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Photo Credit: Hawaii Hilo Athletics

Volleyball

4-0 Wolves look to continue hot start at Cougar Classic in San Marcos, CA

WOU VOLLEYBALL (4-0)
GNAC STANDINGS | GNAC STATS | WOU STATS | WOU STAT RANKINGS
 
SCHEDULE
COUGAR CLASSIC
San Marcos, California
FRIDAY
vs. Azusa Pacific, 11 a.m.
vs. CSU Monterey Bay, 4 p.m.
SATURDAY
vs. Westmont, 12 p.m.
at CSU San Marcos, 5 p.m.
Live Stream & Stat Links
 
THE WOLVES HEADING INTO THE WEEK
The Western Oregon volleyball team for the second year in a row started the season 4-0 (something that hadn't been done for 24 years prior to last year) by going undefeated at the Hawai'i Fall Volleyball Challenge in Hilo - defeating Cal Poly Humboldt and Bemidji State in four sets and Hawaii Pacific and host Hawaii Hilo in five sets.

WOU used a barrage of aces (2.61 per set - 22nd in the nation after the first week) and strong defense at the net (2.39 blocks per set, 39th in the nation) to propel them to wins. Chloe Ascuitto was a force on both of those, collecting 14 aces (third in the nation) and 18 blocks (37th in D-II). Madison Hornback paced the Wolves at 3.20 kills per set while Kealni Rosa (4.94 assists per set) and Samantha Darby (4.50 aps) shared setting duties. Finley Buman led the Wolves in blocks per set at 1.11 and her 20 blocks in the opening weekend is 21st in NCAA D-II.

THE OPPONENTS HEADING INTO THE WEEK
  • Azusa Pacific: 2-2 (Of note: Swept Northwest Nazarene, lost in five to Alaska Fairbanks)
  • CSU Monterey Bay: 1-3
  • Westmont: 3-1 (Of note: After being swept by No. 6 Nebraska Kearney, lost just one set in final three matches)
  • CSU San Marcos: 1-3 (Of note: lost to Simon Fraser 3-1)
 
SERIES HISTORY (Since 2000)
  • Azusa Pacific
    ALL-TIME: First Meeting
     
  • Monterey Bay
    ALL-TIME: 1-1
    STREAK: Lost 1
    LAST WOU WIN: Aug. 29, 2008 - 3-1 in Seaside, CA
    LAST WOU LOSS: Sept. 7, 2019 - 3-1 in Portland, OR
     
  • Westmont
    ALL-TIME: First Meeting
     
  • San Marcos
    ALL-TIME: 1-0
    STREAK: Won 1
    LAST WOU WIN: Sept. 7, 2017 - 3-0 in Monmouth
 
NOTES
4-0 ... again!
The Western Oregon volleyball team started the season 4-0 for the second year in a row after sweeping play at the Hawai'a Fall Volleyball Challenge. Before last season, the Wolves hadn't started a season 4-0 since 1999.

WOU is looking for its first 5-0 start since the 1998 Wolves team started the season 9-0. The longest win streak to start the season for WOU since 1984 is 14-0 in 1996.

Hornback named Preseason All-GNAC
Western Oregon senior Madison Hornback was named to the GNAC Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team when the conference released the team Monday.
 
Hornback, from Oregon City, Oregon, led the conference in kills per set (3.56) in 2023 and was second in points per set (4.05) on her way to being named All-GNAC First Team. She was also named GNAC All-Academic (3.62 GPA). Hornback had a GNAC high for kills in a three-set match (23 - tied for 10th most in D-II in 2023) and five sets/overall (27) and was twice named GNAC Offensive Player of the Week.
 
Wolves picked eighth in GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll
The Western Oregon volleyball team was picked eighth in the 2024 GNAC preseason coaches poll for 2024. WOU finished 4-14 in GNAC and 10-16 overall in 2023, good for ninth in conference standings. The Wolves in coach Kaiao Nahale'a's second season had their best start in program history since 1999, going 4-0 in the opening weekend of play and swept the 2023 Stanislaus State Tournament, while the 10 wins was the most for the program since 2016.
 
2024 GNAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
Rank Team (1st Place Votes) Points
1 Central Washington (2) 91
2 Seattle Pacific (6) 90
3 Western Washington 75
4 Simon Fraser (2) 74
5 Alaska Anchorage 59
6 Alaska Fairbanks 49
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Players Mentioned

Finley Buman

#10 Finley Buman

MB
6' 0"
Sophomore
Samantha Darby

#20 Samantha Darby

S
5' 8"
Sophomore
Madison Hornback

#17 Madison Hornback

OH
5' 10"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Finley Buman

#10 Finley Buman

6' 0"
Sophomore
MB
Samantha Darby

#20 Samantha Darby

5' 8"
Sophomore
S
Madison Hornback

#17 Madison Hornback

5' 10"
Senior
OH