Colorado Christian vs. Westminster
Friday, Oct. 1 | 7:00 p.m.
Lakewood, CO (CCU Event Center)

• The Cougars have won five of the six all-time meetings with the Griffins
• Colorado Christian has swept both matches played in Lakewood

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Colorado Christian vs. Colorado Mesa
Saturday, Oct. 2 | 4:00 p.m.
Lakewood, CO (CCU Event Center)

• The Mavericks hold a 15-7 edge against Colorado Christian
• The Cougars last beat Colorado Mesa in 2017 (W, 3-1); the Mavericks have won four straight

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Week in Review

The Cougars opened conference play with a 1-1 record on the road at CSU Pueblo and UCCS. The two-match road swing began with a three-set loss at CSU Pueblo before the Cougars rebounded with a hard fought five-set victory at the Mountain Lions. In that win, Libby Goodman and Bre Allen led a 73-kill attack with 21 kills each. The 73 team kills is the third highest by a conference team this season.

Impressive Offense at UCCS

During that five-set win in the Springs, the Cougars did something not seen in the program for a few years. The 73 kills they recorded was the most team kills in a match since the 2016 season when they had 75 against CSU Pueblo. Moreover, with Allen and Goodman each tallying 21 kills, it is the first time the program had two players with 20-plus kills in a match since a match against Colorado School of Mines; also during the 2016 campaign.

Those numbers helped the squad to their first win at UCCS since the 2012 campaign.

Statistically Speaking

As a team the Cougars are hitting .198 as a team which is the sixth best mark in the RMAC while being tied for sixth with 2.02 blocks per set. It is the highest they rank in the conference in any statistic. 

Goodman is tied for third in the league with 3.47 kills per set with Allen just behind her in the eighth spot (3.14). Setter Izzy Jones is fourth in the RMAC in assists (8.65). Defensively, Mackenzie Close is averaging 1.05 blocks per set; the sixth best mark in the conference. Madelyn Long has moved into 10th with 3.80 digs per set. 

Glancing at the Top 25

In this weeks AVCA National Poll, a pair of RMAC schools are ranked in the top 25. MSU Denver is currently ranked second in the country with Colorado School of Mines coming in at the No. 8 spot. Respectively they earned five and one first-place vote. Colorado Mesa is receiving votes in the poll. 

RMAC Preseason Poll

The Cougars were picked to finish sixth in the preseason poll of the league's head coaches. Colorado Mesa were chosen as favorite in 2021 RMAC Volleyball Preseason Poll

2021 RMAC Volleyball Preseason Poll
1. Colorado Mesa (7) - 182
2. MSU Denver (3) - 174
3. Colorado School of Mines (3) - 172
4. Regis (1) - 156
5. CSU Pueblo - 144
6. Colorado Christian - 125
7. South Dakota Mines - 98
T8. UCCS - 93
T8. Western Colorado - 93
10. Black Hills State - 88
11. Fort Lewis - 87
12. Chadron State - 61
13. Westminster - 44
14. Adams State (1) - 43
15. New Mexico Highlands - 15

Head Coach - Bobby Blanken

The 2021 season will be Bobby Blanken's fifth 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 five seasons with the Cougars he has coached eight all-conference players as well as an all-region and All-American player in Sophia Proano.

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).