Who | Utah Tech (3-3) vs. Fresno State (2-3)
When | Friday, Sept. 8 – 11 a.m. / Saturday, Sept. 9 – 12 p.m.
Where | Burns Arena – St. George, Utah
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

HOME OPENER: Utah Tech will open its home slate this weekend welcoming Fresno State to Burns Arena. In 17 home openers in the NCAA era (since 2006), the Trailblazers are 12-5 with three straight wins dating back to the spring of 2021. With wins over UT Rio Grande Valley (spring 2021), Southern Utah (fall 2021) and Cal State Fullerton (2022), UT is 3-0 in home openers in the Division I era and has won eight of its last 10 home openers.

NEW MEXICO TOURNAMENT: Utah Tech is coming off a 2-1 slate at the Lobo Invitational last weekend with a four-set win over CSU Bakersfield on Friday and a thrilling five-set win over New Mexico on Saturday. A pair of Trailblazers earned All-Tournament honors in freshman outside hitter Sydney Reese and senior setter Taela Laufiso. Reese totaled 27 kills, 17 blocks and four digs and held a share of the team lead in blocks in all three matches. Laufiso totaled 67 assists with 36 in a four-set win over CSU Bakersfield.

OPENING WEEKEND: The Blazers opened up the 2023 season on Aug. 25-26 at the Weber State Tournament sweeping Manhattan in the tournament finale. The Trailblazers also squared off against host Weber State, suffering a fought five-set loss in the season opener, and fell in four sets versus Saint Mary's. A pair of Trailblazers earned all-tournament honors in freshman libero Mya Laufiso after tallying 105 assists, 15 kills, 29 digs and two total blocks. Senior libero Emma Ricks totaled 46 digs and 11 assists in Utah Tech's three matches.

A LOOK AT THE BULLDOGS: The Fresno State are 2-3 on the season with wins over Kent State in four sets at the Butler Bulldog Brawl and a five-set victory at home over CSUN.

Led by first-year head coach Leisa Rosen, who arrived in Fresno after being an assistant coach at Michigan for 24 seasons, Rosen helped the Wolverines compile 20 winning seasons, advanced to seven Sweet 16s, two Elite Eights and the 2012 Final Four. The Wolverines racked up 38 All-Big Ten selections, 25 AVCA All-Americans and in the classroom earned 135 Academic All Big Ten honorees in her time in Ann Arbor.

The Bulldogs currently rank third in the Mountain West in services aces per set (1.85), fourth in digs per set (13.95) and is sixth in blocks per set (2.25), hitting percentage (.207) and kills per set (12.30). Individually, the 'Dogs are led by junior setter Brooke Cowie who ranks second in the MW in aces per set (10.20) while sophomore middle blocker Addison Haluska checks in fourth in kills per set (3.80).

This will be the Trailblazers' fifth meeting against a Mountain West foe posting a 2-2 record with wins over Nevada in 2022 & New Mexico this season and losses to UNLV (2022) and Boise State (Fall 2021).

HOME SCHEDULE: After the Trailblazers' pair of meetings against the Bulldogs, the Blazers will host two more non-conference opponents next weekend against Idaho and Marshall. In addition, UT will host eight WAC opponents with its WAC home opener against California Baptist on Sept. 21.

WAC RANKINGS: Junior middle blocker Tricia Tua'one ranks fourth in the WAC in blocks per set (1.15) while freshman outside hitter Sydney Reese sits seventh (0.96). Senior setter Taela Laufiso checks eighth in the WAC in assists per set (7.82).

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 Knudsen (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 Blazers stay at home next weekend hosting Idaho (1-5) on Sept. 15 and Marshall (3-5) on Sept. 16.