Match Info	Opponent Info
#19 UT Tyler vs. Colorado Christian UTT: 0-0, 0-0 LSC | CCU: 0-0, 0-0 RMAC Friday, Aug. 26th | 12:30 P.M. CST Golden, Colo. | Lockridge Arena		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS
#19 UT Tyler vs. (RV) Colorado Mesa UTT: 0-0, 0-0 LSC | CMU: 0-0, 0-0 RMAC Friday, Aug. 26th | 7:30 P.M. CST Golden, Colo. | Lockridge Arena		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS
#19 UT Tyler vs. (RV) Northern State  UTT: 0-0, 0-0 LSC | NS: 0-0, 0-0 NSIC Saturday, Aug, 27th | 1:30 P.M. CST Golden, Colo. | Lockridge Arena		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS
#19 UT Tyler vs. #11 Colorado School of Mines  UTT: 0-0, 0-0 LSC | CSM: 0-0, 0-0 RMAC Saturday, Aug. 27th | 5:30 P.M. CST Golden, Colo. | Lockridge Arena		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS

A HISTORIC 2021

UT Tyler volleyball made the program's first appearance in the NCAA Division II National Tournament in the first year of eligibility last season. The Patriots were selected as the no. 6 seed in the South Central Regional Tournament after posting an overall record of 19-3 and a 15-2 record in Lone Star Conference play. UT Tyler upset no. 3 seeded Colorado Mesa by a 3-1 final tally in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual South Central Regional Champions West Texas A&M to finish the year with a 20-4 overall record. The 2021 Patriots won 20 or more games for just the sixth time in program history, and capped off the year ranked no. 20 in the final 2021 AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll after appearing within the top 25 of every edition of the rankings. 

WHAT COACH MASHE IS SAYING

On the momentum the program has after two historic seasons: "There's alot of excitement, the last couple of years have been a fun ride and I think that our team is just excited to continue to build momentum off of what we have experienced the last two years."

On the senior class and what they are expecting out of this season: "We have some big goals set and I think that they are very hungry. The fact that many of them stayed to take their extra year of eligibility shows what they are about and what they want to do for the program to finish off their careers."

On the challenge the Oredigger Classic presents in week one of the regular season: "With so much experience returning we felt confident in the group and their confidence in being able to go and compete at a high level early. We have alot of great leaders that are doing a great job trying to get our freshman ready and get them confidence. We're trying to get our team in position to hopefully get some early wins in-region and just prepare us for conference play." 

A STERN TEST 

The opening weekend of volleyball for the Patriots will take place in Golden, Colo. at the 2022 Oredigger Volleyball Classic and will pit UT Tyler against a pair of teams that also appeared in last year's South Central Regional Tournament, as well as three teams associated with the 2022 AVCA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll. Two in-region opponents will await UT Tyler in their home state of Colorado in Colorado Christian and Colorado Mesa, the later of which will be a rematch of last year's South Central Regional Quarterfinals match up. The Saturday slate of games will feature the Patriots against a Northern State squad out of the NSIC that went 18-11 in a traditionally strong conference last year, as well as a Colorado School of Mines team that received a no. 11 ranking in the preseason top-25, and was the no. 2 seed in last year's South Central Regional.

THE MATCH UPS

UT Tyler will meet Colorado Christian, Northern State and #11 Colorado School of Mines for the first time in program history this week. The Patriots are 1-0 all-time against Colorado Mesa after last year's 3-1 victory in Denver, Colo. on Dec. 2nd, 2021. UT Tyler is 3-1 all-time against opponents hailing from the state of Colorado and 0-1 against opponents from Minnesota.

YEAR NUMBER 20

This weekend will kick-off the 20th season of UT Tyler volleyball after the program's inaugural season back in 2003. The program sports an all-time record of 303-251 (.546) in it's 19 seasons of competition, and a 44-21 (.676) record in three seasons against Division II competition. UT Tyler has posted a record of 32-15 (.689) against Lone Star Conference competition since beginning play in the league back in 2019.

COACH MASHE

Head coach Lyndsay Mashe will enter year number seven of her tenure as the program's all-time winningest coach with 108 wins as head coach of the Patriots. Mashe is 108-40 (.729) as the leader of the Patriots, including a 24-5 mark over the last seasons in 2020 and 2021. The 2021 Spring Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year is now 302-162 (.651) as a collegiate head coach after six seasons at UT Tyler and 10 seasons at East Texas Baptist. 

PRESEASON RANKINGS

UT Tyler volleyball appeared at no. 19 in the 2022 AVCA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll as one of three teams from the Lone Star Conference to receive a top 25 ranking alongside no. 13 Angelo State and no. 14 West Texas A&M. The Patriots were selected third in the 2022 Lone Star Conference Volleyball Preseason Poll behind West Texas A&M and Angelo State. Nearly 100 points seperated the top three ranked teams in West Texas A&M, Angelo State and UT Tyler from the rest of the pack, as Lubbock Christian came in at no. 4 with 586 points.

RETURNING ALL-AMERICAN

Senior Mikayla Ware joined fellow Patriot Christina Escamilla last season as the first two All-American recipients in the history of the program as both student-athletes were recogized as 2021 AVCA Division II Honorable Mention All-Americans. Ware is slated to return in 2022 as a South Central Region and All-Lonr Star Conference First Team selection after leading the team with 327 kills and ranking second with 343 digs. Ware finished the year ranks fourth in the LSC with an average of 3.80 kills per set and 4.28 points per set.

A WEALTH OF PRODUCTION

Ware is not the only standout from the 2021 season that will be returning to the floor for UT Tyler in 2022 as 2021 All-Lone Star Conference selections Savannah Guzman, Hannah Callison and Maiya Peña all figure to once again make a big impact for the Patriots this year. Guzman is now a two-time All-LSC selection, adding the 2021 Second Team selection to an All-Conference nod during 2020's shortened spring season. Callison and Peña both found their names on the all-conference list for the first time in 2021, while 2020 All-LSC selection Hattie Murray has also opted to return for her final season as a Patriot in 2022. Peña led all qualified attackers in the LSC last season with a .383 hitting percentage for the year. Guzman averaged the sixth most digs per set in the LSC (4.72). 

RECORD WATCH

Guzman enters her final season as a Patriot ranked fourth in the program's all-time record books with 1,217 digs and counting. The all-time leader in program history is Megan McCarty, who totaled 1,763 digs in 408 sets from 2005-08. Ware currently holds the program's all-time record with an average of 3.47 kills per set, while Peña's career attacking percentage of .356 ranks as the best mark in program history as well.