Wednesday and will be streamed on ESPN3.com.
An all-tournament pass that includes the six matches can be purchased for $17.95. Individual matches may be purchased for $8.95 each. More information and how to subscribe to any of these video streaming events can be found at www.WAC.tv.
UTAH STATE IN THE WAC TOURNAMENT
Utah State enters with a 5-5 all-time record in the WAC Tournament. Last year, USU was the fourth-seed and lost to fifth-seeded Fresno State (3-0). Utah State won the 2010 WAC Tournament as the third-seed with wins against Nevada (3-1), New Mexico State (3-2) and No. 3 Hawai'i (3-0), and advanced to the 2005 championship match as the second seed before losing to top-seeded Hawai'i (3-0). USU began the 2005 tournament by defeating seventh-seeded Fresno State (3-1) in the first round and third-seeded New Mexico State (3-2) in the semifinals. In 2006, Utah State was the sixth-seed in the tournament and lost to third-seeded Idaho (3-1). In 2007, USU was the third-seed and lost to sixth-seeded San Jose State (3-2), and in 2008 USU was the fourth-seed and lost to fifth-seeded San Jose State (3-2).
AGGIES ONE OF ONLY THREE TEAMS TO WIN WAC TOURNAMENT TITLE
In 2010, Utah State became only the third team to ever win the WAC Tournament Championship as Hawai'i had won 10 straight tournament titles prior to 2010, while BYU won the first two. Hawai'i won its 11th WAC Tournament title last season, before leaving the WAC for the Big West Conference.
LOOKING AT UTAH STATE
USU has won seven of its last eight and 12 of its last 15 matches, sweeping Texas State in the Aggies' regular-season finale on Nov. 14, honoring its three seniors and capping a 10-4 home schedule... Utah State is 20-8 overall after posting a 15-3 WAC ledger.
Utah State has won 11 of its last 14 matches overall... The Aggies' 19 wins this season is also the second-most during USU head coach Grayson DuBose's seven seasons at the helm of the Aggie program behind 24 victories in 2010.
The Aggies' 15 WAC wins is a school record for most WAC wins as well as most conference wins, as USU topped its previous mark of 12 Big West Conference wins in 2001... USU's 18 conference matches played is also tied for the most in school history, joining 1990-1995 and 2001-2004 in the Big West... Utah State's .833 conference winning percentage is its highest since 1981 when USU had a .900 league winning percentage, going 9-1 in Intermountain Conference action.
USU has now won 20 matches in a season twice under head coach Grayson DuBose, joining the 24 wins in Utah State's 2010 WAC Tournament title season... Overall, the Aggies have won 20 matches in a season for the 11th time in school history.
Utah State continues to lead the WAC overall in blocking at 3.01 blocks per set and the Aggies also are second in the league in WAC only matches at 2.94 blocks per set... USU's defense also leads the conference in opponent hitting percentage (.160) and in WAC only matches (.145)... Offensively, USU is third in overall attack percentage (.222) and fourth in WAC only attack percentage (.220)... Utah State is also sixth in overall kills per set (12.58) and sixth for WAC only kills per set (12.91)... The Aggies also are sixth in the league overall with 14.33 digs per set while ranking third in WAC only matches with 15.95 dps... USU is also seventh in the WAC for overall assists per set (11.66) and tied for sixth for league only (12.00)... A 1.17 aces per set ranks the Aggies tied for third in the WAC overall while they are fifth in conference only matches with 1.14.
Senior outside hitter Josselyn White (Smithfield, Utah) set a school-record for attack percentage in USU's win over LA Tech on Oct. 27, hitting .812 with 13 kills in 16 attacks with no errors... White has missed a total of five matches plus part of three others in different stretches with illness... She is ninth in the WAC for overall points per set (3.40) and 10th overall for kills per set (2.84)... White is also climbing USU's career block assists and total blocks lists.
Senior opposite side hitter Shay Sorensen (North Ogden, Utah) is sixth in the WAC in overall kills per set (3.18) and sixth in WAC only kills per set (3.40), as well as fifth for overall points per set (3.90) and fourth for conference only matches for points per set (4.10)... Sorensen has a team-leading 11 double-doubles on the season... Like White, Sorensen is also climbing USU's career lists, cracking into top 10 kills list in the regular-season finale, as well as already breaking into USU's top 10 lists for career block assists and total blocks.
Redshirt-freshman middle blocker Elle Brainard (Saratoga Springs, Utah) is second in the WAC in overall blocks per set (1.43), while ranking third in conference only matches (1.38)... Brainard also is ninth in the WAC overall in hitting percentage (.296)... With 149 total blocks, Brainard is third in the league for total blocks as well also ranking fourth in the league for WAC only matches with 90 total blocks... Brainard is 17th in the most recent NCAA statistics with 1.44 blocks per set.
Brainard now has 143 blocks on the season, moving up to No. 3 on the Aggies' single-season block assists list and now has 149 total blocks, moving up to No. 4 on the single-season total blocks list.
Sophomore setter Paige Neves (Otto, Wyo.) is third in both the WAC overall and WAC stats for assists per set, with 10.28 aps overall and 10.66 aps in league matches... Neves became the ninth different Aggie player to reach 1,000 assists in a season, and the milestone was accomplished for the 16th time in school history... She also became the 12th Aggie volleyball player to reach the 1,000 career assists milestone when USU played in San Diego, Calif., and now with 1,912 career assists, Neves becomes just the ninth player in USU history with 1,500 career assists and is No. 9 on the USU career assists list... Neves needs just 53 assists to catch Dominique Arsenault (2003-05) for the No. 8 spot, with 1,965 assists.
Sophomore middle blocker Kaitlyn VanHoff (Draper, Utah) is second on the team and fourth in the WAC overall for blocks with 1.32 blocks per set, ranking fifth overall in the league with 137 total blocks... VanHoff is fifth in WAC only matches with 1.26 blocks per set... She also is 37th in last week's NCAA stats for blocks per set with 1.31 bps... VanHoff is also climbing up the Aggies' single-season block assists and total blocks lists, sitting at No. 8 on the block assists list with 128 block assists and tied for No. 9 on the total blocks list with 137.
Sophomore outside hitter Rachel Orr (Thatcher, Ariz.) is eighth in the WAC for both overall kills per set (3.00) and league-only matches for kills per set (3.12), as well as 10th in WAC only matches for points per set (3.40).
Sophomore libero Ashlan Rogers (Highland, Utah) is sixth overall in the WAC in digs per set (3.70) as well as fourth in the WAC in conference only matches with 4.08 digs per set... Rogers also is sixth in the WAC overall in service aces per set (0.26)... On USU's single-season digs list, Rogers is No. 8 with 385 so far this season.
DuBOSE MAGIC INGREDIENT TO REGULAR-SEASON TITLE
This is the first WAC regular-season title for the Aggies, adding to Utah State's WAC Tournament title won in 2010... USU's last conference title was winning the Eastern Division of the Big West in 1999 under Tom Peterson... Current USU head coach Grayson DuBose was an assistant on that team, and has now been a part of the last two conference titles.
TURNING PAIGE 1,000 IN SINGLE-SEASON RECORD BOOK
Sophomore setter Paige Neves became the ninth different Aggie player to reach 1,000 assists in a season, and the milestone was accomplished for the 16th time in school history, as Chelsea Fowles reached the feat four times, Lori Sargent-McKnight accomplished it three times, Carrie Steverson reached it twice, as did Paige's sister Chelsi Neves, while Andrea Delsigne, Randi Winn, Mindi Jackson and Stephanie Maurer all reach it once.
Earlier this season Paige Neves became the 12th Aggie player to reach the 1,000 career assists milestone... Now with 1,912 career assists, Neves becomes just the ninth player in USU history with 1,500 career assists and is No. 9 on the USU career assists list... Neves needs just 53 assists to catch Dominique Arsenault (2003-05) for the No. 8 spot, with 1,965 assists.
SINGLE-SEASON Assists
1) 1442 Andrea Delsigne 2003
2) 1441 Chelsi Neves 2000
3) 1368 Chelsi Neves 2001
4) 1340 Randi Winn 1993
5) 1255 Lori Sargent-McKnight 1998
6) 1239 Chelsea Fowles 2010
7) 1192 Mindi Jackson 1996
8) 1157 Lori Sargent-McKnight 1997
9) 1136 Carrie Steverson 1989
10) 1133 Chelsea Fowles 2007
11) 1123 Chelsea Fowles 2009
12) 1061 Carrie Steverson 1990
13) 1054 Stephanie Maurer 1986
14) 1038 Paige Neves 2012
15) 1028 Lori Sargent-McKnight 1999
16) 1025 Chelsea Fowles 2008CAREER Assists
1) 4520 Chelsea Fowles 2007-10
2) 3942 Carrie Steverson 1988-91
3) 3533 Lori Sargent-McKnight 1996-99
4) 2809 Chelsi Neves 2000-01
5) 2618 Stephanie Maurer 1984-87
6) 2265 Andrea Delsigne 2001-03
7) 2025 Randi Winn 1992-93
8) 1965 Dominique Arsenault 2003-05
9) 1912 Paige Neves 2009-Pres.
10) 1495 Kalei Arnold 1992-95
11) 1280 Mindi Jackson 1995-96
12) 1139 Heather Hillier 2005-08
13) 937 Zuzana Cerniansa 2002-05
WIN STREAKING ON THE ROAD
USU's loss at San Jose State on Nov. 10 snapped the Aggies' eight-match road win streak, which was the most for an Aggie team in one season in school history, bettering the previous mark of seven road wins in a row, won by the 1978 squad... The overall longest road winning streak for road matches is 10, as the 1977 team won its last three matches on the road before the 1978 squad's aforementioned seven-match win streak.
WHITE'S SCHOOL RECORD
USU senior outside hitter Josselyn White set a school record for attack percentage in USU's win over LA Tech on Oct. 27 hitting .812 with 13 kills in 16 attacks with no errors... White's .812 is tops in the WAC this season and is the highest by any WAC player since Boise State's Sadie Maughan had .867 in a 2010 match, as well as the highest by a player in a WAC match since Anna Callis of New Mexico State hit .875 against Utah State in 2006... The .812 by White bettered the previous school record for single-match hitting percentage with 15-19 attempts, previously held by Lori Sargent-McKnight who hit .727 (14-0-19) at North Texas on Nov. 9, 1996.
20-WIN SEASONS GOING FOR 20
USU has 20 wins this season, marking the second time to win at least 20 matches in a season under head coach Grayson DuBose, winning 24 in 2010... The regular-season finale victory over Texas State gave the Aggies their 11th 20-win season in school history.
AGGIES SEVENTH, BRAINARD 17th, VANHOFF 37th IN BLOCKING IN NCAA STATS
In the NCAA statistics as of Nov. 12, Utah State leads the WAC and is seventh in the NCAA statistics with 3.00 blocks per set... Washington leads the nation with 3.29 bps... Individually, redshirt-freshman Elle Brainard (Saratoga Springs, Utah) is 17th in the NCAA with a 1.44 blocks per set average, while sophomore middle blocker Kaitlyn VanHoff (Draper, Utah) is 37th with a 1.31 bps average.
SINGLE-SEASON RECORD LIST WATCH
Several Aggie players have broken into the USU single-season top 10 record lists, including redshirt-freshman middle blocker Elle Brainard, who has 143 block assists this season, moving up to third on the USU block assists list, as well as 149 total blocks, good for fourth on the Aggies' total blocks list... Sophomore middle blocker Kaitlyn VanHoff is eighth on the block assists list (128) and tied for ninth on the total blocks list (137)... Sophomore libero Ashlan Rogers has 385 digs this season, climbing to No. 8 on the single-season digs list. {See pg. 8 for complete single-season record watch list}
SORENSEN 11th, WHITE 12th WITH 800
Senior opposite side hitter Shay Sorensen became just the 11th player in USU history to reach the 800-kills plateau, doing so on Oct. 20 at Seattle, and fellow senior Josselyn White joined her in the 800-kills club two weeks later, reaching the milestone in the Aggies' match at Denver on Nov. 1... With 10 kills in USU's win over Texas State, Sorensen broke into the USU career top 10 kills list, now with 872, vaulting to tie for the No. 9 spot with Ingrid Roth (2002-05)... White has 840 career kills, needing 13 more to tie Niki Conner (1995-98) for No. 11 with 863 kills.
Kills
1) 1813 Zuzana Cernianska 2002-05
2) 1463 Amy Crosbie 1997-00
3) 1431 Liz McArthur 2008-11
4) 1369 Amanda Nielson 2004-07
5) 1309 Erin Cartwright-Davis 2001-03
6) 1294 Denae Mohlman 1997-00
7) 984 Beth Hodge 2003-06
8) 971 Melissa Schoepf 1997-00
9) 872 Ingrid Roth 2002-05
872 Shay Sorensen 2009-Pres.
11) 863 Niki Conner 1995-98
-- 840 Josselyn White 2009-Pres.
WHITE ALSO IN UTAH STATE TOP 10 FOR BOTH ATTACKS AND BLOCKS, SORENSEN FOR BLOCKS
Senior outside hitter
Josselyn White has climbed up to the No. 6 spot on the Utah State career attacks list, now with 2,969, passing
Denae Mohlman (1997-2000) for No. 6 with 2,796 attacks, and needing 30 more to catch
Erin Cartwright-Davis (2001-03) for No. 5 with 2,999 attacks.
White has also recently reached the USU top 10 for career total blocks, moving up to No. 7 with 315 total blocks, passing former teammate Shantell Durrant (2008-10) with 309 and Tiffany Kitley (1996-99) with 306... Now with 282 career block assists, White is in the No. 8 spot on the career block assists list, needing eight more to catch Erin Cartwright-Davis (2001-03) at No. 7 with 290... White also has 33 career solo blocks, needing four more to reach the No. 10 spot on the career solo block list, currently held by Ingrid Roth (2002-05) with 37.
Sorensen also has broken into the top 10 for both career block assists and career total blocks, as she has 277 block assists, good for No. 9, while ranking No. 10 on the total blocks list with 288.
BREAKING TRENDS
Utah State's loss to Utah Valley on Oct. 9 was the first time this season that USU has lost when not only winning the first two sets but also when leading in blocks and attack percentage along with hitting .300 or better... Prior to the UVU loss, USU was 8-0 when winning the first two sets, 9-0 when leading in blocks and 11-0 when leading in attack percentage, as well as 1-0 when hitting .300 or better.
RUDE WELCOMING TO WAC NEWCOMERS
USU was a combined 9-1 against the WAC newcomers, sweeping the season series with everyone except UTSA, as the Aggies' went 5-0 against the league newcomers in the first half of the conference schedule, beating UTSA (3-1) and Texas State (3-0) on Sept. 13 and 15, respectively, as well as Seattle (3-0) on Sept. 20, UT Arlington (3-0) on Sept. 29 and Denver (3-2) on Oct. 6... The Aggies' win streak against the league newcomers was broken with their three-set loss to UTSA on Oct. 15, but USU bounced back to sweep both Seattle on Oct. 20 and UT Arlington on Oct. 25, as well as win at Denver in five on Nov. 1 and sweep Texas State in the regular-season finale on Nov. 14
UTAH STATE IN THE WAC
Utah State is 74-55 (.574) all-time in WAC play which includes a 44-20 (.688) home record and a 30-34 (.469) record on the road.
UTAH STATE IN THE DEE GLEN SMITH SPECTRUM
Utah State is 105-44 (.705) at home in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum during the last 13 years, which includes a 76-37 (.673) record against conference opponents.
DUBOSE FOR 100 PLEASE ALEX
USU head coach Grayson DuBose earned his 100th career win with the Aggies' win over Seattle on Sept. 20, 2012... DuBose, who is in his seventh-year as Aggie head coach, has a 112-97 (.536) record, coaching his 200th career match as USU head coach vs. San Jose State on Oct. 13, 2012... With USU's four-set win at Cal State Fullerton on Sept. 17, 2011, DuBose moved ahead of former Aggie head coach Burt Fuller (2001-05) and into second-place all-time at USU for career wins... DuBose becomes just the second coaching position to reach 100 wins as Marilyn McReavy and Mary Jo Peppler hold the school record with 209 wins as they were co-head coaches from 1976-81.
AGGIES AGAINST TOURNAMENT FIELD
The Aggies are a combined 78-86 against the WAC Tournament field, but have a winning record against four teams, including Monday's quarterfinal opponent UT Arlington, who USU is 9-5 against all-time winning the last two meetings.
8-UT ARLINGTON
All-Time: USU leads, 9-5
Season: USU 3-0 at Arlington on 9/29; USU 3-0 at Logan on 10/25
Streak: USU won two
2-IDAHO
All-Time: UI leads, 21-18
Season: UI 3-0 at Logan on 9/22; USU 3-2 at Moscow on 10/18
Streak: USU won one
3-UTSA
All-Time: USU leads, 3-1
Season: USU 3-1 at San Antonio on 9/13; UTSA 3-0 on 10/15
Streak: UTSA won one
4-NEW MEXICO STATE
All-Time: NMSU leads, 39-28
Season: USU 3-0 at Logan on 10/4; USU 3-1 at Las Cruces on 11/3
Streak: USU won three
5-DENVER
All-Time: USU leads, 3-0
Season: USU 3-2 at Logan on 10/6; USU 3-2 at Denver on 11/1
Streak: USU won three
6-SAN JOSE STATE
All-Time: SJSU leads, 19-13
Season: USU 3-0 at Logan on 10/13; SJSU 3-0 at San Jose on 11/10
Streak: SJSU won one
7-TEXAS STATE
All-Time: USU leads, 4-1
Season: USU 3-0 at San Marcos on 9/15; USU 3-0 at Logan on 11/14
Streak: USU won four
SCOUTING UT ARLINGTON
The Mavericks bring a 9-21 overall record in the WAC Tournament after posting a 5-13 WAC ledger, capturing the eighth-seed with a 3-0 win over Louisiana Tech on Nov. 15, breaking away from a tie with Seattle entering Thursday's final match as SU lost at Denver... The win over LA Tech snapped the Mavericks' seven-match losing skein.
UTA's top ranking in the WAC statistics is digs, as the Mavericks are third in the league overall with 15.67 digs per set while ranking fifth in the WAC only matches (15.62)... UT Arlington is sixth or lower in the other six categories for both overall and WAC only matches.
The Mavericks are led by sophomore middle blocker Taylor Gross with 2.42 kills per set, while fellow sophomore middle blocker Ashley Bennett and junior middle blocker Charmaine Whitmore share the team lead with a .227 attack percentage... Junior outside hitter Shelby Dickson is eighth in the WAC overall for digs per set with 3.63 dps... Sophomore setter Amanda Welsh is fifth in the WAC for overall assists per set (8.77), and is also fifth in the conference for aces per set (0.27).
UTA head coach Diane Seymour is in her ninth season with a 131-144 record.
USU VOLLEYBALL'S Shay Sorensen COLLECTS WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK ACCOLADES TWICE
Utah State volleyball player Shay Sorensen has been named the Western Athletic Conference Volleyball Player of the Week twice this season, the first on Sept. 17 for the week of Sept. 10-16 and the second on Oct. 22 for the week of Oct. 15-21. These are the first two WAC honors of Sorensen's career.
Sorensen, a senior opposite side hitter from North Ogden, Utah, earned the honor for the first time on Sept. 17 after she averaged 4.30 kills on .296 hitting, 3.30 digs and 0.60 blocks per set in a pair of road wins at UTSA and Texas State. She posted a pair of double-doubles to lead Utah State to its first 2-0 start to WAC action since 2007. In the Sept. 13 four-set win over UTSA, Sorensen logged 15 kills and 11 digs, adding a pair of blocks and a service ace. In the sweep at Texas State on Sept. 15, she tallied a match-high 15 kills on a season-high .353 hitting to go with 12 digs and two blocks.
The Aggie senior earned it a second time on Oct. 22 after she averaged 4.18 kills, 3.36 digs and 1.09 blocks per set. Sorensen posted double-doubles in two of the three matches in helping the Aggies to a 2-1 record, including winning two on the road to give Utah State its first six-match road win streak since 1978. She started the week with 15 kills and 11 digs, along with four blocks in a five-set loss to UTSA on Oct. 15. In the Oct. 18 five-set win at Idaho, Sorensen logged her team-leading 10th double-double of the season with 18 kills and tied a career-high with 17 digs to go along with five blocks. She then added 13 kills without posting any hitting errors for a .382 attack percentage to go with nine digs and three blocks in a sweep at Seattle U on Oct. 20.
Sorensen's on Sept. 17 was the first of the season for the Aggies, and was the first for a USU vollleyball player since Liz McArthur earned the accolade last season on Oct. 17.
Kaitlyn VanHoff NAMED WAC VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Utah State volleyball player Kaitlyn VanHoff has been named the Western Athletic Conference Volleyball Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 1-7. This is VanHoff's first-ever WAC Player of the Week honor.
VanHoff, a sophomore middle blocker (Draper, Utah) averaged a remarkable 2.12 blocks and 2.00 kills on .300 hitting as the Aggies went undefeated on the week. She posted a career-high .333 attack percentage and added seven total blocks as Utah State swept New Mexico State on Oct. 4, handing NM State its first conference loss of the season to take over first place in the WAC standings. Van Hoff then tied a career high with 10 block assists in five-set win over Denver on Oct. 6, registering four blocks in the third set alone. Van Hoff entered the week averaging 1.30 kills on .144 hitting and 1.21 blocks per set.
Josselyn White NAMED USU ATHLETE OF THE WEEK TWICE
Utah State volleyball player Josselyn White has been named the America First Credit Union Utah State Student-Athlete of the Week twice this season, earning the honors on Aug. 27 and Oct. 1. This award is voted on by a state-wide media panel.
White, a senior outside hitter from Smithfield, Utah (Sky View HS), was the first USU student-athlete to earn the honor this school year, getting recognized after she was named to the Utah State Invitational, sponsored by Gossner Foods, all-tournament team in the season-opener weekend as she helped USU to a 3-1 record and a second-place finish. During the tournament, White hit .278 (43-13-108) with 43 kills, 34 digs and 10 blocks. White posted a career-high .500 attack percentage (14-0-28) in the win against Portland and logged a career-high 18 digs against Southern Utah.
The senior earned it a second time this season after she led USU to a pair of Western Athletic Conference road wins over the weekend of Sept. 27 and Sept. 29, with a four-set win over Louisiana Tech on Sept. 27 and a sweep at UT Arlington on Sept. 29. She tallied her fourth double-double of the season in the win over Louisiana Tech, posting a career-high 20 digs to go with 10 kills. White added a season-high 17 kills on a .429 attack percentage (17-2-35), her third-highest of the season in the sweep of UT Arlington. For the weekend, the senior had a .338 attack percentage (27-5-65), averaging 3.86 kills per set to go with a matching 3.86 digs per set average, adding 0.43 blocks per set and 0.29 aces per set.
These are White's first two career USU Student-Athlete of the Week accolades.
UTAH STATE VERSUS THE STATE OF UTAH
Utah State improved to 30-20 (.600) versus the state of Utah during the last 12 years after going 2-1 against in-state foes in the opening weekend... The Aggies have a 16-7 (.696) home record against in-state foes... Under seventh-year head coach Grayson DuBose, USU is 14-12 (.538) versus teams from the Beehive State, including an 8-6 (.571) record at home.
AGGIES NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS HISTORY
With two USU players named to the SDSU Aztec Challenge all-tournament team and three Aggie players being named to the USU Invitational sponsored by Gossner Foods all-Tournament team, Utah State adds to its collection of all-Tournament team honors... Here's a closer look at the current Aggies' all-Tournament team collection:
2012
SDSU Aztec Challenge
Rachel Orr - OH
Elle Brainard - MB
Utah State Invitational
Josselyn White - OH
Elle Brainard - MB
Ashlan Rogers - LIB
2011
Utah State Invitational
Shay Sorensen - OH
Josselyn White - OH - *MVP
2010
Utah Classic
Josselyn White - OH
Montana Invitational
Shay Sorensen - OPP - *MVP
UTAH STATE RANKED 10TH IN THE NATION IN BLOCKING LAST SEASON
Utah State ranked 10th in the country in blocking (2.79) last season... Individually, middle blocker Kaitlyn VanHoff ranked 47th in the nation in blocking (1.19), while senior All-American outside hitter Liz McArthur ranked 82nd in the nation in kills per set (3.72) and 98th in points per set (4.17).
UTAH STATE LED THE WAC IN BLOCKING
Utah State finished the 2011 season ranking first in the WAC in blocks (2.79), second in digs (15.05), sixth in hitting percentage (.168), seventh in kills (11.15), seventh in assists (10.38) and eighth in service aces (0.97).
RECAPPING LAST SEASON
Utah State finished the 2011 season with a 17-12 overall mark, posting an even 7-7 WAC record to tied for fourth in the conference... As the No. 4 seed, the Aggies lost to fifth-seeded Fresno State in three sets (25-18, 25-19, 25-10) in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament... Opposite side hitter Shay Sorensen earned second-team all-WAC honors following her junior season as she hit .202 and averaged 2.57 kills, 0.71 digs and 0.86 blocks per set... Setter Paige Neves was named to the WAC's all-freshman team in 2011 after hitting .225 and averaging 8.83 assists, 2.48 digs and 0.71 blocks... Sorensen hit .202 last season and averaged 2.57 kills, 0.71 digs and 0.86 blocks per set... Neves ranked seventh in the WAC in assists at 8.83 per set and added 2.48 digs per set as well as 16 service aces, second among the USU returners... Outside hitter Josselyn White was among the WAC leaders statistically last year as she was ninth in kills (2.73), eighth in blocks (1.01) and seventh in points (3.45) per set... Libero Ashlan Rogers averaged 2.61 digs per set as well as leading the team with 23 service aces a season ago as a freshman, while Kaitlyn VanHoff was fourth in the WAC in blocks at 1.19 per set.
-USU-
Behind the sophomore duo of Rachel Orr, tying a career-high with 17 kills, and Paige Neves dishing out 41 assists, Utah State volleyball swept UT Arlington, 3-0 (25-23, 27-25, 25-19) Thursday night at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
