Upcoming Event: Volleyball versus Houston on October 9, 2025 at 7:00 PM
7:00 PM
Volleyball
vs Houston
Thursday, October 9
Salt Lake City, UT
7:00 PM
University of Utah
vs
Houston
Photo by: Sophia Kuder
Utah Volleyball Heads Home to Host Houston
10/7/2025 2:03 PM | Volleyball
Utes to recognize two special causes against Cougars
SALT LAKE CITY- Utah Volleyball comes back home this week to host Houston on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. MT in their Power of Pink match to raise awareness for breast cancer research. Fans attending the match are encouraged to wear pink and be loud.
The Utes vs. Cougars can be viewed on ESPN+ with Krista Blunk and Victoria Dennis on the call.
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Only one match this week, let's make it count!#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/ZAp5uOYPbv
— Utah Volleyball (@UtahVolleyball) October 6, 2025
QUICK HITS
• Head Coach Beth Launiere is in her 36th season at the helm of the program, raking as Utah Volleyball's winningest head coach, and currently holds a 682-432 record.
• The Utes will wear special pink jerseys against Houston in support of Breast Cancer Awareness, and sport green hair ribbons in recognition of Mental Health Awareness.Â
• Clemson transfer Neea-Maria Joki recently notched her best match as a Ute against Arizona last week tying her career high in kills (16) while recording a career-high hitting percentage (.467), and a season-high for aces (2).
• The Utes spent the first six weeks of the 2025 season ranked in the AVCA Top 25.
• Utah will face eight opponents that started the season on the AVCA Top-25 Coaches Poll when all is said and done, not including their exhibition against No. 2 Texas on Aug. 15.
• Utah returns nine players from last season's team that stamped the program's ticket to its 19th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Three of those returners were 2025 All-Big 12 selections (Kamryn Gibadlo, Emrie Moea'i, and Isabelle Marco).
• The Utes welcome nine newcomers to their 2025 squad that include six freshmen, three transfers, and the addition of nine-year-old "Ultimate Ute" Briar Rose.Â
TOP OF THE CLASS
• Team leaders in kills: Gibadlo (215), Moea'i (146), Joki (89), Devyn Wiest (62), Allie Grossenbach (53).
•Team leaders in assists: Leah Wilton-LaBoy (326), Isabelle Marco (225), McKenna Payne (34), Levani Key-Powell (13), Grace Moss (8).
• Team leaders in service aces: Key-Powell (15), Moea'i (14), Wilton-LaBoy (13), Gibadlo (11). Lana Mijacic (7).
• Team leaders in digs: Gibadlo (132), Payne (100), Key-Powell (92), Wilton-LaBoy (74), Iliana Linahan (59).
• Team leaders in blocks: Moea'i (64), Field (27), Joki (27), Mijacic (24), Gibadlo (23).
SCOUTING Houston
Utah vs. Houston: 3-4
H: 1-0 | A: 1-1 | N: 1-3
In last years meeting, Utah dominated Houston, defeating the Coogs in a 3-0 sweeping fashion. Utah and Houston have had similar starts to their seasons, each 8-7 to start the year. The two programs share one common opponent this season, both getting swept by the Colorado Buffaloes. However, Houston does have one conference victory (something that has illuded the Utes to this point) versus Texas Tech, winning in a four-set home-match.
REIGNING RETURNERS
• Gibadlo returns to the Utes as an AVCA 2025 Division I Player of the Year to watch after becoming Utah's 24th AVCA All-American (honorable mention) in her sophomore year. Gibadlo was also an AVCA All-Region honoree, and was named an All-Big 12 First Team selection after leading the Utes in kills/set (3.43), kills (370), and aces (38). Over the summer, Gibadlo sharpened her skills competing with the U21 National Team, winning gold in the PanAm Cup. In her first season at Utah (2023), Gibadlo earned Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honors. Gibby wasted no time smashing some of her personal-bests, recording 21 kills twice, 54 attempts, 21 digs, and four blocks.
• Utah returns a strong defensive presence with Moea'i (formerly Satuala) who earned AVCA All-Region honors and a spot on the All-Big 12 Second Team for her solid junior year. In 2024, Moea'i posted double-digit kills in nine matches, setting her season-high against BYU (14) while tying her career-high in total blocks (11) against Utah State. So far this season, Moea'i notched a career best in aces (5) while matching career-bests in assists (1), and digs (4).
• Isabelle Marco made a splash in her first season at Utah in 2024, earning a spot on the All-Big 12 Rookie Team after leading the Utes in assists per set (5.74) and total assists (625). Marco has started 2025 where she left off in 2024 posting career-bests in kills (4), attempts (6), assists (50), and blocks (3).Â
• Levani Key-Powell is expected to make a bigger impact for the Utes in 2025 after getting her feet wet in 2024 as a freshman. So far, Key-Powell has met those expectations setting new career-highs in kills (13), attempts (27), assists (4), aces (5), and digs (23).
WELCOME TO UTAH
• Along with some seasoned vets, the Utes are welcoming a total of nine newcomers (six freshmen, three transfers, and one "Ultimate Ute") to their 2025 squad.
• Freshman Class of 2025: MB Mijacic, MB DyBorrah Johnson, L/DS Payne, MB Field, OH Devyn Wiest, and OPP Grossenbach.
• Transfer Class of 2025: S Wilton-LaBoy via Oklahoma and Utah State, OH Langley Griffin via Utah Beach Volleyball, and OH/OPP Joki.
• Wiest spent the summer competing with USA Volleyball's U19 Girls' National Team that took silver in the World Championship, while Joki, a reigning ACC All-Freshman Team selection at Clemson went home to Finland to compete with the Finish Senior National Team for the European Championship.
• Utah Volleyball made a last-minute move to sign nine-year-old Briar Rose to their "Ultimate Ute" position through Team IMPACT ahead of the 2025 season. Briar Rose will be with the Utes for two seasons, and will be responsible for teaching Swoop new cheers and keeping team morale high through the competitive year.
UP NEXT
The Utes head to Boulder to face Colorado on Wed., Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. MT and then head home to host ASU on Sat., Oct. 18 at 1 p.m. MT.
Utah's game against the Sun Devils will serve as Alumni Night/Recognition of 50 Years of the program. A Kids Clinic will also take place after the match.
Both games can be streamed on ESPN+.
2025 Utah Volleyball Schedule, Roster, & Ticketing Information
View full schedule here. | Check out Utah Volleyball's full 2025 roster here.
Season tickets are available here. | Single game tickets are available here.
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FOLLOW THE UTES
For an inside look at the Utah Volleyball program, including tournament, roster and news updates, fans can follow the Utes on social media (Twitter: @UtahVolleyball | Instagram: @utahvolleyball).
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DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL MOBILE APP OF THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH TODAY – UTAH 360
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