Bears set to host Northern Colorado Classic

Calendar

Nov 6

8 p.m. MST | 7 p.m. PST

Women's Volleyball

at Portland State

Video Stats

Nov 8

2 p.m. MST | 1 p.m. PST

Women's Volleyball

at Sacramento State

Video Stats

Nov 13

6 p.m. MST

Women's Volleyball

vs Idaho State

Video Stats Tickets

Nov 15

6 p.m. MST

Women's Volleyball

vs Weber State

Video Stats Tickets

Nov 21

6 p.m. MST

Women's Volleyball

vs Northern Arizona

Video Stats Tickets

Nov 24

TBA

Women's Volleyball

vs Big Sky Conference

Video Stats Tickets

Dec 4

TBA

Women's Volleyball

vs NCAA Tournament First & Second Rounds

Dec 11

TBA

Women's Volleyball

vs NCAA Tournament Regionals

Dec 18

TBA

Women's Volleyball

vs NCAA Tournament Semifinals & Finals

2022 Northern Colorado Classic Schedule
Thursday, Sept. 15
6 p.m.	Northern Colorado vs. Tarleton State
Friday, Sept 16
10 a.m.	Cal Poly vs. Santa Clara
3 p.m.	Santa Clara vs. Tarleton State
6 p.m.	Northern Colorado vs. Cal Poly
Saturday, Sept. 17
12 p.m.	Tarleton State vs. Cal Poly
6 p.m.	Northern Colorado vs. Santa Clara
Presented by:

GREELEY, Colo.—Following consecutive weekends of playing volleyball tournaments on the road, UNC will return to the Bank of Colorado Arena to host the four-team Northern Colorado Classic on Sept. 15-17.

The Bears will welcome Tarleton State University (Western Athletic Conference), Cal Poly (Big West), and Santa Clara University (West Coast) for a total of six matches across the three days of competition. All three UNC matches are set to begin at 6 p.m.

Tickets
Tickets for all regular-season volleyball matches are available via the UNC Athletics app, online at UNCBears.com/tickets or by calling (970) 351-4849. Tickets can also be purchased in person by visiting the Ticket Office in Campus Commons from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Northern Colorado
Northern Colorado enters the 2022 season as the reigning Big Sky regular season and tournament champions. The Bears are 4-4 this season with non-conference wins over Colorado State University and the University of North Carolina. UNC is led by returning All-Big Sky players Rachel Hickman and Kailey Jo Ince. Hickman is averaging 2.28 kills per set while Ince leads the team at 3.94 kills per set. Senior Makenzie Harris, the 2021 Big Sky Tournament MVP, is adding 3.41 kills per set for second on the team. Junior setter Syd Cole is orchestrating the offense and leading the Big Sky Conference with 10.50 assists per set.

Cal Poly
UNC is 1-1 all-time against Cal Poly with the most recent tilt in 2019 when the Mustangs came away with a 3-2 win. Cal Poly has lost seven straight matches to open the year with two setbacks via sweeps and two in five-set affairs. The Mustangs are led by the attacking duo of Maia Dvoracek (3.32 kps) and Tommi Stockham (3.19 kps). A redshirt freshman, the team's primary setter Emme Bullis averages 8.54 assists per set.

Santa Clara
The Broncos sport a 3-6 record in 2022 with four straight losses entering the weekend. In the only previous meeting, Santa Clara defeated the Bears, 3-1, during the 2019 season. Senior outside hitter Julia Sangiacomo not only leads the team, but paces the West Coast Conference with 4.61 kills per set, a rate good for No. 13 in NCAA DI.

Tarleton State
Thursday's match will be the first contest between the two teams. The Texans will arrive in Colorado with an 8-3 record after recording a 3-0 win over Big Sky's University of Idaho in their most recent outing. The Texans feature four different players averaging at least two kills per set: Grayson Schirpik (3.16 kps), Breanna McDonough (2.34 kps), Ailie Hair (2.32 kps), and Megan Haynes (2.28 kps).

Last Time Out
Northern Colorado went 1-2 in play at the South Dakota Classic on Sept. 9-10. The Bears swept CSU Bakersfield in the middle match of the weekend while suffering 3-2 losses to West Virginia and South Dakota to bookend action.

What's Ahead
UNC will open Big Sky play on Thursday, Sept. 22 when it travels to face Idaho State. Two days later, the Bears will host its first conference match by welcoming Montana State to Greeley.

2022 Big Sky Presason Poll
After picking up six of 10 first-place votes, Northern Colorado was picked to repeat as champions in 2022 by the Big Sky Coaches. The Bears received 78 points in the poll while Weber State (70 points) and Portland State (66 points) rounded out the top three. Weber State collected the two remaining first-place picks.