Colorado State volleyball: 2014 postseason guide

(1)

1

3

7

18

15

COLAIZZI

CULBERT

SNIDER

FOSS

REYNOLDS

JAIME

ADRIANNA

KELSEY

DEEDRA

MARLEE

ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST TEAM

ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST TEAM ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST TEAM

MOUNTAIN WEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST TEAM

(2)

Jaime Colaizzi

JR • L • 5-4

Windsor, Colo.

1 Cassidy Denny

SO • DS • 5-8

Sacramento, Calif.

2 Adrianna Culbert

JR • OPP/OH • 5-10

Delton, Mich.

3 Grace Gordon

JR • DS/S • 5-7

Denver, Colo.

4 Jasmine Hanna

FR • OH • 6-1

Queen Creek, Ariz.

6 Kelsey Snider

RS SR • MB • 6-1

Westminster, Colo.

7 Kaitlind Bestgen

RS JR • DS • 5-10

Fort Collins, Colo.

8 Crystal Young

JR • S • 5-11

Clear Lake, Texas

9 Sanja Cizmic

FR • OH • 6-1

Split, Croatia

10 Acacia Andrews

RS SO • MB • 6-5

Norman, Okla.

11 Alexandra Poletto

FR • MB • 6-3

Toronto, Ontario

14 Marlee Reynolds

RS SR • OH • 6-2

Dalhart, Texas

15 Jaliyah Bolden

RS FR • MB • 6-1

Rowlett, Texas

16 Deedra Foss

RS SR • S • 5-9

McKenna, Wash.

18 Tom Hilbert

Head Coach

18th Season

Brook Coulter

Associate Head Coach

Third Season

Luke Murray

Assistant Coach

First Season

Bri Olmstead

Director of Operations

Seventh Season

JennaRae Jester

Volunteer Assistant Coach

First Season

(3)

311 McGraw Athletic Center, Fort Collins, Colo. 80523 • Phone: 970/491-5067 • Fax: 970/491-1348 • Tickets: 1-800-491-RAMS

COLORADO STATE

2014 RAMS VOLLEYBALL

20 Consecutive NCAA Tournaments | 17 Mountain West Championships

13 AVCA All-Americans | 265 Total Weeks Ranked | Top 12 Nationally For Attendance

Postseason Guide | Dec. 3, 2014 | Contact: Nic Hallisey, Assistant SID | 970/231-4789 | nic.hallisey@colostate.edu

August

30 VCU

^

_{W, 3-0}

30 [RV] UC Santa Barbara

^

_{W, 3-0}

31 [RV] Marquette

^

_{W, 3-0}

September

3 at Northern Colorado

%

_{W, 3-0}

5 Florida A&M

%

_{W, 3-0}

6 #4 Wisconsin

%

_{L, 3-0}

9 Denver

W, 3-0

12 vs. #9 BYU

&

_{W, 3-1}

12 at New Mexico State

& [ESPN3/Altitude]

_{W, 3-0}

13 at UTEP

&

_{W, 3-0}

19 at #18 Arizona State

$

_{W, 3-2}

20 vs. Pepperdine

$

_{W, 3-0}

20 vs. North Carolina Central

$

_{W, 3-0}

25 at Utah State

*

_{W, 3-1}

27 at Boise State

*

_{W, 3-0}

October

2 UNLV

*

_{W, 3-1}

4 San Diego State

*

_{W, 3-0}

7 at Wyoming

*

_{W, 3-0}

11 Fresno State

*

_{W, 3-0}

16 at New Mexico

*

_{W, 3-0}

17 at Air Force

*

_{W, 3-0}

23 Boise State

*

_{W, 3-0}

25 Utah State

*

_{W, 3-0}

30 at San Diego State

*

_{W, 3-2}

November

1 at UNLV

*

_{L, 3-1}

6 at Fresno State

*

_{W, 3-0}

13 Air Force

*

_{W, 3-0}

15 New Mexico

*

_{W, 3-1}

19 San José State

*

_{W, 3-0}

22 at Nevada

*

_{W, 3-0}

26 Wyoming

*

_{W, 3-1}

December

5 NCAA First & Second Rounds

#

_6:30

6 NCAA First & Second Rounds

#

_4:30

12-13 NCAA Regionals

#

_TBA

18 National Semifinals

&

_TBA

20 National Championship

&

_TBA

Times are Mountain Standard Time (MT) Home matches are in BOLD

^ Rams Volleyball Classic, Presented by PVH (Fort Collins, Colo.) % CSU/UNC Tournament (Fort Collins/Greeley, Colo.)

& UTEP/New Mexico State Invitational (Las Cruces, N.M./El Paso, Texas) $ Residence Inn Challenge (Tempe, Ariz.)

* Mountain West match # NCAA tournament match

& NCAA tournament match (Oklahoma City, Okla.)

No.

Name

Ht.

Pos.

Cl.

Exp.

Hometown (Last School)

1 Jaime Colaizzi

5-4

L

JR

2L

Windsor, Colo. (Windsor)

2 Cassidy Denny

5-8

DS

SO

1L

Sacramento, Calif. (El Camino)

3 Adrianna Culbert

5-10 OPP/OH JR

2L

Delton, Mich. (Delton-Kellogg)

4 Grace Gordon

5-7

DS/S

JR

TR

Denver, Colo. (UC-Colorado Springs)

6 Jasmine Hanna

6-1

OH

FR

HS

Queen Creek, Ariz. (Queen Creek)

7 Kelsey Snider

6-1

MB RS SR 3L

Westminster, Colo. (Pomona)

8 Kaitlind Bestgen

5-10

DS

RS JR

2L

Fort Collins, Colo. (Rocky Mountain)

9 Crystal Young

5-11

S

JR

TR

Clear Lake, Texas (Blinn)

10 Sanja Cizmic

6-1

OH

FR

HS

Split, Croatia (IV. Gimnazija Marko Marulic)

11 Acacia Andrews

6-5

MB

RS SO

1L

Norman, Okla. (Norman North)

14 Alexandra Poletto

6-3

MB

FR

HS

Toronto, Ontario (De La Salle College)

15 Marlee Reynolds

6-2

OH RS SR 3L

Dalhart, Texas (Dalhart)

16 Jaliyah Bolden

6-1

MB

RS FR

RS

Rowlett, Texas (Sachse)

18 Deedra Foss

5-9

S

RS SR

3L

McKenna, Wash. (Lakes)

Head Coach:

Tom Hilbert (Oklahoma, 1984; 18th Season)

Associate Head Coach:

Brook Coulter (California, 2001; Third Season)

Assistant Coach:

Luke Murray (Penn State, 2008; First Season)

Director of Operations:

Bri Olmstead (Colorado State, 2006; Seventh Season)

Volunteer Assistant Coach:

JennaRae Jester (Wyoming, 2010; First Season)

PRONUNCIATION GUIDE

Acacia Andrews ...uh-KAY-shuh

Kaitlind Bestgen ...best-jen

Jaliyah Bolden ...juh-LEE-uh Sanja Cizmic ...sawn-yuh siz-mick Jaime Colaizzi ... jay-mee kuh-LAY-zee

Brook Coulter ... cole-TER

Adrianna Culbert ... AY-dree-on-nuh Deedra Foss ...DEED-ruh

Jamine Hanna ... han-nuh

Bri Olmstead ...BREE

Alexandra Poletto ...poh-LET-toe

2014 DIVISION I WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

DEC. 5-6, 2014 | FORT COLLINS, COLO. | MOBY ARENA (8,745)

2014 SCHEDULE

COLORADO STATE VOLLEYBALL ROSTER

Friday, 4:30 p.m. MT

Saturday, 4:30 p.m. MT

(4)

#9 COLORADO STATE RAMS

General Information

Top Performers

Record: 29-2 (17-1 MW) KPS: M. Reynolds (3.11) AVCA Ranking: 9 APS: D. Foss (11.74) Head Coach: Tom Hilbert SAPS: K. Bestgen (0.35) Record at CSU: 460-107 DPS: J. Colaizzi (4.27) Career Record: 634-180 BPS: A. Poletto (1.11) PPS: K. Snider (3.78)

THE MATCHUP: #9 COLORADO STATE VS. DENVER

ABOUT COLORADO STATE

• Colorado State enters the tournament with a 29-2 record, which would be the

program’s best-ever winning percentage if the season ended today.

• The Rams earned a trip to the NCAA tournament for a 20th-straight season by

winning the Mountain West for the sixth year in a row. CSU is the only team in

the nation to boast six-consecutive conference championships.

• At Moby Arena, CSU is 14-1 on the year, with its lone loss coming to then-No. 4

Wisconsin. Since, CSU has won 10-straight home matches, and dating back to

2011, owns the fifth-best home winning percentage in the country.

• CSU is led by Mountain West Player of the Year Deedra Foss. The senior setter

ranks No. 3 nationally with 11.74 assists per set, while guiding the Rams to a

.281 attack percentage, which ranks 10th.

• CSU is the only team in the nation to rank in the top 25 for kills, assists, hitting

percentage, blocks and opponent hitting.

• Leading the offensive charge is senior outside hitter Marlee Reynolds, a member

of the All-Mountain West team. Reynolds is averaging 3.11 kills per set.

• Along with Reynolds, the Rams have three other players who average at least

2.46 kills per set, including junior Adrianna Culbert and senior Kelsey Snider, who

were also named to the All-Mountain West squad.

• Defensively, the Rams’ strength is their floor defense, led by junior libero Jaime

Colaizzi, who earned All-MW Honorable Mention honors. She along with Culbert

rank in the top 10 in the conference for digs. Colaizzi’s 4.27 digs-per-set average

is on pace to finish third in CSU single-season history.

• Junior defensive specialist Kaitlind Bestgen provides the Rams with one of the

nation’s best serves. She finished second in the MW with 0.35 aces per set.

• Paired with its great floor defense, CSU averaged 2.75 blocks per set during the

regular season, helping the Rams hold opponets to .137 hitting, which ranks third

nationally.

• CSU has been ranked in every poll this year, including 12-straight weeks in the

top 10. The Rams’ have been ranked as high as No. 6, the program’s best national

ranking in more than a decade.

• Head Coach Tom Hilbert is in his 18th season with the program. The Rams have

advanced to the NCAA tournament each season under his guidance, and have

won 12 MW regular-season titles since the league formed 16 years ago.

FOLLOWING THE ACTION

Fans can stream all three matches this weekend free of

charge through the Mountain West Network. Broadcaster

Thad Anderson will provide the play-by-play, with former

Rams Lindsey Blahauvietz (Kerr) and Kelly Radcliff (Kerr)

adding color commentary on Friday and Saturday,

respec-tively. Anderson has called volleyball matches this season

for ESPN, the SEC Network and the Pac-12 Networks.

Blahauvietz played for the Rams from 2001-03, while her

sister, was a standout from 1999-01.

SCOUTING DENVER

• Denver earned The Summit League’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament after

winning its conference tournament over IUPUI. The Pioneers also won the league’s

regular-season title.

• The Pioneers enter the tournament with a school-record 27 wins. Overall, DU is 27-6

on the year and has won nine of its last 10 contests.

• DU enters the postseason on a six-match win streak. Following back-to-back losses in

September to CSU and Nebraska, the Pioneers rattled off 13 victories in a row.

• DU is led by a pair of sophomore outside hitters in Nola Basey and Moni Corrujedo.

Basey leads the team with 3.51 kills per set, while Corrujedo chips in with 3.47 a set.

• As a team, the Pioneers produce one of the best offenses in the country. DU ranks in

the top 25 nationally for kills (22nd), assists (25th) and hitting percentage (21st).

• On defense, DU is led at the net by redshirt senior middle hitter Erica Denney, who

transferred from Penn State. In 100 sets, Denny has led the team with 0.99 blocks per

set.

• Along with Denney, the Pioneers have two other players -- junior middle blocker Sarah

Schmid and sophomore middle blocker Ruth Okoye -- who are averaging at least 0.80

blocks per set.

• In the back row, senior libber Kate Acker led The Summit League with 4.47 digs per

set.

• In addition to a league-best .267 hitting percentage, the Pioneers held opponents to

.178 hitting, also tops in their conference.

• Friday will be the program’s first-ever NCAA tournament match.

• DU is coached by Jesse Mahoney, who spent seven seasons on the Rams sidelines

as Head Coach Tom Hilbert’s top assistant. Additionally, one of Mahoney’s current

assistants is former CSU libero Katelin Batten (2006-09). Batten is the Rams’ career

digs leader. CSU associate head coach Brook Coulter spent four years (2007-10) as an

assistant at DU.

SERIES VS. THE PIONEERS

CSU holds a commanding 17-2 advantage in the series against DU. After a sweep at home

earlier this year, the Rams are now winners of 51 of the 60 all-time sets over the Pioneers. In

fact, DU has never won a set at Moby Arena, with all 10 contests resulting in sweeps for the

Rams. The Pioneers did beat CSU in 2011 in Denver, however.

In their matchup earlier this year, the Rams showcased a balanced offensive attack, led by a

then career-best performance from freshman outside hitter Jasmine Hanna, who finished with

15 kills on .393 hitting. The Rams hit at a .319 clip while limiting the Pioneers to .130 hitting

and 16 errors. Denver, however, played that match without Penn State transfer Erica Denney.

• Over the past three meetings with DU, CSU has hit a combined .355, including .412 in 2013 in Denver. During that match, four current Rams totaled double figures for kills.

• In two career matches against DU, Adrianna Culbert has two double-doubles, averaging 4.71 kills on .500 hitting, plus 3.71 digs. In 2013, Culbert had 23 kills on .512 hitting.

• Over the past three meetings with DU, CSU has hit a combined .355, including .412 in 2013 in Denver.

• In four matches against DU, setter Deedra Foss is averaging 12.00 assists per set. She is also posting 0.93 blocks and 0.36 service aces.

TEAM RANKINGS

CATEGORY AVG RANK

ACES

1.16

196 ASSISTS

13.11

25 BLOCKS

2.09

149 DIGS

15.81

92 HITTING

.267

21 KILLS

14.13

22 OPP. HITTING

.178

71 INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

CATEGORY NAME

AVG RANK

ACES

-

-ASSISTS

B. Karst

10.92

41 BLOCKS

-

-DIGS

K. Acker

4.47

99 HITTING

S.Schmid

.372

41 KILLS

-

-POINTS

-

-TEAM RANKINGS

CATEGORY AVG RANK

ACES

1.25

144 ASSISTS

13.33

14 BLOCKS

2.75

22 DIGS

14.70

177 HITTING

.281

10 KILLS

14.28

13 OPP. HITTING

.137

3 INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

CATEGORY NAME

AVG RANK

ACES

K. Bestgen

0.35

80 ASSISTS

D. Foss

11.74

3 BLOCKS

-

-DIGS

-

-HITTING

K. Snider

.374

39 KILLS

-

-POINTS

-

-DENVER PIONEERS

General Information

Top Performers

Record: 27-6 (13-3 Summit) KPS: N. Basey (3.51) AVCA Ranking: NR APS: B. Karst (10.92) Head Coach: Jesse Mahoney SAPS: K. Acker (0.23) Record at DU: 61-32 DPS: K. Acker (4.47) Career Record: Same BPS: E. Denney (0.99)

PPS: M. Corrujedo (3.86)

Video

CSURams.com/videos

Audio

90.5 FM / KCSUfm.com

Stats

CSURams.com

Twitter

@CSURamsGameday

(5)

#19 COLORADO BUFFALOES

General Information

Top Performers

Record: 19-13 (11-9 Pac-12) KPS: T. Simpson (4.56) AVCA Ranking: 19 APS: N. Edelman (7.63) Head Coach: Liz Kritza SAPS: K. English (0.25) Record at CU: 70-111 DPS: C. Simpson (3.98) Career Record: 146-150 BPS: A. Pfefferle (1.08)

PPS: T. Simpson (5.09)

THE MATCHUP: #19 COLORADO VS. NORTHERN COLORADO

SCOUTING COLORADO

• No. 19 Colorado enters the NCAA tournament as an at-large selection from the

Pac-12 conference, finishing tied for fourth in the league’s standings.

• The Buffs posted a 19-13 mark in the regular season, giving them the most wins

the school has had since 2003.

• CU is led by a potential All-American in senior outside hitter Taylor Simpson. The

dynamic outside hitter has moved her way up the school’s record book with 4.56

kills per set this season while hitting at a .290 clip. Simpson’s 4.56 kills per set

rank No. 11 nationally.

• Simpson set the single-season school record this year with 538 total kills.

• Junior outside hitter Alexis Austin compliments Simpson with 3.20 kills per set to

provide the Buffs with a dangerous one-two punch. The two were named to the

All-Pac-12 team on Tuesday.

• CU sometimes utilizes two setters, with junior Nicole Edelman leading the team

with 7.63 assists per set. Freshman setter Gabby Simpson has tallied 4.84 assists

per set in 122 sets, while also adding 1.46 kills per set.

• As a team, CU finished the regular season ranked No. 17 nationally for total kills

and No. 24 for total assists.

• On defense, CU’s back row is anchored by junior libero Cierra Simpson, who

racked up 3.98 digs per set during the regular season. All three Simpsons are

related.

• At the net, freshman middle blocker Anna Pfefferle finished eighth in the Pac-12

with 1.08 blocks per set.

• The Buffs have beaten a program-record-tying five nationally ranked teams in

2014 (5-9), including handing No. 2 Washington its first loss of the season on

Nov 13.

• CU was 12-4 on its home court, but went 7-10 away from Boulder.

• CU is back in the postseason for the second-straight season. In 2013, the Buffs

beat Iowa State before falling at No. 10 Minnesota in five sets. This is CU’s 18th

trip to the NCAA tournament in its history.

SERIES VS. THE BUFFALOES

CSU holds a 22-11 advantage over Colorado, including six-straight victories. The Rams

are 14-4 against the Buffs at Moby Arena, and have not lost to CU at home since 1995.

Included in CSU’s nine-match home win streak over the Buffs are three NCAA

tourna-ment matches. CSU and CU met in the first round of the 2005 tourney – a 3-1 CSU

victory – and in the second round in both 2000 and 2001. Ranked in the top 10 both

years, CSU beat CU in four sets in 2000, and in five sets a year later, in one of the most

memorable matches in program history. Trailing the final set 13-9, CSU went on a 7-1

run to win the set, 16-14, and advance to the Sweet 16 for a third-straight season.

Head Coach Tom Hilbert is 12-2 against the Rams’ in-state rival, but the two teams have

not met since 2010. During that match, no Rams recorded double figures, but CSU

limited CU to .128 hitting in a 3-0 sweep.

SCOUTING NORTHERN COLORADO

• Northern Colorado earned the automatic bid from the Big Sky Conference after

winning the conference tournament over Idaho State. The Bears entered the

tournament as the No. 3 seed, but didn’t drop a set in three matches.

• The Bears enter the NCAA tournament with a 22-10 record and have won 12 of

their last 14 contests.

• Junior outside hitter Kendra Cunningham provides a dangerous option for UNC,

averaging a team-most 3.16 kills per set.

• Senior middle blocker Andrea Spaustat compliments Cunningham on offense

with 2.67 kills per set, while senior middle blocker Brianna Strong adds 2.65 kills

a frame. In total, UNC has five different players averaging at least two kills per

set.

• Sophomore setter Ashley Guthrie is at the forefront of UNC’s dynamic attack with

10.66 assists per set.

• UNC finished first in the Big Sky, and ranks No. 37 nationally, with 13.86 kills per

set.

• At the net, Spaustat and Strong combine for 2.0 blocks per set. In the back row,

junior libero Meagan Garcia posted a team-best 3.91 digs per set.

• Head Coach Lyndsey Oates was named the 2014 Big Sky Coach of the Year.

Ad-ditionally, Spaustat, Strong, Cunningham and Guthrie were named to the All-Big

Sky team.

• UNC is a perfect 5-0 on neutral courts this season.

• The Bears will play in the NCAA tournament for the fourth time in program

his-tory, with all four appearances coming in the past six years. CSU and UNC have

been in the same sub-regional two prior times, but have never faced each other in

the postseason.

SERIES VS. THE BEARS

CSU leads the all-time series vs. Northern Colorado, 19-6, including 14-straight

victo-ries. UNC’s last victory in the series came in 1982, when the Bears won a 3-1 decision

in Greeley. Overall, the Rams are 10-2 at Moby Arena against the Bears.

CSU swept UNC in Greeley earlier this year, led by an 11-kill effort from senior middle

blocker Kelsey Snider. Defensively, the Rams were dominant with 13 total blocks. In the

match, UNC was held to just .055 hitting and was forced into 24 attack errors.

• Junior Jaime Colaizzi has made three starts against UNC, earning her first-ever

start at libero against the Bears (Nov. 13, 2012). That night, she totaled 14 digs in

CSU’s four-set win.

• Junior Adrianna Culbert has two double-doubles against UNC, and earlier this fall,

totaled a team-most 15 digs against the Bears.

• Senior Deedra Foss has 140 career assists against the Bears (10.77 per set), also

tallying a pair of double-doubles.

• Over its past four matches against UNC, CSU is hitting below its average (.235).

However, the Rams have limited the Bears to a .041 clip.

TEAM RANKINGS

CATEGORY AVG RANK

ACES

1.15

208 ASSISTS

12.82

56 BLOCKS

2.15

133 DIGS

15.62

101 HITTING

.225

103 KILLS

13.86

37 OPP. HITTING

.180

76 INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

CATEGORY NAME

AVG RANK

ACES

-

-ASSISTS

A. Guthrie

10.66

63 BLOCKS

-

-DIGS

-

-HITTING

-

-KILLS

-

-POINTS

-

-TEAM RANKINGS

CATEGORY AVG RANK

ACES

1.18

185 ASSISTS

12.76

61 BLOCKS

2.39

57 DIGS

11.30

264 HITTING

.244

55 KILLS

13.76

48 OPP. HITTING

.208

189 INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

CATEGORY NAME

AVG RANK

ACES

-

-ASSISTS

-

-BLOCKS

-

-DIGS

-

-HITTING

-

-KILLS

T. Simpson

4.56

15 POINTS

T. Simpson

5.09

15 NORTHERN COLORADO BEARS

General Information

Top Performers

Record: 22-10 (12-4 Big Sky) KPS: K. Cunningham (3.16) AVCA Ranking: NR APS: A. Guthrie (10.66) Head Coach: Lyndsey Oates SAPS: A. Spaustat (0.24) Record at UNC: 181-128 DPS: M. Garcia (3.91) Career Record: Same BPS: A. Spaustat (1.04)

(6)

HOME COOKING

Since the start of the 2011 season, CSU has been

nearly unbeatable on its home court, going 54-4.

Only Florida State, Western Kentucky, Penn State and

North Carolina have better home records during that

span.

Including 2014 (14-1), CSU has gone 20-straight

seasons with at least 10 home wins. A pair of wins

this weekend would mark the 12th time the Rams have lost one or fewer home matches

in a season.

MOBY MADNESS

A large part of CSU’s

home-court dominance is the large

crowds the Rams draw. CSU has

averaged 2,901 fans per match

in 2014, 12th-best in the NCAA

and second in CSU history. CSU

drew an average crowd of 3,283

in 2013.

CSU has been ranked in the top

25 for average annual attendance

each season since the NCAA

be-gan calculating attendance figures

in 1986, including the top-10 seven times and No. 1 in 1988.

RECORD-BREAKING CROWD

A program and Mountain West record crowd of 7,018 watched No. 13 CSU take on No.

4 Wisconsin on Sept. 6. The attendance was not only a school best, but just four

pro-grams across the nation had larger single-match crowds in 2014. The figure surpassed

CSU’s previous high of 6,750, set on Sept. 2, 2011 vs. No. 5 Nebraska.

In total, four of CSU’s top-five single-match crowds have occurred during the past five

seasons. CSU is 7-3 in home matches with at least 5,000 fans in attendance.

Head Coach Tom Hilbert doesn’t shy away when talking about Moby Arena – the home court for the Colorado State volleyball program – calling

it the greatest volleyball venue in America. It is one of the most distinctive and effective home-court playing facilities in the nation. Thanks to its

dedicated fans, Moby Arena is home to crowds and winning percentages matched by few programs across the country.

STREAKING AT HOME

The Rams have had tremendous success at Moby

Arena, winning nearly 90 percent of their home

matches under Head Coach Tom Hilbert. Since

1997, Hilbert’s first season in Fort Collins, CSU is

254-30 (.894) at home.

From Sept. 27, 2012 through Nov. 15, 2013, CSU

won 21 consecutive home matches. The streak was tied for the second-longest in

pro-gram history and was the third-longest active streak in the NCAA at the time. Entering

the postseason, CSU has won 10 in a row.

MOUNTAIN WEST DOMINATION

The Rams have dominated the Mountain West since its inception in 1999, going 204-32.

Going back to the end of the 2010 season, CSU has won 35 of its past 36 home matches

against conference competition, and 60 of 61 against current members of the MW.

TAKING DOWN THE BEST

With large crowds come big wins. At home

since 1987, the Rams have defeated nine teams

ranked in the top 10, plus more than a dozen

additional wins against ranked opponents.

During Hilbert’s tenure, CSU has hosted 38

nationally ranked teams, coming away with

victories in 25 of those contests, including seven

of the last 10 dating back to 2007. CSU’s most

recent win over a ranked foe at Moby Arena was

on Sept. 7, 2012, when the Rams upset No. 12

Pepperdine in straight sets.

THE BIG STAGE

Moby Arena has been selected as an NCAA tournament host for the 12th time. Included

in that figure is 2008, when CSU was a Regional Finals host. Being selected to play in

front of its home crowd is important to CSU; the Rams are 13-2 in NCAA tournament

matches at Moby Arena, advancing to the Regional Semifinal (Sweet 16) in nine out of

10 instances.

Top-10 Wins at Moby Arena

No. 3

BYU

1987

No. 4

Nebraska

1987

No. 5

Nebraska

2011

No. 5

BYU

1997

No. 6

Washington

2009

No. 8

Florida

2008

No. 8

BYU

1999

No. 8

New Mexico

1992

No. 9

LSU

1990

Consecutive Home Wins

1.

44 9/18/98-11/18/00

2. 21

9/27/12-11/15/13

21 9/27/07-11/16/08

4.

20 12/1/00-9/5/02

5.

18 9/11/85-9/13/86

MOBY ARENA — ‘THE GREATEST VOLLEYBALL VENUE IN AMERICA’

Best Home Winning

Percentages Since 2011

Team

Pct.

1. Florida State

.947

Western Kentucky

.947

3. Penn State

.940

4. North Carolina

.932

5. Colorado State

.931

Top 10 Home Crowds

Opponent Attendance Year Result

Wisconsin

7,018

2014

L, 3-0

Nebraska

6,750

2011

W, 3-2

Duke

6,333

2010

W, 3-1

BYU

6,260

1988

L, 3-0

UCLA

5,641

2012

L, 3-2

BYU

5,486

2001

W, 3-0

Wyoming

5,389

1987

W, 3-1

BYU

5,317

1987

W, 3-1

BYU

5,307

2000

W, 3-0

Nebraska

5,087

1987

W, 3-1

(7)

Rank Team

Points Record Prev.

1. Stanford (43)

1,464

29-1

1

2. Wisconsin (10)

1,422

28-2

2

3. Washington (5)

1,389

29-2

5

4. Penn State (2)

1,313

30-3

4

5. Florida

1,259

25-2

6

6. Texas

1,232

23-2

3

7. North Carolina

1,131

26-2

7

8. Florida State

1,080

28-2

8

9. COLORADO STATE 1,008

29-2

9

10. Illinois

957 24-7

11

11. Nebraska

843 20-9

10

12. BYU

827 25-4

12

13. Kentucky

735 26-5

15

14. Arizona

677 23-9

14

15. Long Beach State

626 26-4

16

16. Oregon

613 21-9

13

17. UCLA

492 20-11

17

18. Ohio State

444 21-11

20

19. Colorado

404 19-13

18

20. Utah

384 19-12

23

21. Duke

316 22-7

21

22. Arizona State

288 19-13

22

23. Hawai’i

121 21-6

25

24. Purdue

111 22-10

19

25. Western Kentucky

99 30-5

24 RECEIVING VOTES: Kansas 85; Oregon State 62; Creighton

24; Southern California 15; Arkansas-Little Rock 14;

Kan-sas State 11; Alabama 7; Oklahoma 5; Loyola Marymount 2

BOLD = 2014 opponent

* As of Dec. 1

AVCA DI COACHES PRESEASON TOP 25

Name

Team Year

Position

Akokwe Clement

JR

OH

Air Force

Sarah Baugh

JR

S

Boise State

Sierra Nobley

FR

OH

Boise State

Maddy O’Donnell

SO

MB

Boise State

Adrianna Culbert

JR

OPP

Colorado State

Deedra Foss (setter) SR

S

Colorado State

Marlee Reynolds

SR

OH

Colorado State

Kelsey Snider

SR

MB

Colorado State

Chantale Riddle

SR

RS/OPP

New Mexico

Julia Warren (libero) SO

L

New Mexico

Allison Davies

SR

L

UNLV

Daryn Glenn

SR

OH

UNLV

Bree Hammel

SO

MB

UNLV

Alexis Patterson

FR

S

UNLV

Kaitlyn VanHoff

SR

MB

Utah State

Laura Beach

SO

MB

Wyoming

Erin Kirby

SR

MB

Wyoming

Bridget Shanahan

JR

OH

Wyoming

Taylor Parker (HM)

JR

MB

Air Force

Jaime Colaizzi (HM) JR

L

Colorado State

Tessa Lea’ea (HM)

SR

MB

Nevada

Cassie House (HM)

SO

OH

New Mexico

Hannah Johnson (HM) JR

S

New Mexico

Katlin Winters (HM) SR

MB

UNLV

Player of the Year: Deedra Foss, Colorado State

Freshman of the Year: Sierra Nobley, Boise State

Newcomer of the Year: Kaitlyn Oliver, Boise State

Coach of the Year: Cindy Fredrick, UNLV

Conference Overall

Team

W-L Pct. H A W-L Pct. H A

COLORADO

STATE 17-1 .944 9-0 8-1 29-2 .935 14-1 12-1

3-0

UNLV

14-4

.778

7-2

26-7

.788

11-4

10-3

5-0

Wyoming

12-6

.667

7-2

5-4

23-8

.742

12-3

6-5

5-0

New Mexico

11-7

.611

6-3

5-4

19-12

.613

12-4

5-6

2-2

Boise State

11-7

.611

7-2

4-5

18-12

.600

8-4

6-6

4-2

San Diego State

9-9

.500

7-2

2-7

14-15

.483

11-3

2-9

1-3

Utah State

9-9

.500

6-3

3-6

13-16

.448

7-6

4-8

2-2

Air Force

7-11

.389

5-4

2-7

13-19

.406

9-8

2-9

2-2

Nevada

5-13

.278

3-6

2-7

8-20

.286

4-6

2-10

2-4

Fresno State

3-15

.167

3-6

0-9

8-24

.250

3-6

1-13

4-5

San José State

1-17

.056

1-8

0-9

4-27

.129

1-9

1-12

2-6

MOUNTAIN WEST STANDINGS

20 YEARS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

For the 20th-straight season, the Colorado State volleyball team will be playing in the postseason. The Rams have

earned 26 NCAA tournament berths, including every year since 1995. Just 10 schools have been to more NCAA

tournaments than the Rams, and their streak of 20-consecutive appearances in the seventh-longest active streak in

the country.

SUCCESS IN THE TOURNAMENT

Not only do the Rams make it a habit of playing in the postseason, but they also win when they get there.

• 26 overall NCAA tournament appearances

• 20-consecutive berths

• 17-8 record in the first round, including winning five straight from 2007-11

• 12-5 record in the first round under Head Coach Tom Hilbert

• Nine trips to the Sweet 16, most recently in 2009

• 22-25 all-time record in the NCAA tournament

HOME-COURT DOMINANCE

CSU has one of the most-effective home-court environments in the country,

as evidenced by its 254-30 (.894) home record under Hilbert. The Rams

went 14-1 at Moby Arena this season, and since the start of the 2011

sea-son, have the fifth-best home winning percentage in the country.

POSTSEASON AT MOBY

The NCAA tournament is coming to Moby Arena for the first time since 2009.

The Rams’ selection show watch party erupted when CSU appeared as a host site, and for good reason: CSU is 13-2

at Moby Arena in the NCAA tournament.

The Rams have advanced to the Regional Semifinal (Sweet 16) nine times, with seven of them coming via Fort

Col-lins. In 2009, CSU beat Middle Tennessee in the opening round, before upsetting No. 6 Washington to advance to the

second weekend.

A WIN FRIDAY WOULD . . .

• Advance CSU to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2011. The Rams are 12-5

in first-round matches under Hilbert, but have lost in the opening round each of the past two years. CSU has

never lost three-straight tournament matches.

• CSU would then face the winner Friday’s match between Colorado and Northern Colorado. The Rams’

second-round match would take place Saturday at 4:30 p.m. CSU beat Northern Colorado in September in Greeley,

Colo., but hasn’t played Colorado since 2010.

• Improve the Rams’ NCAA tournament record to 23-25 all-time, including 20-17 under Hilbert.

• Improve to 17-2 all-time against Denver, including a perfect 11-0 at Moby Arena.

• Remain perfect at Moby Arena under Hilbert against Colorado’s four other Division I programs. Hilbert enters

the tournament 45-0.

• Be CSU’s 30th win of the season, just the fourth time ever – and first since 2003 – that CSU has reached 30 or

more victories in a season.

• Guarantee at least a tie for CSU’s second-best winning percentage in program history. A win Friday would

mean CSU can finish no worse than 30-3 (.909).

A WIN SATURDAY WOULD . . .

• Advance CSU to the Regional Semifinal for the 10th time in program history, and first since 2009. CSU’s

Sweet 16 matchup would take place in Minneapolis, Minn., on Friday, Dec. 12.

• Be CSU’s 31st win of the season, second-most ever. The 2000 team won a program-record 32 matches.

ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST

AVCA DI COACHES TOP 25

NOTES

Home Winning % Since 2011

1. Florida State

.947 (54-3)

Western Kentucky .947 (54-3)

3. Penn State

.940 (63-4)

4. North Carolina

.932 (55-4)

(8)

Consecutive Wins

1. 27

2013

2. 23

2003

3. 20

2001

4. 19

2000

5. 18

2014

• Improve the Rams’ NCAA tournament record to 24-25 all-time, including 21-17

under Hilbert.

• Remain perfect at Moby Arena under Hilbert against Colorado’s four other

Divi-sion I programs. Hilbert enters the tournament 45-0.

• Be CSU’s 16th home win of the season, which would be third-most in program

history. The Rams would finish the season 16-1 (.941) at Moby Arena, their

sixth-best home winning percentage.

• [If Colorado wins] Improve CSU’s record to 23-11 all-time against the Buffs,

in-cluding 4-0 in the tournament. CSU owns NCAA tournament wins over Colorado

in 2000, 2001 and 2005.

• [If Colorado wins] Be CSU’s third win over a ranked opponent this season, the

most since 2008.

• [If Northern Colorado wins] Improve CSU’s record to 19-6 against Northern

Colorado, including its 14th in a row.

OUR STATE

Head Coach Tom Hilbert is 101-20 (.835) against the Centennial State, including 4-0 in

2014.

The veteran coach

is especially good

at home, though,

never losing a home

match to a team

from the state of

Colorado (45-0).

The Rams’ last home loss to a Colorado foe came in 1995, to the Buffaloes. All-time at

Moby Arena, CSU is 55-5 (.917) against its in-state rivals – Air Force, Colorado, Denver

and Northern Colorado.

The Rams most-recently defeated Air Force on Nov. 13, improving to 43-1 all-time

in the series. After dropping the initial contest, CSU has rattled off 43-straight wins

– including 21 in a row in straight sets. The streak is believed to be the nation’s

third-longest active win streak against one team.

COLORADO ON THE RISE

For the first time ever, four teams from the state of Colorado are in the NCAA

tourna-ment, setting up an all-Colorado sub-regional at Moby Arena.

“This whole thing is great for volleyball in the state of Colorado. This will draw a lot of

people in from Denver, a lot of the club players and high school players and coaches.

This will be a great weekend. What’s good about it too, is that CSU knows how to do it

right. We’ll be selling tickets right away. Our people know how to do these events right.

It’ll be first class, and we’ll make some money for the NCAA.”

SIX-PEAT

For the sixth year in a row, the CSU Rams are Mountain West champions. CSU won its

first 11 conference matches and led the league wire to wire en route to the conference

title. In the league’s 16-year history, CSU has won 12 of the regular-season

champion-ships, but had never won six prior to this year. In fact, CSU is the only team in the

nation to have won its conference title each of the past six years. Hawai’i had won five

in a row entering the 2014 season but finished second in the Big West standings.

FIVE GOLDEN RINGS

The CSU volleyball team has experienced an unprecedented amount of success over the

past two decades. In fact, every player who have played four years under Head Coach

Tom Hilbert has won at least two conference championships, with all but three winning

three or more. The 2014 senior class became three of just five Rams to finish their

ca-reers with five regular-season conference championship rings. Michelle Smith became

(2009-13) and Katie Jo Shirley-Cahoon (2000-04) are the other two five-time winners.

AMONG THE BEST

With its Oct. 30 win at San Diego State, CSU became the first team in the country to

reach 23 victories on the season, and currently at 29-2, is tied for the third-most wins

in the NCAA. Additionally, the Rams’ .935 winning percentage is tied with Washington

for the second-best in the nation, trailing only Stanford (29-1; .967).

Regardless of what happens during the postseason, CSU is guaranteed at least its

third-best winning percentage in school history.

SUSTAINED SUCCESS

With 20-consecutive berths in the NCAA tournament, CSU has established a winning

tradition matched by few programs across the country. However, CSU is currently

experiencing one of its best periods, winning 57 of 61 matches since the start of the

2013 season (.934) – the best winning percentage in the NCAA during that time period.

Previously, the team’s best two-year mark was in 1999 and 2000, when the Rams went

a combined 62-8 (.886) and went to back-to-back NCAA Sweet 16’s. In 2013, CSU

finished with a 28-2 mark, the best winning percentage and fewest losses in program

history.

ALL WE DO IS WIN

Since 2009, CSU holds an .841 winning

percentage, going 153-29. The winning

percentage is the fourth-highest in the NCAA

during that span, trailing only Penn State,

Hawai’i and Texas.

A NEW STREAK

CSU swept Fresno State on Nov. 13, earning victory No. 1 in

what the team hopes is another long winning streak. After

victories over the final three weeks of the season, CSU will

enter the postseason on a six-match winning streak. CSU

and DU are two of 20 teams in the tournament who are

rid-ing a six-match win streak or more.

The Rams began the season with five-straight sweeps before dropping their first match

– to then-No. 4 Wisconsin on Sept. 6. From there, CSU rattled off 18-straight victories

to improve to 23-1. It marked the fifth time CSU has won at least 20 matches before

losing twice. The 18-match win streak was the fifth-longest in program history and was

the fourth-longest active win streak in the NCAA at the time.

RAMS RACK UP ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS

For the sixth-consecutive season, a CSU student-athlete was named the Mountain West

Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year. Joining Player of the Year Deedra Foss on the

all-conference team, junior Adrianna Culbert and senior Kelsey Snider earned their second

selections, while senior Marlee Reynolds and junior Jaime Colaizzi were picked for the

first time. Culbert, Reynolds and Snider were named to the 18-player All-MW team,

while Colaizzi was one of six players recognized as Honorable Mention.

In addition to Player of the Year, Foss was the conference’s designated setter for the

second-straight season. The five selections are the most represented by the Rams since

2009. CSU and UNLV had the most selections in the MW.

In the league’s 16-year history, a CSU player has earned the top honor 11 times: Angela

Knopf (2000, 2001), Melissa Courtney (2003, 2004), Mekana Barnes(2007), Danielle

Minch (2009, 2010), Katelyn Steffan (2011), Dana Cranston (2012), Samantha Peters

(2013) and Foss (2014). Foss is the 14th player in CSU history to earn all-conference

honors three times throughout her career. Additionally, she was the 2011 MW

New-comer of the Year, making her just the fifth player to earn recognition each year of her

career.

Team

Record Home Record Hilbert (Home)

Air Force

42-1

21-0

39-0 (19-0)

Colorado

22-11

14-4

12-2 (9-0)

Denver

17-2

10-0

15-2 (10-0)

No. Colorado

19-6

9-1

8-0 (4-0)

Winning % Since 2009

1. Penn State

.901 (192-21)

2. Hawai’i

.882 (165-22)

3. Texas

.853 (168-23)

4. Colorado State

.841 (153-29)

5. Stanford

.836 (158-31)

(9)

Deedra Foss | Senior | Setter | McKenna, Wash.

Averaging 12.11 assists per set, Foss was far and away the

top setter in the conference, also helping CSU to a

conference-leading .273 hitting percentage. Overall, Foss is averaging

11.74 assists per set (third in the NCAA) and CSU is hitting

.281 (ninth). In addition to her assists average and team

hitting percentage, Foss averaged 0.85 blocks per set, which

led all MW setters. She also averaged 0.64 kills, 2.15 digs and

0.21 aces per set. Foss will finish her career ranked in the top

five in CSU and Mountain West history for assists, including first during the 25-point

scoring era. Her 11.22 career assists-per-set average ranks second among active

set-ters in the NCAA with at least 4,500 assists.

Adrianna Culbert | Junior | Opposite Hitter | Delton, Mich.

As one of the most versatile players in the MW, Culbert hit

.348 during conference play, the highest among all pin hitters.

She also ranked in the top 10 for digs (3.23 per set), the top

for a non-defensive specialist. She is the only player in the MW

to rank in the top 10 for hitting and digs; she also ranked 17th

for kills per set (2.69). In October, she was named the MW

Player of the Week and the espnW National Player of the Week.

Marlee Reynolds | Senior | Outside Hitter | Dalhart, Texas

As CSU’s leading hitter, Reynolds ranked fifth in the MW for

kills (3.21 per set), eighth for points (3.58). Her .243 hitting

percentage ranked first among all outside hitters, and her

0.69 blocks per set were also first among outside hitters. She

was the only outside hitter to average at least 3.00 kills, 0.50

blocks and hit above .200. She had a career-high 21 kills vs.

UNLV in October, and earlier in the season, was named the

MW Player of the Week after helping CSU to the Residence Inn

Invitational title, including a win at No. 18 Arizona State.

Kelsey Snider | Senior | Middle Blocker | Westminster, Colo.

In her second season at middle blocker, Snider led all middle

blockers with 2.90 kills and 3.78 points per set. Her .347

hitting percentage ranked fourth, and her 18 service aces were

tied for first for her position. She was the only player in the

MW to rank in the top 10 in the MW for points (third), hitting

(fifth), kills (T-10th), blocks (10th) and service aces (T-4th).

She earned MW Player of the Week honors in September after

helping CSU to a 4-0 week, including a win vs. No. 9 BYU.

Jaime Colaizzi | Junior | Libero | Windsor, Colo.

In her second season at libero, Colaizzi averaged 4.03 digs per

set during conference play, including double figures in 16 of

18 matches. The junior had 14 service aces and just 11

receiv-ing errors – tops among MW liberos. For the season, she is

averaging 4.27 digs per set, which would rank third in CSU

single-season history.

GOOD ALL AROUND

Once again, the Rams are proving to be one of the top offensive and defensive teams in

the nation. CSU is the only team in the nation to rank in the top 25 for hitting

percent-age, kills, assists, opponent hitting percentage and blocks.

ranks 10th nationally for hitting percentage (.281) while limiting opponents to .137

effi-ciency (third). The Rams also rank 13th for kills (14.28 per set), 14th for assists (13.33)

and 22nd for blocks (2.75). CSU is the only team in the nation to rank in the top 25 for

all five statistical categories.

STEADY AT NO. 9

CSU remained steady in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll for the fourth-straight

week, finishing the regular season at No. 9. Monday marked the 28th-consecutive poll

in which CSU has been ranked – tied for the third-longest in program history – and 12th

in a row in the top 10. CSU has been ranked as high as No. 6 this season, its highest

national ranking since Oct. 29, 2001.

All-time, CSU has been ranked in 265 of 477 polls – 14th in the NCAA – and holds 75

appearances in the top 10 – 18th. For the first time since 2000 and 2001, CSU has been

ranked in the top 10 in back-to-back seasons. The Rams

spent five weeks in the top 10 last year, peaking at No. 9.

CSU has been ranked No. 6 or better four times (1987,

2000, 2001 and 2014). The Rams’ highest-ever ranking was

No. 3 in 2000.

FAST START

CSU is 29-2 on the season, but has also won the first set

in 29 of 31 matches on the year, including 23 in a row. The

last time CSU lost the opening set of a match was to No.

9 BYU on Sept. 12. Despite dropping the first frame, CSU

went on to win the match, 3-1.

COMING THROUGH CLUTCH

Through 31 regular-season matches, CSU won 88 of 103

sets, leading to a 29-2 record. While the Rams have been

good all around, they have been best when it matters most.

CSU has won nearly 80 percent of its matches decided by five points or fewer (37-10).

CSU has also proved that no opponent lead is insurmountable, overcoming deficits of

six, seven and nine, and against Nevada, fighting off three set points.

Altogether, CSU has dropped just 15 sets all season. Six of the set losses were by two

points, and Arizona State, UNLV and New Mexico are the only teams to beat CSU by

more than five points.

20 WINS ONCE AGAIN

A victory Oct. 17 at Air Force gave the Rams their 20th win of the season. CSU has now

reached that figure each of the past 20 seasons since 1995. Nebraska (40), Penn State

(38), Florida (24) and Hawai’i (21) are the only teams to have longer streaks than CSU.

In 18 seasons under Head Coach Tom Hilbert, CSU has averaged 25.56 wins per

season. CSU’s 29 wins in 2014 are tied for the fourth-most in CSU history – and the

second-most during the regular season.

ROAD WARRIORS

While the Rams are nearly unbeatable at home, they have

also found success away from home. In fact, CSU went

more than two years without losing a true road match, a

streak which led the nation.

After losing to San Diego State on Oct. 25, 2012, CSU won

27-straight true road contests through Oct. 30, 2012. The

team’s previous best road winning streak was 12 matches.

Overall, the Rams have won 29 of their past 30 true road matches.

CLEAN SWEEPS

CSU won 24-consecutive sets from Oct. 4-30, the Rams’

longest streak in three seasons and tied for their third-best

ever. During the span, CSU swept seven matches in a row

(tied for fourth), and on the season has won 22 contests

in straight sets. The 22 sweeps ranks third in program

history, one shy of second place (2001) and two away from

tying the school record (2000).

MULTIPLE NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDS

On Nov. 25, setter Deedra Foss became the seventh player in CSU history to be named

the Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week.

“This is really such an honor,” Foss said. “There are so many great volleyball players

around the country, so to be mentioned is really special. I obviously couldn’t have

received this without my teammates. It’s exciting and I’m very honored.”

The senior from McKenna, Wash., helped the ninth-ranked Rams to a pair of victories,

sweeping San José State at home before beating Nevada in straight sets on the road.

The victories clinched CSU’s sixth-consecutive Mountain West title. In two matches,

Foss recorded 13.33 assists, 1.17 blocks and 1.00 kills per set on .500 hitting - all

above her season averages. Foss’ assists-per-set average was 1.69 per set higher than

her season average, which leads the MW and currently ranks third nationally (11.75 per

set).

Earlier in the fall, junior opposite hitter Adrianna Culbert earned a similar honor by

Top-25 Rankings

Preseason

18 Week 1

13 Week 2

14 Week 3

8 Week 4

7 Week 5

7 Week 6

7 Week 7

6 Week 8

6 Week 9

7 Week 10

10 Week 11

9 Week 12

9 Week 13

9 Week 14

9 Consecutive Road Wins

Wins

Year

1. 27 2012-14

2. 11

2003

3.

8 2004

8 1986

5.

7 2000

Sets Won In A Row

1. 40

2000

2. 37

2001

3. 24

2014

24 2011

24 1999

24 1986

(10)

espnW. During the week of Oct. 6-12, she averaged 3.00 kills per set on .567 hitting, in

addition to 3.83 digs, 1.00 blocks, 1.33 assists and a service ace. She had a team-most

15 digs against a Wyoming squad which ranked ninth in the NCAA for hitting efficiency,

and against Fresno State, had a match-best 10 kills on .625 hitting, recording zero

errors.

SENIOR LEADERSHIP

Behind the leadership of a stellar senior class, the Colorado State volleyball team has

continued its proud tradition while elevating the Rams to a new level. The three seniors

- Deedra Foss, Marlee Reynolds and Kelsey Snider – will play their final match(es) at

Moby Arena this weekend.

During their time in the Green and Gold, they have established themselves among the

program’s all-time greats, becoming three of just a handful of players to win a

confer-ence championship in each season.

A look at the numbers:

• 128-23 overall record (.848).

• 78-9 record against Mountain West opponents (.897).

• 68-6 record at Moby Arena (.919).

• Five Mountain West regular-season championships, three of five players in

program history to accomplish that feat. The seniors also won the 2011 MW

tournament title.

• Five trips to the NCAA tournament, extending CSU’s streak to 20-straight seasons

in the postseason.

• 57 weeks ranked in the top 25 of the AVCA Division I Coaches poll, including 16

in the top 10.

• Part of four of the top five crowds in Moby Arena history.

• Set the best two-year winning percentage in program history.

• Part of the 2013 team which started the season 27-0 en route to a

program-record .933 winning percentage.

COLAIZZI REACHES

1,000 DIGS

Still just a junior, Jaime Colaizzi

is setting herself up to go down

as one of the program’s top

liberos. The Windsor, Colo.,

na-tive on Nov. 13 became the 11th

Ram to record 1,000 career

digs. Colaizzi, an All-Mountain

West Honorable Mention, now

sits at 1,066, which ranks

eighth in program history. She

is on pace to finish her career in second. Her 4.27 digs-per-set average this season

would rank third in CSU single-season annals, while her 3.51 average for her career is

second-best.

SETTING THE WAY

Deedra Foss, the 2014 Mountain West Player of the Year, ranks fifth in CSU and MW

history for career assists (4,714), including first during the 25-point scoring era. The

senior leads the league with 11.74 assists per set, a figure which ranks third nationally.

During conference play, her 12.11 assists-per-set average is more than a half of an

assist higher than the next-best setter.

Nationally, Foss has the second-highest career

assists-per-set average among all active senior setters

in the NCAA.

Foss, a 2013 AVCA Pacific North Region and

All-America Honorable Mention selection, is again putting

up numbers worthy of a select-straight selection. She

is one of two setters nationally to rank in the top 10

for assists and lead a offense that ranks in the top 10

for hitting. Among setters in the Pacific North Region

(half of the Big Sky, Big West, Mountain West, Pac-12

and West Coast), Foss ranks first for blocking.

The 2011 MW Newcomer of the Year and 2012 All-MW selection is on pace to become

the only setter in program history to average at least 10.60 assists, 2.00 digs and 0.75

blocks per set four times.

PRODUCTION FROM THE LEFT SIDE

Marlee Reynolds leads CSU and ranks fifth in the MW with 3.11 kills per set. Followed

just behind her is freshman Jasmine Hanna (3.03; sixth). Both have a 20-kill

perfor-mance vs. UNLV this season, two of just six Rams since 2010 to record 20 kills in a

match. The duo averages 6.14 kills per set, the best combo in the MW. CSU and San

Jose State are the only two schools with multiple players ranked in the top 10 in the

MW for kills; additionally, Kelsey Snider ranks 11th.

During conference play, the two are the only outside hitters in the MW to average at

least 2.90 kills and 0.48 blocks per set, while hitting above .200.

POLETTO’S MARK

After missing a month of the season with an ankle injury, true freshman Alexandra

Poletto earned a start against New Mexico on Nov. 15 totaling 11 kills on .421 hitting

and a team-most six blocks – both figures were one shy of career highs. Since then,

she has started CSU’s past three matches, and in five career starts, Poletto is averaging

2.76 kills per set on .506 hitting, plus a team-most 1.35 blocks.

On the season, Poletto has 78 kills (1.77 per set) on .441 hitting and 49 blocks (1.11

per set). Her blocking average is on pace to be the fifth-best in CSU freshman history,

and her hitting percentage would be a record, but she does not meet the minimum

requirement of 200 kills.

THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE

Earlier this season, junior opposite hitter Adrianna Culbert was referred to as the Swiss

Army Knife of volleyball. The description is accurate considering she does it all for the

Rams. As a versatile six-rotation player, Culbert ranks second on the team for hitting,

digs and assists, fourth for kills, and fifth for blocks. She is the only player in the MW to

rank in the top 10 for both hitting and digs, and leads all non-defensive specialists with

3.18 per set.

RELYING ON REYNOLDS

Senior Marlee Reynolds is one of the top outside hitters in the MW, ranking third for her

position in kills (3.21 per set during MW play) and first for hitting (.243) and blocking

(0.69). She led the Rams for kills 13 times during the regular season. On Oct. 2 vs.

UNLV, Reynolds had a career-most 20 kills on .500 hitting, committing just one error

(20-1-38)

Through the season’s first 10 matches, Reynolds was hitting just .196, but following a