LARAMIE -- The Wyoming volleyball team opens its 23rd season of Mountain West play this week as the Cowgirls host Utah State at 6:30 p.m., Sept. 23 and Boise State at 1 p.m., Sept. 25 at the UniWyo Sports Complex.

Wyoming closed out its non-conference slate last weekend at the Shocker Volleyball Classic, where it won 2-of-3 matches.

The Cowgirls (8-4) dropped a three-setter to No. 17 Creighton Friday afternoon before bouncing back with a pair of four-set victories over host-Wichita State and South Dakota Saturday.

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Payton Chamberlain and Erika Jones were named to the all-tournament team at Wichita State. Chamberlain averaged 9.73 assists per set over the weekend, including registering a career-best 45 assists in the win over South Dakota. Jones averaged 5.09 digs per set in her first action of the season as the Cowgirls’ libero. Jones recorded 19 digs each in the two wins, which are season-bests for her.

Through UW’s non-conference slate, it was led by KC McMahon’s 114 kills (2.78 per set). Lydeke King led the squad with a .371 hitting percentage during the Cowgirls’ 12 tournament matches. King also leads the way averaging 1.06 blocks per set, a mark that ranks ninth-best in the league.

Head coach Chad Callihan’s 95 conference victories and .669 MW winning percentage while at Wyoming, are both program-best marks. Dating back to 2018, the Cowgirls are 36-10 (.783) overall at home, and during league play, UW is 21-4 (.84) the past three seasons in Laramie.

Utah State is much-improved from a season ago, entering the weekend at 8-4 through non-conference play. The Aggies rank third in the Mountain West with a .248 team hitting percentage and is also third averaging 2.40 blocks per set. USU is first in the league in opponent digs per set, allowing just under 12 per set. Utah State is also fourth in the league in kills (13.06 per set) and opponent hitting percentage (.179).

Corinne Larsen ranks third in the league averaging 1.40 blocks per set, while her .362 hitting percentage is seventh. Kennedi Boyd leads the Aggies and is fifth in the MW hitting at a .397 clip. Tatum Stall ranks 10th in the conference with 3.34 points per set and her 24 service aces are tied for tops in the league.

Boise State enters the weekend with the best non-conference record in the league at 11-1. The Broncos lead the Mountain West in hitting percentage at a .266 rate as a team and holds opponents to just a .156 hitting percentage, the second-best mark in the MW. Boise also leads the league in blocks at 2.91 per set and is second averaging 2.20 aces per set.

Lauren Ohlinger is second in the league in both kills (3.68) and blocks (4.48). Danielle Boss ranks second in the league averaging just under 11 assists per set on the season.

Thursday night, fans are encouraged to wear gold for the Gold Out match against the Aggies.

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