OPENING SERVE: Utah Tech is set to open the 2023 season this weekend with three matches played at the Weber State Wildcat Invitational.
The Trailblazers will begin tournament play against the host Wildcats on Friday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. (MT), followed by an evening date against Saint Mary's at 5 p.m. (MT). Utah Tech will then wrap up the weekend against Manhattan on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. (MT).
ALL-TIME IN SEASON OPENERS: Over its 17-year NCAA era, Utah Tech is 7-10 all-time in season-opening matches (H: 2-1; A: 2-3; N: 3-6).
The Trailblazers will open the season with a true road match for just the sixth time on Friday when they square off against Weber State. and currently own a 8-9 mark in true road season openers.
Meanwhile Utah Tech has won two of its first three season-opening matches as a new Division I member, including a 3-1 road victory at Northern Arizona (8/26) last year in Flagstaff. The Blazers also posted a 3-0 sweep at in-state rival Southern Utah in the program's first-ever D-I match on Jan. 22, 2021.
KNOW YOUR FOE: Utah Tech is a combined 0-1 against this weekend's tournament field, with the one match coming against Weber State during the 2021 season. That match was a neutral-court tilt played at BYU which resulted in a 3-1 Blazer loss (9/4/21).
Friday's match vs. Saint Mary's, along with Saturday's date vs. Manhattan, will mark the first time Utah Tech has faced both the Gaels and Jaspers on the volleyball court.
Weber State played to a 17-12 overall record last season, which included an 11-5 mark and a second place finish in Big Sky Conference. The Wildcats also earned a berth into the 2022 NIVC Tournament, where they fell in five sets to Drake.
WSU hung a lot of its success on its defense as the Wildcats finished the 2022 campaign ninth in the country in blocks per set (2.71) and led the Big Sky in digs/set (16.22) and opponent attack percentage (.165 - 17th nationally).
Saint Mary's will look to bounce back after going 9-17 last season, which included a 6-12 result is West Coast Conference action. Meanwhile Manhattan hopes to flip the script in 2023 after the Jaspers posted a disappointing 1-28 record last year.
ON THE ROAD: Since joining the NCAA ranks in 2006, Utah Tech has recorded an 94-92 (.505) record in true-road games and has logged a winning record on the road nine times (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019). Additionally, the Trailblazers have posted a 37-49 (.430) record in neutral-site games, including a 3-1 mark last season.
COACHING STAFF: Camilla Hafoka (Oregon State, 2010; 18-27 overall record) is in her fifth season with the Trailblazer program, and her third season as head coach as Utah Tech begins its fourth NCAA Division I campaign.
During her time on the Trailblazer sidelines, Coach Hafoka helped lead the Trailblazers to a 40-28 overall record. In her first season as an assistant coach, the program played to a 20-8 overall record in the program's final year of NCAA Division II competition.
In spring of 2021, Hafoka helped guide the team to a 9-8 overall mark in its debut NCAA Division I season, which included an 8-8 mark (t-4th) in its first season in the Western Athletic Conference. The Blazers then played to a 7-15 mark during Hafoka's first season at the helm in the fall of 2021, though they managed to improve by four victories with an 11-12 record (5-9 WAC) during the 2022 campaign.
Hafoka is joined on the UT sideline by second year associate head coach Rob Berrett (Weber State, 2013), while assistant coach Whitnee Tupe (Dixie State, 2007), who served as a Trailblazer assistant coach from 2011-15, returns to the staff for her fifth season and 10th overall. Former Blazer standout Abigail Shaffer begins her first season on the staff as an assistant coach, and Ryan Peterson has joined the program as its technical coordinator.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE 2023 TRAILBLAZERS: Utah Tech returns three starters and six total letter winners from last season's 11-12 squad, led by fifth-year setter Taela Laufiso (759 ast/8.53 aps/102 kills/217 digs/43.0 blocks), along with senior middle blocker Kate Hardy (89.0 blocks/172 kills/18 aces) and senior outside hitter Hannah Howard (88 kills/12.0 blocks).
The Trailblazers also welcome back three talented defensive specialists in senior libero Emma Ricks (200 digs/34 ast/12 aces), and sophomore liberos Kaycee Bugas (9 digs) and Kendyl Holt (33 digs).
Utah Tech also welcomed back freshman RS Elise Porter, who played in one match during the 2020-21 season, while nine newcomers, including a pair of four-year transfers, along with three junior college transfers and four freshmen, make up the 2023 Trailblazer roster.
New Mexico State transfer and Utah native, sophomore MB/RS Taylor Snow (2022 - 76 kills/76 blocks/16 aces), headlines the list of Trailblazer newcomers, while former Kent State outside hitter Kasidy Blumenthal (2022 - 3 kills) also moved back to her home state to join the Utah Tech program after spending two seasons with the Golden Flashes.
The Blazers signed a pair of Snow College transfers in junior All-American MB/RS Tricia Tua'one (2022 - 183 kills/73 blocks/33 digs) and sophomore setter Meg Carter (2022 - 432 ast/18 kills/21 aces/94 digs. Utah Tech also brought in sophomore OH Kennedi Knutsen (401 kills/54 blocks/15 aces), who earned first team all-SWAC honors at USU-Eastern.
In addition, Utah Tech brought in four freshmen, including libero Mya Laufiso, younger sister of current Blazer setter Taela Laufiso, outside hitters Adee Butler and Sydney Reese, and setter Marley Roe.
TRAILBLAZERS VOTED SEVENTH IN WAC PRESEASON POLL: Utah Tech was picked to finish seventh in the Western Athletic Conference as the league office announced its 2023 volleyball preseason poll on August 17.
Defending WAC tournament champions Stephen F. Austin was the overwhelming choice as the favorite as the Lady Jacks collected nine of the 11 first place votes to top the poll with 99 points. Grand Canyon received one first place nod and finished with 87 points, while UTRGV picked up the final first place vote and was selected third with 80 points.
Utah Valley wound up in fourth with 74 points, followed by UT Arlington (69 pts) in fifth, California Baptist (69 pts) in sixth, and the Trailblazers in seventh with 45 points. Meanwhile Southern Utah (34 pts), Tarleton (28 pts), Abilene Christian (22 pts) and Seattle U (11 pts) rounded out the 11-team poll.
The top-eight teams in the standings will advance on to the 2023 WAC Volleyball Championship Tournament, which will be hosted by Utah Valley, on Nov. 16-18, in Orem, Utah.
UP NEXT: The Trailblazers continue their non-conference slate with an appearance the New Mexico Lobo Invitational next weekend in Albuquerque. Utah Tech will play neutral court matches vs. St. John's and CSU Bakersfield on Friday, Sept. 1, before taking on the host Lobos to close tourney play on Saturday, Sept. 2.
