OPENING SERVE: Following a pair of defeats against Utah Valley University, Dixie State (6-7, 5-7 WAC) will travel to Stephenville, Texas to take on fellow newcomer to the WAC and to Division 1 Tarleton State.
 
The Trailblazers will look to return to .500 in its final road trip of the season after dropping two losses to the Wolverines last week.  Dixie State lost in its first five-set match of the season followed by a three-set defeat in the first installment of the renewed 'Old Hammer' rivalry between Dixie State and UVU.
 
The matches will take place on Monday and Tuesday inside the Wisdom Volleyball Gym.  Both matches will begin at 6 p.m.  Live stats and streaming information can be found at dixiestateathletics.com.
 
KNOW YOUR FOE: The Texans come into Monday's matchup with an overall record of 9-7 and a 3-5 mark within the Western Athletic Conference.  They have also won their last five matches and eight of their last nine after losing six of their first seven to begin the season.
 
Last season, Tarleton State finished their final season in the Lone Star Conference and Division 2 with a 22-12 overall record and a 12-6 record in conference play.  They culminated their season with a loss in the NCAA Regional Tournament to Colorado School of Mines.
 
The team is comprised of two seniors, eight juniors, two sophomores, and five freshmen.  The Texans are coached by Mary Schindler who is in her 16^th season at the helm for Tarleton State.  She has garnered a 295-159 record over her tenure including four Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year awards and one AVCA Region Coach of the Year award.
 
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 a tough five-set loss to the Wolverines Monday, Dixie State (6-7/ 5-7 WAC) was unable to get revenge as Utah Valley University took down the Trailblazers in three sets Tuesday.
 
Dixie State struggled to get out of the gate and shot a -.048 hitting percentage in the first set.  The Wolverines were able to capitalize and only committed two errors throughout the first set while recording seven blocks on their way to winning the frame 25-14.  
 
It was much of the same in the second set as the Wolverines jumped out to a 14-7 lead.  Dixie State wouldn't go easily and would eventually even the score at 19, but UVU would win six of the next eight points to win the set 25-21.
 
Set three was the only set the Trailblazers posted a positive hitting percentage, but it was also the best set for the Wolverines in that same regard.  UVU fired a .366 hitting percentage and held DSU to .250.  Despite this, Dixie State held a 14-12 advantage midway through the set, but a 5-0 spurt followed by a 4-0 run by the Wolverines doomed a comeback bid by the Trailblazers and UVU won the set 25-21 and claimed the three-set victory.
 
Sydney Johnson and Chayse Daugherty paced the Trailblazers offensively recording seven kills apiece. Jordyn Nelson and Megan Treanor each had double digit assists with 15 and 12, respectively, while Mykenna Nelson tallied 11 digs in the loss.
 
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:  The Trailblazers will culminate their first season in Division 1 at home against Chicago State University in a two-set match next Monday and Tuesday.
 
The Cougars come into the two-set series having had most of their games this season postponed.  Chicago State has only played four matches all season, all of those matches coming within the previous two weeks.  They are 0-4 in those matches with losses coming against Utah Valley University and Tarleton State University.  The Cougars finished last season with a 6-25 overall record and a 1-15 WAC record.