OPENING SERVE: Coming off two convincing victories over California Baptist University, Dixie State (5-4/4-4 WAC) now travels to Washington to take on Seattle University looking to extend its winning streak to three games.
 
The Trailblazers claimed two wins over former PacWest foe CBU last week with Monday's match marking the first victory over the Lancers since November 4, 2015 and Tuesday's game marking the first time ever that DSU has defeated the Lancers twice in the same season.
 
The first match will take place on Monday, February 22 at 7 p.m. to be followed by a 3 p.m. start to Tuesday's matchup.  Video streaming will be provided by ESPN+ while live stats can be found on dixiestateathletics.com.
 
KNOW YOUR FOE:  The Redhawks have begun the season with an 0-4 overall record with losses coming against Utah Valley University (0-3;1-3) and Tarleton State (2-3;0-3).  Seattle U had two matches against Chicago State last week postponed and welcome the Trailblazers to the Redhawk Center looking for its first win of the season.
 
Seattle U is coming off a season that saw the Redhawks finish with a 13-18 overall record and a 4-12 mark in the Western Athletic Conference, which placed them seventh overall within the conference.
 
The team consists of two seniors, four juniors, six sophomores, and four freshmen including two selections to the 2021 Preseason All-WAC Team; Junior Outside Hitter Eve Kerschenbaum and Senior Libero Tijana Milojevic.  The Redhawks are coached by Michelle Cole who is in her first season at the helm for Seattle U.
 
WAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Dixie State sophomore libero Mykenna Nelson was named Western Athletic Conference Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week on Wednesday for her stellar play in the Trailblazers' two-match sweep of California Baptist earlier this week.

Nelson (5-8; Phoenix, Ariz./Greenway HS) tallied 40 total digs and averaged 5.71 digs per set in the two wins, highlighted by a 24-dig outing in Monday night's four-set victory. The sophomore, who averages 4.17 dps through nine matches the year, then backed up that performance with 16 digs in just three sets to help the Blazers' pick up a three-set sweep of CBU in the finale on Tuesday.
 
 
COACHING STAFF: Head Coach Robyn Felder (Eastern Washington, 2002; 138-86 overall record) is in her ninth season at the helm of the Dixie State women's volleyball program. Last season, Felder led the Trailblazers to a 20-win season (20-8) and to a 3 seed in the 2019 RMAC conference tournament with a 14-4 conference record. 

A two-time Pacific West Conference Coach of the Year (2013/2015) honoree, Felder led the Trailblazers to their first-ever Pacific West Conference title and the program's third-straight NCAA West Regional appearance in 2015. The season before that, she led DSU to its most successful season in the program's Division II era as the Trailblazers played to a 22-9 overall record, which marked the first time Dixie State had reached the 20-win plateau in the program's NCAA-era. That season also saw her squad reach the 2014 NCAA West Regional final (Sweet 16).  In Dixie State's first season as a full member in the RMAC, Felder lead her team to a NCAA era school-record tying 22 wins (22-6) and subsequently was named the 2018 RMAC Co-Head Coach of the Year.

Felder is joined on the DSU sideline by second-year assistant coaches Camilla Hafoka (Oregon State, 2010) and former DSU standout Makenzi Murphey (Dixie State, 2018). In addition, Whitnee Tupe (2nd season, Dixie State, 2007) returns to Felder's staff after a three-year stint as an assistant at Snow College, and Rick Reeve (BYU), is in his first season on the Trailblazers' staff.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Coming off an impressive 3-1 victory over California Baptist University Monday night, Dixie State (5-4/4-4 WAC) upped the ante and sent the Lancers packing with a three-set sweep Tuesday afternoon inside Burns Arena.
 
While Monday's victory marked the first win Dixie State had posted against the Lancers since November 4, 2015, Tuesdays win was the first time ever the Trailblazers have beaten their former PacWest rival twice in the same season.
 
Dixie State started out the first set with a quick 7-1 run to take control.  CBU responded and cut into the deficit and worked the score back to 12-11 halfway through the set.  The Trailblazers kept the Lancers at bay as they led wire-to-wire to take the set 25-18.
 
Much like they did in the first set Monday night, the Trailblazers dominated CBU in the second set Tuesday.  Dixie State used an extended 17-5 run to all but put the Lancers away as DSU cruised to a set-two victory, 25-13.  The Trailblazer's defense held the Lancers to a .000 hitting percentage throughout the set.
 
The third set would be more challenging for the Trailblazers despite jumping out to an early 9-3 lead.  The Lancers used a 7-2 run late in the set to square the frame at 24.  After a couple back and forth rallies, Dixie State was able to slam the door on a comeback bid and claimed the decisive third set 29-27.
 
Lauolive Tonga and Sydney Johnson each had 12 kills for Dixie State.  Jordyn Nelson followed up her career night Monday with 34 more assists Tuesday.  Mykenna Nelson led the charge defensively with 16 digs to help the Trailblazers in the win.
 
EXPANDING THE WAC: As it stands now, there are nine total teams the compete in volleyball within the Western Athletic conference.  Namely, New Mexico State, UT Rio Grande Valley, Grand Canyon, California Baptist, Tarleton State, Utah Valley, Seattle U and Chicago State.  The WAC, however, is expanding.  With an announcement in January 2021, five new schools will be joining the Western Athletic Conference as full members beginning as early as Fall 2021.  

Southern Utah University was named as one of the five schools making the transition alongside Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston State, and Stephen F. Austin.  SUU makes the transition to the WAC after being a member of the Big Sky Conference since 2012. 

The addition of the 5 new schools will create a 13-team conference as Chicago State will be leaving the conference.  This conference will then be divided into two divisions for all sports except for football, men's basketball, and women's basketball.  Dixie State will be in a division consisting of Southern Utah, Utah Valley, Grand Canyon, California Baptist, New Mexico State, and Seattle University.  The other division will be comprised of the Texas-based schools, including Tarleton State, UT Rio Grande Valley, Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston State, and Stephen F. Austin.

NEW HOME FLOOR: Beginning with the 2021 season, the Dixie State Volleyball Team will play all of its home matches inside the Burns Arena.  The Trailblazers have played the majority of their home matches in the Student Activity Center during their 14 years in Division II, while playing in the Burns Arena sparingly and primarily for tournaments.
The Burns Arena has served as the primary home venue for the men's and women's basketball teams since 1986, but will now also be the home floor for the volleyball team as well.
 
UP NEXT: Dixie State will return home to the friendly confines of Burns Arena to take on the Wolverines from Utah Valley University. 
 
UVU has begun the season with a 4-3 overall record and a 4-2 mark within the WAC with the wins coming against Seattle U (twice), California Baptist, and Tarleton State and the losses coming against No. 14 BYU, CBU, and Tarleton State.  The Wolverines are coming off a 2019 season that saw them finish with an 11-19 overall record and a 7-9 conference record Match one will take place on Monday, March 1 at 6 p.m. with Tuesday's match to begin at 12 noon.  Live stats and streaming information can be found at dixiestateathletics.com.