MATCH WEEK
The 17th-ranked Utah Volleyball team advances to the second round of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament, taking on the Marquette University Golden Eagles on Friday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. MT.
Fans can find the broadcast on ESPN+ with Jim Watson providing the play-by-play with Victoria Dennis bringing the analysis. Â Â
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QUICK HITS
• Utah welcomes back the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017. This is the fourth time the Jon M. Huntsman Center has played host to the opening rounds of the NCAA (2001, 05, 17, 24).
• Every NCAA Tournament Utah has qualified for has been under the leadership of head Coach
Beth Launiere, making its first appearance in 1998.
• The Utes advance to the second round of the tournament for the 15th time in program history, seeking their fifth Sweet 16 appearance and first since 2019.
• Utah closes out the regular season at #17 in the AVCA top 25 poll.
• The Utes have won eight consecutive matches, including four wins on their home floor by way of a 3-0 sweep.Â
• As the 35th pick overall,
Lauren Jardine was drafted by the Las Vegas Thrill of the Pro Volleyball Federation with the 3rd pick in the 5th round.
• Five Utes have earned All-Big 12 honors with
Kamryn Gibadlo and
Allie Olsen being named to the first team.
Lauren Jardine and
Emrie Satuala collected second-team honors, with
Isabelle Marco adding All-Rookie Team laurels.Â
•
Emrie Satuala posted a career-high .727 hitting percentage in Utah's NCAA First Round match against the College of Charleston, recording eight kills on 11 swings without an error.
•
Vanessa Ramirez is second for all-time career digs in Utah Volleyball history with 1,622.
• As a team, Utah has averaged 14.1 kills per set with 13.0 assists per set. From the service line, the Utes are averaging 1.6 aces per set. On the defensive side of the net, Utah is posting 15.2 digs per set with 2.3 blocks per set.
• Utah has 166 aces as a team this season, ranking 8th in the rally scoring era for a single-season as a team. They are three aces away from moving into the 7th spot and passing the 2021 team that finishedd with 168 aces.
• The Utes have reached their most wins in a season since 2022.
• Utah's .263 hitting percentage as a team has the chance to finish 2nd in the rally scoring era for a team in a single season, trailing the 2006 team which finished with a .281 clip.
• With the win over BYU, Utah secured the 900th win in program history while setting a new attendance record (5,953) at the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
• After defeating Houston (3-0), Utah has eclipsed the 20-win mark for the 20th time under head coach
Beth Launiere.
• Sophomore
Kamryn Gibadlo earned the first Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 15) honors for the program since joining the new conference and the first weekly award of her career.
• Utah boasts a versatile attack with three hitters averaging 2.0+ kills per set with a hitting percentage of .250 or better.
Kamryn Gibadlo (3.43/.268),
Emrie Satuala (2.30/.366) and
Lauren Jardine (2.80/.270).
• Running the two setter system, Utah has seen great production out of newcomer
Isabelle Marco as she leads the Utes in assists per set at 5.74. Meanwhile, the veteran setter
Grace Hammond comes in at 5.09 assists per set.
AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
• Utah ranks in the top-20 in the nation (16th) and the Big 12 (3rd) for kills per set, averaging 14.10.
• The Utah attack is top 30 in the country, coming in at 30th, posting a .265 hitting percentage, the Utes rank 3rd in the Big 12.Â
• As one of the most efficient hitting teams in the nation, Utah ranks 23rd in the nation in assists per set at 12.97 and 3rd in the Big 12.
• The Utah defense has held its opponents to a .166 hitting percentage, ranking them 24th in the nation and 2nd in the Big 12.Â
•
Allie Olsen ranks among the top-20 in the nation for hitting percentage, coming in at 18th and posting a .404 clip, ranking second in the Big 12.Â
•
Emrie Satuala moves back into the top 75, coming in at 65th and 7th in the Big 12 with a .358 hitting percentage.
BAD, BAD, GIBADLO
• Gibadlo has led the Utah attack 21 times this season.
• She has put down double-digit kills 22times, eclipsing 15+ kills six times.
• On the season, Gibadlo has put away a team-high 364 total kills, leading the Utes with a 3.43 kills per set average.Â
• From the service line, Gibadlo has tallied 38 aces, which is the most on the team.
• Gibadlo has set a new career-high mark in kills multiple times this season first in the Big 12 opener against Texas Tech and again at #24 BYU (17). She eclipsed that mark, setting a new best with 19 kills against Arizona. Gibadlo continued to grow her personal best with a new high at Colorado with 20.Â
• Against Arizona, Gibadlo tallied her 500th career kill.
• A threat from the service line in the home match against BYU, she aced the Cougars a career-high seven times, matching the Utah three set record.
• She had her most efficient match against Coppin State, hitting .533.
MONSTERS IN THE MIDDLE
• The Utah defense has been tough to get around, as the Utes hold opponents to a .170 hitting percentage, ranking 2nd in the Big 12 and 30th in the nation.Â
• Leading the Utah blocking effort with a team-high 108 blocks is
Emrie Satuala, averaging 1.09 blocks per set. She has tallied 13 matches with 4+ blocks.Â
•
Allie Olsen adds 89 blocks, averaging just under a block a set at .95.Â
• Satuala and Olsen turn the defense to offense for the Utes with the top two hitting percentages on the team, with Olsen coming in at .407 and Satuala at .358.
BIG YEAR IN THE BIG 12
• Utah Volleyball collected five all-conference honors this season, the most for the program in a single season since 2006 when Utah competed in the Mountain West.
•
Kamryn Gibadlo was one of six All-Big 12 first-team selections named by a unanimous decision.
Allie Olsen was the second Ute to collect first-team All-Big 12 honors.Â
•
Lauren Jardine and
Emrie Satuala each earned Big 12 second-team accolades, with
Isabelle Marco collecting All-Rookie Team honors.
• Utah overcame the preseason projections, after being picked to finish ninth in the preseason poll, the Utes ended their first season in the Big 12 in third place.
• This is Utah's best finish when entering a new conference since joining the Mountain West in 1999, when the Utes took third going 22-10 overall record with a 10-4 conference conference record.Â
SCOUTING MARQUETTE
Utah vs. MU: First Meeting
H: 0-0 | A: 0-0 | N: 0-0
Marquette heads into the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 24-8 overall record. The Golden Eagles defeated Florida Gulf Coast in straight sets in its opening round match. Aubrey Hamilton (14) and Natalie Ring (11) led Marquette with double-digit kills. Hamilton leads the Marquette with 404 kills on the season, averaging 3.71 kills per set. Yadhira Anchante tallied her 21st double-double of the season, finishing the match with 39 assists and 16 digs. Anchante leads Marquette in both categories, with 1,172 assists and 357 digs. Carsen Murray and Hattie Bray lead the defensive effort with 78 blocks each.Â
FOLLOW THE UTES
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahVolleyball | Instagram: @UtahVolleyball | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahvolleyball), and the official mobile app of Utah Athletics, Utah360.
OFFICIAL MOBILE APP OF UTAH ATHLETICS – UTAH 360
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