Colorado Christian vs. CSU Pueblo
Saturday, Feb. 20 | 2:00 p.m.
Denver, CO (Auraria Event Center)
- This is the first ever neutral court meetings between the two schools
- Over the last 10 matches, Colorado Christian holds a 7-3 edge against the Thunderwolves
Follow Along:
RMAC Network
Live Stats
Colorado Christian vs. #4 MSU Denver
Saturday, Feb. 20 | 5:00 p.m.
Denver, CO (Auraria Event Center)
- MSU Denver has won seven straight against the Cougars
- The last Colorado Christian win in the series came during the 2014 season
Follow Along:
RMAC Network
Live Stats
Playing the Best
After Saturday's two matches, the Cougars will have completed four contest. Of those four, three of them have been played against a team that is currently ranked in the
AVCA Top 25.
RMAC Outlook
The Cougars were picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll of the league's head coaches. The senior duo of
Maddie Burns and
Jacey Johnson were selected as Players to Watch for the squad. The coaches selected MSU Denver and Regis as the preseason co-favorites while Colorado School of Mines rounds out the top three.
Against Top 25
Since the 2017 season, when
Bobby Blanken took over as the program's head coach, the Cougars are 1-7 against nationally ranked opponents. Saturday's match against No. 4 MSU Denver is the highest ranked team the Cougars have played during that time. Previously they have competed against the No. 7 team (Colorado Mesa - 2020/21), No. 8 team (Regis, - 2019, Southwest Minnesota State - 2018). The Cougars win against a top 25 team came in 2018 when they beat No. 21 Colorado School of Mines in four sets.
Setter Experience
Both setters on the Cougars rosters have plenty of collegiate experience. Senior
Maddie Burns and sophomore
Jincey Nystedt both started matches last season averaging 9.51 and 9.76 assists per set respectively. Burns dished out 22 assists in her season debut against the Orediggers in late January.
Welcome to the Newcomers
The Cougars welcome six freshman and two transfers to the roster for the campaign. The "freshman team" includes
Alli Douglass,
Leielle Salinger,
Megan Piton,
Kylar Raymond,
Madelyn Long and
Mackenzie Close. The group could almost form their own team as they play all positions but setter. Transfer
Ryanne Ferro and
Breanna Allen also join the squad for their first seasons at the NCAA level. Ferro previously played at NAIA Dordt College as a defensively specialists while Allen was an outside hitter at Glendale Community College.
Douglass had a team high nine kills in her collegiate debut against Colorado School of Mines on Jan. 30
Head Coach - Bobby Blanken
The 2020 season will be
Bobby Blanken's fourth as Colorado Christian's Head Volleyball Coach. In his first year, Coach Blanken led the team to a conference record of 14-4 which landed a 4th place conference finish which allowed the program to host a RMAC Tournament match for the first time.
During his three seasons with the Cougars he has coached six all-conference players as well as an all-region and All-American player in Sophia Proano. 9248
Before Colorado Christian, Blanken served MSU Denver's head assistant coach since 2014. In his three-year stint at MSU Denver, Blanken helped lead a very successful program that went 18-0 in the RMAC in 2016.
Prior to coaching at MSU Denver, Blanken was the Head Women's Volleyball Coach at The Master's College in Santa Clarita, CA from 2010-2014. During his time at The Master's College, Blanken successfully built the program from a 7-22 first year record to a No. 6 NAIA finish in his final year. Blanken was named the 2012 AVCA West Region Coach of the Year and 2012 Golden State Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. At The Master's College, Blanken totaled a record of 87-56 (.608).
