BACK IN ACTION
Utah State volleyball (14-5, 7-1 MW) continues Mountain West play this week as it plays at UNLV (12-8, 4-4 MW) on Thursday, Oct. 19, at 7:30 p.m. (MT), and hosts San Diego State (7-12, 2-6 MW) on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 1 p.m. 
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Both matches will be on the Mountain West Network. Live stats will be available via Sidearm. Links to all options will be posted on the team's social media pages and listed on the Utah State Athletics website.
 
RPI TOP 25
Utah State ranks 20th in the RPI as of Oct. 15, the highest-ranked Mountain West team. The next highest conference opponent in the RPI is Colorado State, coming in at 66.
 
1,000 CLUB

• Graduate outside hitter Shelby Capllonch surpassed 1,000 career kills after logging eight against Utah (Aug. 30). She currently has 1,165 career hammers. Capllonch joined the 1,000-career dig club last season as she currently has recorded 1,504 in her collegiate career.
• Senior outside hitter Tatum Stall surpassed 1,000 career kills after finishing with 11 at San José State (Oct. 14). She currently is at 1,003 career kills.
• Graduate outside hitter Jill Schneggenburger is nearing 1,000 career digs as she is currently at 855.
• Graduate middle blocker Kennedi Boyd is approaching 500 career blocks, logging 416 so far in her collegiate career.

 
EXTRA, EXTRA
Utah State is 8-1 this season in matches that go past three sets, defeating SMU, Lipscomb, Weber State, Colorado State, New Mexico and Boise State 3-1, while posting 3-2 victories against LMU and Wyoming.
 
BREAK OUT THE BROOMS
Utah State volleyball  has recorded six sweeps this season, including three at home, as the Aggies have defeated Utah, UNI, Utah Valley, Nevada, Fresno State and San José State in three sets.
 
WELCOME TO CLUB ESTES

• Utah State has won 26 of its last 30 matches at home and is 30-5 in the last 35 matches played in Logan.
• USU sold out the Estes in its match against Utah with 1,488 fans in attendance on Aug. 30. It was the first time Utah State has sold out the Estes since its match against Utah on Sept. 1, 2015.
• The Aggies played in front of their second sold-out Wayne Estes Center crowd of the season, bringing in 1,488 fans against No. 12 BYU on Sept. 16. It is the fourth sellout since the Estes was built in 2014 and is the first time the Estes has been sold out multiple times in a season.

 
STAYING NEUTRAL

• Utah State is 3-1 this season in neutral-site matches, defeating UNI 3-0 and both SMU and Lipscomb 3-1.
• Utah State was 6-2 last season in neutral-site matches and has won each of its last six contests on a neutral court. USU first lost to then-No. 10 Pittsburgh 3-0, before defeating Cincinnati (3-0), Portland State (3-1), Portland (3-0), New Mexico (3-0), UNLV (3-0) and San José State (3-1). Furthermore, in their six neutral-site victories, the Aggies dropped just two sets, going 18-2 in the stretch. 

 
ACES ARE HIGH

• Utah State is second in the Mountain West with 1.97 service aces per set in league play.
• Utah State has recorded double-digit service aces as a team three times this season, with 13 at New Mexico (Sept. 28), 11 at San José State (Oct. 14), and 10 against LMU (Sept. 2). The Aggies have logged at least three aces in all but one match this season.
• Four different Aggies have recorded four aces in a single match this season as junior setter Beatriz Rodrigues did so against Weber State (Aug. 31) and sophomore setter Leah Wilton-LaBoy did so against LMU, while both Capllonch and Schneggenburger had four aces apiece at New Mexico. Capllonch later logged a season-best five aces at San José State.
• The Aggies have won the match with an ace four times this season, as Wilton-LaBoy had a match-clinching ace against LMU and San José State (Oct. 14), senior outside hitter Tatum Stall against Colorado State (Sept. 23), and Schneggenburger against New Mexico.

 
MOUNTAIN WEST LEADERS

• Utah State ranks in the top-three of the Mountain West in several categories in league play, including opponent hitting percentage (.172, 1st), assists (12.52, 1st), hitting percentage (.249, 2nd), service aces per set (1.97, 2nd) and kills per set (13.19, 3rd).
• Graduate senior outside hitter Shelby Capllonch is tied for second in the MW in league play in service aces per set (0.52), while ranking eighth in kills per set (3.32), 
• Freshman libero Kambree Rodriguez is tied for third in the MW in league play with 3.74 digs per set.
• Senior outside hitter Tatum Stall ranks sixth in the MW in league play with 0.52 service aces per set.
• Graduate senior middle blocker Kennedi Boyd ranks seventh in the MW in league play in hitting percentage (.316).
• Senior middle blocker Kelsey Watson is tied for ninth in the MW in league play with 1.03 blocks per set.

 
MOUNTAIN WEST LEADERS - PART II

• Overall this season, Utah State ranks first in the Mountain West and 27th nationally in blocks per set (2.57). and is second in the league in opponent hitting percentage (.170).
• Graduate senior middle blocker Kennedi Boyd ranks seventh in the MW in hitting percentage (.345) and eighth in blocks per set (1.07).
• Graduate senior outside hitter Shelby Capllonch ranks eighth in the MW in kills per set (3.15) and service aces per set (0.35).
• Freshman libero Kambree Rodriguez ranks seventh in the MW in digs per set (3.63).
• Senior middle blocker Kelsey Watson ranks ninth in the MW in blocks per set (1.07).

 
HITTING THE MARK
The Aggies had their best offensive performance of the season in their 3-0 victory against Utah Valley (Sept. 14), hitting .385 (44-9-91). The effort was led by graduate middle blocker Kennedi Boyd hitting .700 (7-0-10).
 
COLLECTING THE AWARDS
Three Aggies have earned America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week accolades this season as graduate outside hitter Shelby Capllonch earned the first honor of the 2023-24 campaign on Aug. 28, and again on Sept. 25, while junior opposite side hitter Adna Mehmedovic followed suit earning the honor the following week on Sept. 4. Senior outside Tatum Stall later earned the distinction on Oct. 16. 
 
COLLECTING THE AWARDS - PART II
Utah State freshman libero Kambree Rodriguez has been named both the Mountain West Freshman and Defensive Player of the Week twice this season, earning both honors on Sept. 25, and Oct. 16.
 
AGGIES IN THE POLL
Utah State received votes in the AVCA coaches poll in back-to-back weeks, earning 11 votes on Sept. 4, and eight on Sept. 11.
 
PUTTING IN THE WORK
In their non-conference schedule, the Aggies faced four opponents who were either ranked or received votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll heading into the matchup.
 
AT THE PEAK
Utah State was picked tied for first in the annual Mountain West preseason coaches poll, while seniors outside hitter Tatum Stall and libero Jordi Holdaway earned a spot on the all-MW Preseason Team.
 
Rob Neilson is in his fourth season at the helm of the program after leading the Aggies to back-to-back Mountain West championship titles. In 2022, USU won its first-ever Mountain West Tournament Championship and made its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2010, and just the program's fifth-ever appearance. The Aggies finished the campaign with a 22-11 overall record which was the first time USU has recorded at least 22 wins in back-to-back seasons since 1982. 
 
MOUNTAIN PEAK 
Utah State dropped just one set in its run at the 2022 Mountain West Volleyball Championships as USU won its first conference tournament since winning the 2010 WAC Championship. The fourth-seeded Aggies swept both No. 5 New Mexico and No. 1 UNLV before defeating No. 2 San Josè State 3-1 in the championship match. Four Aggies were named to the all-tournament team in outside hitter Shelby Capllonch (MVP), senior middle blocker Kennedi Boyd, outside Tatum Stall and opposite side hitter Adna Mehmedovic. Prior to the championship run, Boyd and Stall were each named all-Mountain West. 
 
MOUNTAIN PEAK - PART II
With wins over Colorado State and Wyoming to close the 2021 regular season, the Aggies clinched a share of the Mountain West regular season title for the first time in program history. USU has won seven regular season conference titles in program history, including the WAC in 2012 and five consecutive titles in the Intermountain Athletic Conference from 1977 through 1981. 
 
BACK-TO-BACK 20 WIN SEASONS
Utah State logged 22 wins in both its 2022 and 2021 campaigns, marking USU's first back-to-back 20-win seasons since the 2012 and 2013 campaigns. Furthermore, the 22 wins last season mark the 14th time in program history the Aggies have crossed the 20-win plateau.
 
FAMILIAR FACES
Utah State returns nine letterwinners, including five starters and its starting libero. The Aggie returning starters include graduate middle blocker Kennedi Boyd, graduate outside hitter Shelby Capllonch, senior outside Tatum Stall, senior libero Jordi Holdaway, sophomore middle Bella Wooden and sophomore setter Leah Wilton-LaBoy.
 
The Aggies also return senior middle Inka Mehtola, junior outside Adna Mehmedovic, junior setter Beatriz Rodrigues, junior opposite side hitter Katie Swensen and sophomore outside Kaylie Ray from its 2022 roster.
 
WELCOME TO THE FAM
Utah State welcomes six newcomers to the 2023 squad, including graduate outside Jill Schneggenburger, a Colorado transfer, senior middle Kelsey Watson, a Loyola Chicago transfer, and four freshmen in setter Kaylin Scott and liberos/defensive specialists Kendel Hone, Rachel Reed and Kambree Rodriguez. 
 
FROM MANAGER TO UNIFORM
Utah State freshman defensive specialist Kendel Hone was part of the 2022 Utah State volleyball team as a manager before officially joining the roster for the 2023 season.
 
INTERNATIONAL CONNECTION
Utah State has two international players on its 2023 roster in senior middle blocker Inka Mehtola (Raahe, Finland) and junior setter Beatriz Rodrigues (Lisbon, Portugal).
 
WEDDING BELLS RINGING 
Junior opposite side hitter Katie Swensen married her husband, Preston, in December, 2022.  Senior outside hitter Tatum Stall is engaged to current USU quarterback Levi Williams.
 
ALL IN THE FAMILY 
Sophomore setter Leah Wilton-LaBoy is the granddaughter of USU volunteer assistant coach Mike Wilton. Her mother, Melissa, played volleyball for the Aggies in 2001, while her uncle, Travis, was a member of the USU football team. However, Wilton-LaBoy isn't the only Aggie with familial connections to USU. Senior outside hitter Tatum Stall's brother, Klay, played on the men's basketball team from 2017-20, and sophomore outside hitter Kaylie Ray's father, Brennan, was on the men's basketball roster from 1999-2002.
 
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