ARLINGTON, Texas --- The UT Arlington volleyball team (11-4, 3-0 WAC) will kick off a two-match homestand on Thursday at 6 p.m. against California Baptist (6-8, 1-2 WAC) inside the College Park Center.
The event, which is being sponsored by the HELP Center for LGBT Health and Wellness as part of Pride Night, will see the first 150 students through the door get a free Pride koozie. Fans can also utilize the "buy one ticket, get one ticket free" promo by using the code "PRIDE" at
utatickets.com/promo. Additional tickets beyond the first two are just $4.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING
While the match signifies the first-ever meeting between the two programs, the Mavericks will be looking for their 10th consecutive victory, which would extend the longest streak in the program's past 20 seasons behind the 2002 squad's 17-game surge. Overall, their current streak is tied for the 15th longest in program history, which dates back to 1973.
| Longest win streaks in program history |
| 1. |
25 |
1989 |
| 2. |
22 |
1978 |
| 3. |
20 |
1988 |
| 4. |
18 |
1974 |
| 5. |
17 |
2002 |
| 6. |
16 |
1998 |
| 7. |
15 |
1986 |
| 8. |
13 |
1978 |
| 9. |
12 |
1985, 1977 |
| T11. |
11 |
2001, 1980, 1973 |
| 14. |
10 |
1977 |
| T15. |
9 |
2022, 1987, 1985 |
On top of that, UT Arlington is tied with Yale and Delaware for the ninth-longest current streak among all NCAA Division I teams. Ahead of them are: Towson (16), Auburn (14), UCF (12), Texas (11), Marquette (11), Colgate (11), Rice (10) and San Diego (10). Beyond the streak, the Mavs have also won 11 of their past 12 matches overall after an 0-3 start to the season.
BACK IN THE WAC
UT Arlington volleyball returned to the WAC this year following a nine-year stint in the Sun Belt Conference. The Mavericks, who spent one season in the WAC in 2012, finished 5-13 in conference play and lost in the opening round of the conference tournament to Utah Tech that season. This year, UTA was voted to finish eighth in the preseason poll.
| WAC PRESEASON POLL |
| 1. |
New Mexico State (6) |
135 |
| 2. |
Utah Valley (5) |
129 |
| 3. |
Grand Canyon (1) |
127 |
| 4. |
Sam Houston (1) |
99 |
| 5. |
Stephen F. Austin |
95 |
| 6. |
California Baptist |
90 |
| 7. |
UTRGV |
86 |
| 8. |
UT Arlington |
54 |
| 9. |
Tarleton |
50 |
| |
Utah Tech |
50 |
| 11. |
Abilene Christian |
37 |
| 12. |
Southern Utah |
32 |
| 13. |
Seattle |
17 |
AN OFFENSIVE FORCE
Brianna Ford, an Amarillo, Texas native, has led UT Arlington to a 11-4 start this year behind a superb overall performance. The third-year standout is averaging career-bests across the board – kills per set (3.11), hitting percentage (.251), digs per set (2.64), assists per set (0.25), blocks per set (0.82) and points per set (3.83). Among individuals, she ranks among the top 10 in the WAC in total points (2nd, 233.5) and kills per set (5th, 3.11). Overall, she has notched eight double-doubles this year, which includes her 13-kill, 13-dig performance in the conference opener against Grand Canyon and pushes her career total to a team-best 19. She has 10 matches with 10+ kills, which includes last Saturday's win over Tarleton, and 10 with 10+ digs. Award-wise, she became the program's first-ever WAC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 12, was named the MVP in both the UTA Invitational and UTSA Invitational, and she earned a spot on the UTA Classic all-tourney team.
AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
As a team, UT Arlington ranks among the nation's top 60 in total blocks (22nd, 156), blocks per set (32nd, 2.56), opponent hitting percentage (39th, .168) and win/loss percentage (47th, .733). Among those categories, the Mavs also lead all WAC teams in blocks per set, total blocks and opponent hitting percentage.
DOWN TO THE WIRE
UT Arlington is 4-1 in five-set matches this year, including wins in four straight after dropping a five-set match to North Dakota on Aug. 27. Among those victories, the Mavs dropped the opening set against Providence, trailed UTSA 2-0 and came back against Lamar after being down 2-1.
TOWNSEND ASCENDS CAREER KILLS LIST
Fifth-year senior
Brooke Townsend became the 19th Maverick to reach 1,000 kills last year and is now approaching the top 10 of the program's all-time list, currently alone in 12th place and trailing Fannie Burton (1,245, 1991-94) for 11th. She produced a season-high 16 kills twice, including the win over Abilene Christian, and notched 15 against McNeese on Sept. 9. She also registered two more double-digit performances en route to UTA Invitational all-tournament team accolades on Sept. 17 before opening WAC play with 10 kills against Grand Canyon. Her 1,192 career total ranks 55th among all active NCAA Division I players, and she is 62nd in career sets played with 440.
| UTA CAREER KILLS |
| 1. |
Heather Hoy |
1,787 |
1994-97 |
| 2. |
Ana de Oliveira |
1,729 |
1985-88 |
| 3. |
Amber Pack |
1,578 |
1999-2002 |
| 4. |
Qiana Canete |
1,505 |
2014-17 |
| 5. |
Valeria Whitfield |
1,490 |
1990-92 |
| 6. |
Caley Smith |
1,416 |
2001-04 |
| 7. |
Judith McGill |
1,407 |
1983-86 |
| 8. |
Trisha Walker |
1,344 |
1997-2000 |
| 9. |
Chris Rudiger |
1,330 |
1986-89 |
| 10. |
Teresa Ogden |
1,251 |
1982-83 |
| 11. |
Fannie Burton |
1,245 |
1991-94 |
| 12. |
Brooke Townsend |
1,192 |
2018-Pres. |
| 13. |
Amanda Aguilera |
1,164 |
2008-11 |
| 14. |
Shari Parks |
1,148 |
1984-87 |
| 15. |
Zhanelle Geathers |
1,132 |
2014-18 |
DIGGING UP THE CHART
Alli Wells, who opened WAC play with back-to-back 20-plus dig performances, has tallied 33 such matches in her career, including six this year. In doing so, she continues to inch her way up the program's career list, moving past Chris Rudiger (1,413, 1986-89) for 11th place. She needs just 18 more to move into sole possession of 10th place. Despite having her 26-match streak of consecutive double-digit digs snapped against New Orleans on Sept. 16, the fourth-year libero ranks 42nd in total digs (1,429) among all active NCAA Division I players. This year alone, Wells ranks 53rd in service aces (26), 75th nationally in total digs (255) and 81st in aces per set (0.43). She also earned a spot on the all-tournament team in the UTSA Invitational Sept. 10.
| UTA CAREER DIGS |
| 1. |
Alicia Shaffer |
2,033 |
2008-11 |
| 2. |
Ashley Smith |
1,921 |
2003-06 |
| 3. |
Amber Pack |
1,887 |
1999-02 |
| 4. |
Jessica Bowlin |
1,728 |
1995-98 |
| 5. |
Qiana Canete |
1,626 |
2014-17 |
| 6. |
Judith McGill |
1,623 |
1983-86 |
| 7. |
Torie Dacus |
1,564 |
2004-07 |
| 8. |
Ana de Oliveira |
1,550 |
1985-88 |
| 9. |
Trisha Walker |
1,455 |
1997-00 |
| 10. |
Dani Johnson |
1,446 |
2004-07 |
| 11. |
Alli Wells |
1,429 |
2019-present |
| 12. |
Chris Rudiger |
1,413 |
1986-89 |
| 13. |
Caitlyn Cooney |
1,384 |
2012-15 |
| 14. |
Katie Weismiller |
1,370 |
1983-86 |
| 15. |
Caley Smith |
1,318 |
2001-04 |
BLANK REACHES MILESTONE
Third-year setter
Mollie Blank notched her 1,000th career assist against North Dakota on Aug. 27. She enters the California Baptist match with 1,083, and her double-double against Texas A&M-Commerce on Sept. 2 (38 assists, 13 digs) gave her 15 career double-doubles.
SOLID PRESENCE
Alyssa Duran, a third-year defensive specialist, recorded back-to-back matches with double-digit digs to finish up the UTA Invitational Sept. 17, including a season-best 15 in the come-from-behind win over Lamar University in five sets. She has three matches with double-digit digs this season.
STUFFING IT
Meredith Fisher and
Brianna Ford have each surpassed 100 career blocks this year. Fisher, who has notched at least two blocks in six straight matches entering the California Baptist contest, reached 100 career blocks in the Sept. 17 win over Lamar as the fourth-year standout became the first Mav in six years to produce at least 10 blocks in the win, helping push her career total to 113 currently. She also recorded nine blocks in the team's season opener and is averaging a career-best 1.09 blocks per set this year, which is second-best in the WAC and nearly twice her previous career best (0.56, 2019). Ford reached the milestone in the team's season opener and has pushed her total to 148 through 60 matches. In fact, she has 50 this year, which includes at least three in a match nine times and is already 86 percent of her career-best total of 58 from all of last year.
AWARD-WINNING SUCCESS AT HOME
The Mavs have tallied a 5-1 record at home behind strong individual performances in the UTA Classic (Sept. 3-4) and UTA Invitational (Sept. 16-17). In the UTA Classic, the duo of
Brianna Ford and
Jalie Tritt was named to the all-tournament team. Ford, who produced a pair of double-doubles over the three matches, totaled 31 kills, 31 digs and 14 blocks. Tritt, who is in her rookie campaign, totaled 42 kills, 28 digs, seven blocks and three aces. She notched at least nine digs in each of those outings, as well. On Sept. 17, Ford was named the MVP of the UTA Invitational after averaging 3.08 kills and 3.17 digs per set while adding four aces, six blocks and four assists. Tritt also added another all-tourney selection with 2.5 kills, 1.9 digs and 0.7 blocks per set while
Brooke Townsend earned an all-tourney nod, too, with back-to-back double-digit kill performances.
BACK-TO-BACK
For just the second time in program history, UT Arlington produced back-to-back conference freshman of the week awards behind the play of
Jalie Tritt (Sept. 19) and
Sophie Skinner (Sept. 12). Tritt helped the Mavs capture the UTA Invitational championship by averaging 2.5 kills, 1.9 digs and 0.7 blocks per set. In the opening win over New Orleans, Tritt hit .500 with eight kills, a season-high 12 digs and three blocks. She concluded the weekend with 13 kills, six digs and four blocks in a come-from-behind, five-set victory over Lamar.
SKINNER CONTINUES TO ASCEND
Week-by-week, rookie
Sophie Skinner continues to solidify herself as one of the team's most important players. In the UTA Invitational, the Hot Springs, Ark. native tallied at least 31 assists in all three matches, including her third with 40-plus this season. That came following a weekend in San Antonio where she earned UTSA All-Tournament team and WAC Freshman of the Week recognition behind a season-best 45 assists against South Florida as part of back-to-back 40-plus assist performances that also included her first career double-double. Overall, she's registered 433 assists, 91 digs, 23 kills and 12 aces this year while notching at least 30 assists in nine of the past 11 matches. Skinner competed in the Under Armour All-America Game this past December, which recognizes the most skilled high school players in the country. She was named MVP among the 24 players selected to participate.
EXPERIENCE RETURNS
The Mavericks have three players who scored over 270 points last season (
Briana Brown,
Brooke Townsend,
Brianna Ford), returning 76 percent of their total points from a season ago overall. Furthermore, two all-conference selections from a season ago in
Briana Brown (First Team All-SBC) and
Alli Wells (Second Team All-SBC) are back, as well as former All-SBC selections in
Brooke Townsend (2019, 2020) and
Brianna Ford (2020).
NEW FACES
The Mavericks brought in four new faces to the program this season –
Sophie Ocampo (Humble, Texas; Kingwood HS),
Jalie Tritt (Little Rock, Ark.; Episcopal Collegiate School),
Ava Burroughs (Quitman, Texas; Quitman HS), and
Sophie Skinner (Hot Springs, Ark.; Fountain Lake HS). Three of the four have seen significant action this year while Ocampo will redshirt.
FORD SPENDS 20TH IN EUROPE
Brianna Ford spent her 20th birthday in Europe as she participated in the 2022 Global Challenge in Croatia, helping lead her team to a 1st place finish and being named to the all-tournament team.
FOLLOW THE MAVS
For the latest news on UTA Volleyball, log on to UTAMavs.com or stay connected to the Mavs on social media. Follow the Mavericks on Twitter @UTAMavsVB, on Instagram @UTAMavsVB and on Facebook at Facebook.com/UTAMavsVB.
