LAS CRUCES, N.M. – After four matches in Texas last week, NM State Volleyball returns home for four straight contests in the Pan American Center. The Aggies (10-10, 4-4) welcome FIU (2-17, 0-6) for the first-ever CUSA series between the two in Las Cruces. NM State is coming off a 1-3 week, most recently splitting its series at Sam Houston. Yasso Amin is set to host her former team after spending 2022 and 2023 with the Panthers, while Darian Markham dials in on Krystal Torres' all-time program record of 1,942 digs. 
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
Who: FIU (2-17, 0-6 CUSA) at NM State (10-10, 4-4 CUSA)
Where: Pan American Center – Las Cruces, N.M.
When: Friday, Oct. 18 (6:00 PM) / Saturday, Oct. 19 (12:00 PM)
Live Stream: ESPN+
Live Statistics: nmstatestats.com
All-Time Record vs. FIU: 12-1
Last Meeting: FIU 1 vs. NM State 3 – Nov. 18, 2023 (Lynchburg, Va. - CUSA Semifinal)
 
QUICK HITS
- NM State has now played 12 series against CUSA opponents; including at least one against each league member, with a 15-9 record
- The Aggies hold a 6-6 record in series openers, but are 9-3 in finales spanning their two years in the league
- On Oct. 7, Nellie Reese became the first Aggie to ever be named CUSA Setter of the Week
- Reese leads the Aggies in assists (443), assists per set (5.91) and service aces (12) on the season
- Yasso Amin was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, Sept. 16
- Starr Williams was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, Sept. 2
- Darian Markham is currently 90th in the nation with an average of 4.22 digs per set
- Markham is also 23 digs away from breaking the all-time NM State record for career digs (Krystal Torres: 1,942)
- Nicole Briggs leads all Aggies with 0.90 blocks per set and has been involved in 45.3% of all Aggie blocks this season (63/122)
- Rilen Garcia earned her first start of the season in the Aggies' last outing at Sam Houston. The junior setter tallied 18 assists and 12 digs, notching her first double-double of the season. 
- Ashley Herman joined Garcia by making her first start of the campaign. The outside hitter posted 16 kills and six blocks last week.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Aggies took multiple trips to the Lone Star State last week, playing four matches; two at UTEP and a pair at Sam Houston. The Miners took each stint of the Battle of I-10 before NM State took the trek to Huntsville. The Crimson & White came out on top in Saturday's four-set affair, but dropped Sunday's contest in straight sets. Overall, NM State finished the week at 1-3, falling to 10-10 and 4-4 in CUSA play. The Aggies are .500 overall for the seventh time this season.
 
2023 MATCHUP SUMMARY
Last season, NM State wrapped up its Senior Day ceremony and headed east for the regular-season finale in Miami. The Aggies won both matches at FIU to clinch the league's No. 2 seed in the conference tournament. Without heading home, the Crimson & White made their way straight to Lynchburg to open the postseason. After taking down LA Tech in a straight-set quarterfinal victory, FIU awaited in the second round. The Aggies took the semifinal bout in four sets, advancing to the CUSA Championship Game in their first season as league members. NM State took nine of 11 sets from FIU on the same trip, earning arguably its three most important wins of the season. 
 
HELLO FROM THE OTHER SIDE
Yasso Amin transferred to NM State back in December of 2023, landing with the Crimson & White for her sixth and final season of collegiate action. The Cairo, Egypt native is currently at her fourth school, including three straight in Conference USA. Amin began with two seasons at Florida Southwest State, before spending 2021 at UTEP. From there, she called FIU home in 2022 and 2023 under Head Coach Cristina Robertson. Amin led the Panthers in service aces (43) and hitting percentage (.265) a year ago, earning an All-CUSA First Team selection.
 
With NM State this season, Amin ranks among the top three on the team in kills (203), kills per set (2.71), service aces (10), total attempts (598). The redshirt senior outside hitter is also one of three Aggies to play in all 75 sets in 2024, making all 20 starts.
 
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?
After making the All-CUSA Second Team a year ago, Kacia Brown is once again emerging as a leader on the Aggies' front row. Since NM State's match versus Incarnate Word on Sept. 21 (nine matches), Brown has amassed 57 kills, 25 blocks, six solo blocks, 32 digs and six aces. The redshirt senior has now earned eight consecutive starts entering the weekend and has taken the team-lead in solo blocks on the season (8). Over this span, she easily leads her squad with a remarkable .419 hitting percentage.
 
GIVING IT 200 PERCENT
The Aggies are third among CUSA institutions in hitting percentage (.227), behind only WKU and UTEP. NM State is 10-1 this season when posting a team mark above .200, but 0-9 when hitting .199 or worse. Additionally, when opponents hit below .200, NM State is 8-1 this season, but have just two wins in 11 tries when opponents post at least a .200 mark.
 
When out-hitting their opponents, the Aggies are 10-1 this season. Conversely, the Crimson & White have yet to win a match in which their opponents have a higher hitting percentage (0-9).
 
EARNING HARDWARE
Earlier this month, Nellie Reese became the third Aggie to win a CUSA Weekly Award in 2024. NM State also claimed two of the season's first three Offensive Player of the Week Awards. Starr Williams picked up league recognition after the first week of the campaign, when she put up 30 kills on a staggering .560 hitting percentage versus two 2023 NCAA Tournament representatives. Yasso Amin followed suit with an exceptional Borderland Invitational, posting 37 kills on a .388 hitting percentage to win her first CUSA Weekly Award on Sept. 16. Reese became the first Aggie to ever win a conference setter of the week award.
 
FEELIN' 22
After three seasons with Arizona, Nicole Briggs transferred to NM State in the summer of 2024. The Chino, Calif. native joined Mike Jordan's squad after playing 54 matches, including all 31 last season, for the Wildcats. Briggs quickly made her mark for the Aggies, setting three career highs during a win over CSUN in the fifth match of the season. Briggs has already set new single-match bests in kills (8), total blocks (12), block assists (10), points (14), total attempts (19) and tied career highs in digs (2) and solo blocks (2). Entering the weekend, she leads the Aggies with 56 block assists, 63 total blocks and 0.90 blocks per set. 
 
TAKING NOTICE
Conference USA unveiled its 2024 volleyball preseason awards on Thursday, Aug. 22, which included both a head coaches' poll and a 13-member All-CUSA Preseason Team. The Aggies received two first-place votes en route to finishing second in the poll, behind five-time defending regular-season champion Western Kentucky. Four Aggies (Yasso Amin, Darian Markham, Mari Sharp and Ryleigh Whitekettle) were named to the preseason team, giving NM State the most representatives in the 10-member league. 
 
LEGENDS ON THE BENCH
Entering 2024, Mike Jordan already amassed 565 wins, 12 regular-season conference titles and seven conference tournament championships. With Gregg Whitis already back for his fourth year as an assistant, Jordan added two of his greatest former players to his coaching staff. In February, Operations Director Tatyana Battle was elevated to assistant coach. In July, Jordan brought Lia Mosher back to Las Cruces after playing last season professionally overseas. Battle and Mosher played a combined 10 seasons for the Crimson & White, including two as teammates (2017-18). The duo combined for a 97-17 (.851) WAC record, six regular-season titles and three trips to the NCAA Tournament. Battle and Mosher tallied 262 matches played, 2,154 kills, 1,145 digs and 617 blocks. 
 
FIFTH-YEAR AGGIES
Darian Markham and Mari Sharp each came to Las Cruces in the fall of 2020, making their Aggie debut in Spring 2021. Each have won multiple individual awards and a pair of WAC titles, and both are in their fifth season with the Crimson & White in 2024. Both Markham and Sharp were named to the All-CUSA Preseason Team in August after a 2023 campaign in which they were named CUSA Libero of the Year and All-CUSA Second Team selection, respectively. 
 
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