LAS CRUCES, N.M. – New Mexico State hits the road as the team begins its run at the 2018 Western Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament in Bakersfield Calif. As the second seed for the tournament, the Aggie squad takes on the winner of the first-round match between the third-seeded UMKC Roos and the sixth-seeded Seattle U Redhawks on Friday, Nov. 23. First serve from the Icardo Center is set for 8 p.m. MT.

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FOLLOW ALONG
As a part of an agreement between the WAC and ESPN, all five matches of the WAC Volleyball Tournament is set to be broadcast on ESPN+. There is a $4.99 monthly subscription fee, there is also a free seven-day trial available. For viewers outside the United States, the tournament can be seen on the WAC Digital Network.

WHERE IN THE WAC
Overall, the Aggies sit second in the league for hitting percentage (.226) and opponent hitting clip (.163), New Mexico State ranks third in the WAC for blocks (2.30) while also placing fourth for kills (12.84) and assists (12.09). Against conference opponents, NM State hit .235, which leads the league. New Mexico State also ranks second for opponent hitting percentage (.159), assists (12.80), and kills (13.59).

Individually, Megan Hart posts a .359 hitting clip and 1.05 blocks, which puts the redshirt junior in second and fifth in the respective categories. Julianna Salanoa posts a .338 hitting clip for third in the WAC while also tallying 1.10 blocks per set to rank fourth. Battle ranks fifth in kills (3.34) and points (3.88). Sophomore Natalie Mikels posts 0.38 service aces, putting the setter second in the WAC.

In league play alone, Hart (.387) and Salanoa (.384) rank second and third, respectively, for hitting percentage. Both middle blockers also rank in the top-10 for blocks with Salanoa placing fourth (1.22) and Hart sitting in seventh (1.12). Battle ranks in fourth in kills (3.62) and points (4.11) while also sitting in 10th for digs (3.11). Setters Briana Ainsworth (5.52) and Mikels (5.44) place ninth and 10th, respectively, in the conference for assists and Mikels sits in third for aces (0.39). Outside hitter Savannah Davison also ranks among the best in the league with her 3.08 kills placing her eighth and her 3.40 points putting her in 10^th.

Seniors Ainsworth and Battle joined elite company in the NM State record books. Ainsworth currently ranks seventh all-time with 2,693 career assists. Meanwhile, Battle sits in fourth with 3,879 career attempts and 1,350 kills.

LAST TIME OUT
The Aggies went 2-0 during the final weekend of the regular season. In the squad's five-set thriller against UMKC, Battle led all players with 27 kills while also hitting .333 for the match. She tallied 12 digs in the victory to help her to a league-leading 18^th double-double. Ainsworth also recorded a double-double when the senior setter had 23 assists and 13 digs and Davison got in on the action with 17 kills and 10 digs.

In the sweep of Chicago State, Davison led the squad with 13 kills in the match while Battle followed closely behind with 11. Senior Ainsworth tallied a double-double in her final regular-season match, recording 23 assists and 15 digs.

SCOUTING THE FIELD
UT Rio Grande Valley was named the top seed after winning its first WAC regular-season title. The Vaqueros are led by Ragni Steen Knudsen, who leads the conference in WAC matches in kills per set (4.27) and points per set (4.79).

The third seed was taken by Kansas City and the Roos are led by Tyrecia Lukes, who sits as the WAC leader for hitting percentage (.399) and second in blocks per set (1.55) in league play. Utah Valley earned the No. 4 seed and the Wolverines are led by freshman Kazna Tarawhiti, who ranks second in the WAC in kills per set (4.22) and points per set (4.66) in conference play.

Host CSU Bakersfield came in as the fifth seed and the 'Runners have four players that posted 2.00 or more kills per set in WAC play. Seattle U rounds out the opposition as the sixth seed after defeating Grand Canyon and CSU Bakersfield during the final week of play. Shae Harris comes in as the reigning WAC Offensive Player of the week as she averaged a league-best 9.67 assists per set to go along with 1.00 kills on .400 hitting for the week.

COMING UP: TOURNEY TIME
The WAC tournament finals are set for Saturday, Nov. 24, at 8 p.m. MT. The team crowned the tournament champion earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.