University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Thursday, September 22
Pocatello, Idaho
6 p.m.
University of Northern Colorado
at
Idaho State
Photo by: Dean Popejoy
Defending champs open Big Sky play
9/20/2022 11:57:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
GREELEY, Colo.—The title defense for the Northern Colorado volleyball team has officially begun with the Big Sky Conference season openers this week.
Northern Colorado, now 6-5 on the season, will open its conference season at Idaho State on Thursday, Sept. 22, and will host its first league match of the year two days later by welcoming Montana State to the Bank of Colorado Arena.
First serve for Saturday's match against the Bobcats is set for 7 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
ABOUT IDAHO STATE
The Bengals enter the week sporting an 8-5 record... ISU went 7-21 overall a year ago and placed 9th in the Big Sky with a 3-13 split in conference play… UNC swept Idaho State in both meetings last season… The Bengals are led by Sadie Bluth with 3.22 kills per set.
ABOUT MONTANA STATE
The Bobcats begin the week with a 4-8 overall record… Last season, MSU tied for 4th in the Big Sky with a 10-6 record against conference foes… The Bobcats won the opening match of the Big Sky Tournament before bowing out in the semifinals to No. 1-seeded Weber State, 3-2… UNC swept Montana State in both meetings last season… Offensively, MSU is paced by Madilyn Siebler's 2.86 kills per set… The Big Sky Freshman of the Year in 2011, middle blocker Jordan Radick is adding 1.94 kills and 0.79 blocks per set.
LAST TIME OUT
UNC went 2-1 in play at the UNC Classic on Sept. 15-17. The Bears opened the tourney with a 3-0 win over Tarleton State for its third sweep of the season and capped the event with a 3-1 victory over Santa Clara.
WHAT'S AHEAD
UNC will continue Big Sky play next week with a pair of home matches. The Bears will face Portland State for '90s Night' on Thursday, Sept. 29, and Sacramento State for 'Power in Pink Night' on Saturday, Oct. 1. Both matches are set for a 6 p.m. first serve.
BIG SKY'S TOP OFFENSE
Northern Colorado leads the Big Sky in several offensive categories, including: attack percentage (.282), kills per set, (13.76) assists per set (12.76). Individually, junior setter Syd Cole holds the top average in the conference with 10.86 assists per set.
REIGNING CHAMPS
Northern Colorado enters the 2022 season as the reigning Big Sky regular season and tournament champions. The Bears secured their sixth tournament title in program history in a thrilling five-set match against the Weber State Wildcats in Ogden, Utah. The victory also punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament where they faced Washington State.
2022 BIG SKY PRESEASON 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.
RETURNERS
UNC enters 2022 with nine key players from their championship season returning to the roster, including returning First Team All-Big Sky selections Rachel Hickman and Kailey Jo Ince. Last year's Big Sky Tournament MVP, Makenzie Harris, also returns for her senior season
NEWCOMERS
Oates welcomed a total of six true freshman to the team in Greeley this season: two from Colorado, two from Minnesota, and one each from Utah and Ontario, Canada.
300 WINS
With a win against Montana on Oct. 30, 2021, UNC Head Coach Lyndsey Oates reached 300 career wins. As one of four coaches in program history, Oates is the second coach to reach the 300-win mark while Linda Delk owns the UNC record with 593 victories.
CHAMPIONSHIP QUALITY
Since joining the Big Sky conference in 2006, UNC has made it to the conference championship match seven times while winning on six occasions. All under the guidance of head coach Lyndsey Oates, Northern Colorado has made six appearances in the NCAA DI Tournament since joining the ranks in 2006.
1,000 KILL CLUB
Graduate Kailey Jo Ince entered the year with 1,071 career kills to rank No. 8 on UNC's leaderboard. With 160 kills this season, Ince has already moved up four places to No. 4 all-time (1,271 kills). Ince is six kills away from the next player on the list as Kortney Lockey ('15-'18) closed out her career with 1,237 kills.
1,000 ASSISTS
Junior Syd Cole eclipsed 1,000 career assists during the UNC Classic. Cole is ranked No. 7 all-time in UNC's NCAA DI history.
BATTLE OF THE UNC'S
Facing the 'other' UNC, Northern Colorado swept Northern Carolina 3-0 (25-11, 25-21, 25-12) inside the Bank of Colorado Arena on August 27. The Bears outhit the visitors .419 to .109 in the match. The Tar Heels were placed just outside the top-25 in the AVCA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
2022 ALL-TOURNEY TEAMS
Junior setter Syd Cole and graduate outside hitter Kailey Jo Ince were selected to the All-Tournament team at USD Classic. Cole averaged 10.23 assists per set while Ince 4.15 kills per set over the three matches. Ince and Cece Huhn were named to the UNC All-Tourney squad after leading the Bears to a 2-1 record.
2021 REVIEW
The Bears compiled an overall record of 24-7 in 2021 with non-conference wins over Northwestern, Colorado State, and San Jose State. Buoyed by a six-match winning streak to end the regular season, UNC went on to post a 13-3 record in Big Sky play to share the crown with Weber State.
Northern Colorado, now 6-5 on the season, will open its conference season at Idaho State on Thursday, Sept. 22, and will host its first league match of the year two days later by welcoming Montana State to the Bank of Colorado Arena.
First serve for Saturday's match against the Bobcats is set for 7 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
ABOUT IDAHO STATE
The Bengals enter the week sporting an 8-5 record... ISU went 7-21 overall a year ago and placed 9th in the Big Sky with a 3-13 split in conference play… UNC swept Idaho State in both meetings last season… The Bengals are led by Sadie Bluth with 3.22 kills per set.
ABOUT MONTANA STATE
The Bobcats begin the week with a 4-8 overall record… Last season, MSU tied for 4th in the Big Sky with a 10-6 record against conference foes… The Bobcats won the opening match of the Big Sky Tournament before bowing out in the semifinals to No. 1-seeded Weber State, 3-2… UNC swept Montana State in both meetings last season… Offensively, MSU is paced by Madilyn Siebler's 2.86 kills per set… The Big Sky Freshman of the Year in 2011, middle blocker Jordan Radick is adding 1.94 kills and 0.79 blocks per set.
LAST TIME OUT
UNC went 2-1 in play at the UNC Classic on Sept. 15-17. The Bears opened the tourney with a 3-0 win over Tarleton State for its third sweep of the season and capped the event with a 3-1 victory over Santa Clara.
WHAT'S AHEAD
UNC will continue Big Sky play next week with a pair of home matches. The Bears will face Portland State for '90s Night' on Thursday, Sept. 29, and Sacramento State for 'Power in Pink Night' on Saturday, Oct. 1. Both matches are set for a 6 p.m. first serve.
BIG SKY'S TOP OFFENSE
Northern Colorado leads the Big Sky in several offensive categories, including: attack percentage (.282), kills per set, (13.76) assists per set (12.76). Individually, junior setter Syd Cole holds the top average in the conference with 10.86 assists per set.
REIGNING CHAMPS
Northern Colorado enters the 2022 season as the reigning Big Sky regular season and tournament champions. The Bears secured their sixth tournament title in program history in a thrilling five-set match against the Weber State Wildcats in Ogden, Utah. The victory also punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament where they faced Washington State.
2022 BIG SKY PRESEASON 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.
RETURNERS
UNC enters 2022 with nine key players from their championship season returning to the roster, including returning First Team All-Big Sky selections Rachel Hickman and Kailey Jo Ince. Last year's Big Sky Tournament MVP, Makenzie Harris, also returns for her senior season
NEWCOMERS
Oates welcomed a total of six true freshman to the team in Greeley this season: two from Colorado, two from Minnesota, and one each from Utah and Ontario, Canada.
300 WINS
With a win against Montana on Oct. 30, 2021, UNC Head Coach Lyndsey Oates reached 300 career wins. As one of four coaches in program history, Oates is the second coach to reach the 300-win mark while Linda Delk owns the UNC record with 593 victories.
CHAMPIONSHIP QUALITY
Since joining the Big Sky conference in 2006, UNC has made it to the conference championship match seven times while winning on six occasions. All under the guidance of head coach Lyndsey Oates, Northern Colorado has made six appearances in the NCAA DI Tournament since joining the ranks in 2006.
1,000 KILL CLUB
Graduate Kailey Jo Ince entered the year with 1,071 career kills to rank No. 8 on UNC's leaderboard. With 160 kills this season, Ince has already moved up four places to No. 4 all-time (1,271 kills). Ince is six kills away from the next player on the list as Kortney Lockey ('15-'18) closed out her career with 1,237 kills.
1,000 ASSISTS
Junior Syd Cole eclipsed 1,000 career assists during the UNC Classic. Cole is ranked No. 7 all-time in UNC's NCAA DI history.
BATTLE OF THE UNC'S
Facing the 'other' UNC, Northern Colorado swept Northern Carolina 3-0 (25-11, 25-21, 25-12) inside the Bank of Colorado Arena on August 27. The Bears outhit the visitors .419 to .109 in the match. The Tar Heels were placed just outside the top-25 in the AVCA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
2022 ALL-TOURNEY TEAMS
Junior setter Syd Cole and graduate outside hitter Kailey Jo Ince were selected to the All-Tournament team at USD Classic. Cole averaged 10.23 assists per set while Ince 4.15 kills per set over the three matches. Ince and Cece Huhn were named to the UNC All-Tourney squad after leading the Bears to a 2-1 record.
2021 REVIEW
The Bears compiled an overall record of 24-7 in 2021 with non-conference wins over Northwestern, Colorado State, and San Jose State. Buoyed by a six-match winning streak to end the regular season, UNC went on to post a 13-3 record in Big Sky play to share the crown with Weber State.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's VolleyballCoaches Show Episode 3
Tuesday, November 04
Lyndsey Oates Press Conference vs Montana
Sunday, November 02
Lyndsey Oates Press Conference vs Montana State
Friday, October 31
Lyndsey Oates Press Conference vs Colorado
Wednesday, October 29
