LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State volleyball team opens the 2019 season in Auburn, Ala., at the War Eagle Invitational from Aug. 30-31. The Aggies face Butler at 8:30 a.m. MT at Auburn Arena before taking on the host Tigers at 6 p.m. on Aug. 30. The NM State squad closes out the tournament with a match against Tennessee State on Saturday, Aug. 31 at 10 a.m.
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SEASON TICKET TIME
Season tickets to see the Western Athletic Conference Tournament Champions are available for $50 online at ticketmaster.com. Fans can also call the Pan American Center at (575) 646-1420 or toll free at 833-AGGIEUP. New Mexico State faculty and staff are able to purchase season tickets to see NM State volleyball at a discounted rate. Additionally, fans can also acquire season tickets by purchasing an Aggie Country Pass.
PRESEASON POWERHOUSE
The New Mexico State volleyball team was voted by the league's head coaches as the favorites to win the WAC. Additionally, Savannah Davison, Megan Hart, and Julianna Salanoa were named to the Preseason All-WAC Team for 2019. It's the first honors for Davison and Salanoa while Hart picked up her second-straight preseason award.
Davison earned her first-ever preseason honor following a fantastic freshman campaign. The outside hitter was named to the All-WAC Freshman Team after she posted 3.08 kills per set during league play to rank eighth in the WAC and her 3.40 points per set was good enough for 10th. Davison was also named to the WAC All-Tournament Team, having led the Aggies in kills during both tournament matches.
Hart picked up her second preseason honor in 2019. The middle blocker received All-WAC First Team distinction when she closed out league play with a .387 hitting clip, which ranked second in the conference. She also averaged 1.12 blocks, putting her seventh in the league. Hart was outstanding during NM State's WAC Tournament run and tallied a double-double in the title match before being named the Most Valuable Player of the postseason tournament.
Salanoa collected her first ever preseason honor following a stellar sophomore campaign. The middle blocker finished third in the league for hitting percentage (.384) and fourth for blocks (1.22) during WAC matches. At Grand Canyon, she set the program record for hitting percentage in a four-set match, recording a .722 clip against the Lopes. Salanoa also led the Aggie squad with 15 kills during the team's match at Oregon during the NCAA Tournament.
LOOKING BACK AT 2018
The Aggies went 24-8 during the 2018 season with a 12-4 record during conference play. New Mexico State came in second during the regular season but claimed the tournament title and an NCAA Tournament appearance.
In the team's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015, NM State faced No. 15-seed Oregon at Matthew Knight Arena during the first round of the postseason tournament. Despite winning the second set, NM State fell to the Ducks 3-1, ending the squad's 2018 campaign.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Butler posted a 9-21 record in 2018, going 6-12 against BIG EAST opponents. The Bulldogs held a .180 hitting percentage, averaging 11.74 kills per set. Nationally, the squad ranked third overall with 3.04 blocks per set.
Leading Butler in kills during the 2018 season was Brooke Gregory, who returns to the squad in 2019 for her senior season. The outside hitter posted 296 kills, averaging 2.87 kills per set. She also had 58 digs and 54 blocks for the season. Anna Logan was the lone Bulldog to make the 2019 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. The outside hitter missed the entire 2018 season due to injury but was previously a two-time First Team All-BIG EAST selection.
KNOW YOUR FOE: AUBURN
Auburn held a 12-16 record last season and AU went 5-13 against Southeastern Conference opponents. As a team, the Tigers hit .223 with a 12.61 kills per set average. Defensively, Auburn recorded 12.97 digs per set and 2.00 blocks per set in 2018.
Libero Bella Rosenthall returns following a freshman campaign where she tallied 3.29 digs per set and 339 total digs. Shaina White returns to AU after leading the squad with a .329 hitting clip during 73 sets played. The middle blocker also totaled 52 blocks with 0.71 blocks per set.
LOOKING AT THE TIGERS
Tennessee State recorded a 9-19 record in 2018 and the squad went 7-9 against Ohio Valley Conference teams. The Tigers posted 11.60 kills per set, 2.22 blocks per set and 15.73 digs per set last season.
Individually, Julia Pierson led the squad with 364 kills and 427.0 points during the 2018 season. Gina Rivera Ortiz recorded 541 digs to lead to squad last season. The libero also served 10 aces during her freshman campaign.
COMING UP: BORDERLAND INVITATIONAL
Following the tournament at Auburn, the Aggies return home to cohost the Borderland Invitational with UTEP. NM State takes on Pacific, New Mexico and the Miners at the Pan American Center Sept. 6-8.
