Match Info	Opponent Info
University of Montevallo vs. (RV) UT Tyler UM: 0-0, 0-0 GSC | UTT: 0-0, 0-0 LSC Friday, Sept. 1st | 1:30 p.m. Tyler, Texas | Herrington Patriot Center		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS
Southern Nazarene vs. (RV) UT Tyler SNU: 0-0, 0-0 GAC | UTT: 0-0, 0-0 LSC Friday, Sept. 1st | 6:30 p.m. Tyler, Texas | Herrington Patriot Center		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS
Fort Lewis vs. (RV) UT Tyler FLC: 0-0, 0-0 RMAC | UTT: 0-0, 0-0 LSC Saturday, Sept. 2nd | 1:30 p.m. Tyler, Texas | Herrington Patriot Center		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS
Union vs. (RV) UT Tyler UU: 0-0, 0-0 GSC | UTT: 0-0, 0-0 LSC Saturday, Sept. 2nd | 5:30 p.m. Tyler, Texas | Herrington Patriot Center		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS

WHAT COACH MASHE IS SAYING

On the outlook for the 2023 season for the program... "We just want to continue to take the steps we want to take as a program. The 2022 senior class did an incredible job of leading us to the success that we've been able to achieve quickly in Division II and I couldn't be more proud of how they left the program. We had alot of "COVID seniors" last year, kids that were here for five years, so it's been weird not having them in the gym, but it's been a fresh new start so far this season. We've got alot of kids that worked extremely hard in the spring knowing that the expectations are going to continue to stay high for our program. So on top of the returners that improved alot over the spring, some of the freshman that are very talented, as well as some transfers, it will be a wild ride to see who will impact our team this season."

On the scheduling of high-level tournaments to begin the season in the 2023 Patriot Classic and Colorado Premier... "I hope it shows the team that I still have confidence in this group of returners and that I believe the team can do big things. Setting yourself up well in the beginning of your schedule is an important piece in getting an at-large bid into the national tournament, if needed. We felt like it was important to continue to schedule tough as a coaching staff and I have high expectations and high belief in this team to perform well early."

On how the rotation will look heading into this weekend's season openers... "We've definitely started to put some pieces together, but there's a battle going on in our gym every practice. It's super important this week that our kids show up consistently so that we can get a feel for what is going to be best for us this weekend. I'm really excited because I think we have a team full of talent and so everybody just needs to stay ready."

PATRIOT NOTES AND TRENDS

- Friday's first serve against the University of Montevallo will begin the 21st season of UT Tyler volleyball. The program sports a 322-231 (.582) all-time record across 20 seasons of competition. The Patriots are 64-31 (.673) since beginning Division II play in 2019, and have posted a record of 44-19 (.698) in Lone Star Conference matches. UT Tyler is 54-15 (.794) over the course of the last three seasons (2020-22) and have made back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Division II National Tournament following 20-win seasons in 2021-22. 
- The Patriots are 26-8 inside the Herrington Patriot Center as an NCAA Division II program and have been especially dominant in home Lone Star Conference matches, posting a 21-1 mark in LSC home games since 2020. 
- Head coach Lyndsay Mashe enters 2023 as the all-time leader in career wins as head volleyball coach at UT Tyler with a record of 128-50 (.719). Mashe enters her eighth season as head coach of the Patriots, and 18th season overall as a collegiate head coach having spent 10 seasons on the sidelines of her alma mater East Texas Baptist. Mashe went 194-122 over the course of those 10 years in Marshall, and begins this fall with a career record of 322-172 (.652).
- UT Tyler finished 20-10 overall last fall and 12-4 in Lone Star Conference play. The Patriots finished fourth in the LSC regular season standings. UT Tyler earned a second-straight at-large bid into the South Central Regional Tournament in 2022, earning the no. 7 seed in the field. The Patriots were defeated by eventual NCAA Division II National Champions West Texas A&M by a 3-0 final. UT Tyler notched the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament victory in 2021 as the no. 6 seed in the field, defeating no. 3 seeded Colorado Mesa by a 3-1 final tally. UT Tyler has been selected for the NCAA DIvision II National Tournament in each of the first two seasons of eligibility for the program 
- UT Tyler will feature 12 returners and nine newcomers to the 2023 roster this fall. Maiya Peña, Dakota Rogers-Hurtado and Adeline Ortman return as All-LSC selections last season. Peña earned her second All-LSC accolade in 2022 as a Second Team selection following an Honorable Mention nod in 2021. Rogers-Hurtado and Ortman were both selected as 2022 Honorable Mention All-LSC selections.
- Peña ranked 11th in the LSC with a .301 hitting percentage last season. Ortman averaged the fifth most assists per set in the conference (7.37) and Rogers-Hurtado the fourth most blocks per set at (1.06).
- Peña ranks fourth all-time in the UT Tyler record books with a career hitting percentage of .329 and seventh all-time with 194 total blocks. Ortman ranks 10th all time in program history with 814 assists. Rogers-Hurtado ranks second with 1.05 blocks per set.
- UT Tyler ranked fourth in both hitting percentage (.212) and average kills (13.40) last season. UT Tyler led the LSC in kills per set in both 2021 (14.59) and 2020 (13.84).
- The Patriots have won three straight season openers, including back-to-back 3-0 sweeps over Southern Nazarene and Colorado Christian in 2021 and 2022. 
- UT Tyler last competed in a home tournament in 2017 as an NCAA Division III member, going 3-1 over the four matches. The Patriots hosted the 2021 Dakota's Classic, but were forced to withdraw from the event due to COVID-19 concerns within the program. 
- UT Tyler swept five opponents by 3-0 final scores last year inside the Herrington Patriot Center.

STARTING OFF IN THE RECEIVING VOTES CATEGORY

The University of Texas at Tyler volleyball program enters the 2023 season in the receiving votes category of the 2023 AVCA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll. The Patriots earned nine total votes in the inaugural rankings of the season to appear as one of four Lone Star Conference teams associated with the preseason poll. West Texas A&M, the defending NCAA Division II National Champions, will begin 2023 in the no. 1 overall spot in the poll after receiving 45 of the available 47 first-place votes. DBU (31) and Angelo State (9) both joined UT Tyler in the receiving votes category to round out the LSC representation in the poll.

Rank	School (First-Place Votes Adjusted)	Total Points Adjusted	Record	Previous Week
1	West Texas A&M [42]	1139	0-0	NA
2	Concordia- St. Paul [5]	1096	0-0	NA
3	MSU Denver	988	0-0	NA
4	Wayne State (NE)	912	0-0	NA
5	Tampa	904	0-0	NA
6	Barry	815	0-0	NA
7	St. Cloud State	800	0-0	NA
8	Minnesota Duluth	780	0-0	NA
9	Cal State L.A.	732	0-0	NA
10	Missouri-St. Louis	668	0-0	NA
11	Southwest Minnesota State	593	0-0	NA
12	West Florida	551	0-0	NA
13	Northwest Missouri State	536	0-0	NA
14	Alaska-Anchorage	505	0-0	NA
15	Western Washington	487	0-0	NA
16	Nebraska-Kearney	463	0-0	NA
17	Washburn	374	0-0	NA
18	Regis	327	0-0	NA
19	Cal State San Bernardino	320	0-0	NA
20	Wingate	270	0-0	NA
21	Colorado Mesa	234	0-0	NA
22	Colorado School of Mines	204	0-0	NA
23	Cal Poly Pomona	163	0-0	NA
24	Gannon	153	0-0	NA
25	Lynn	122	0-0	NA

Others receiving votes and listed on two or more ballots:?Chaminade 112; Quincy 98; Harding 92; Central Oklahoma 88; Lewis 78; Ferris State 68; Central Washington 61; Wheeling 53; Clarion 48; Hillsdale 44; Dallas Baptist 31; Daemen 29; Central Missouri 28; Southern New Hampshire 23; American International 19; Eckerd 18; Grand Valley State 14; Augusta University 11; Nova Southeastern 10; Angelo State 9; Texas-Tyler 9; Point Loma 7; Oklahoma Baptist University 5; Sonoma State 5; Seattle Pacific 3

23 teams mentioned on only one ballot for a total of 176 combined points 

PICKED NO. 2 IN THE LSC PRESEASON POLL

The University of Texas at Tyler volleyball program has been selected second in the 2023 Lone Star Conference Preseason Volleyball Poll. The Patriots received 644 total points as the clear second-choice in the Lone Star Conference behind defending NCAA Division II National Champions West Texas A&M. The Lady Buffs earned 42 of the 45 possible first-place votes to compile 762 total points as the preseason favorites. The Patriots recent success garnered a sizable gap in the no. 2 slot of the 2023 preseason poll, 54 points ahead of no. 3 selected Texas A&M-Kingsville. DBU (564) and Angelo State (519) rounded out the top five behind UT Tyler and Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 

Rank	Team	Points
1	West Texas A&M (42)	762
2	UT Tyler	644
3	Texas A&M-Kingsville	590
4	DBU (2)	564
5	Angelo State	519
6	St. Mary's	494
7	Texas A&M International	493
8	UAFS	468
9	Texas Woman's	395
10	Lubbock Christian	382
11	Oklahoma Christian	291
12	St. Edward's	276
13	UT Permian Basin (1)	264
14	Eastern New Mexico	221
15	Midwestern State	183
16	Western New Mexico	88
17	Cameron	71

LSC PRESEASON PLAYERS TO WATCH

Head coach Lyndsay Mashe will have the services of a handful of contributors from the last few seasons back in 2023, including three Patriots that were included on the 2023 Lone Star Conference Players to Watch list in Dakota Rogers-Hurtado, Adeline Ortman and Maiya Peña. Peña was an All-LSC Second Team selection in 2022 and an Honorable Mention All-LSC pick in 2021, while Rogers-Hurtado and Ortman were both Honorable Mention All-LSC honorees last fall.

UNIVERSITY OF MONTEVALLO AT A GLANCE

- The University of Montevallo went 19-14 last season and finished 10-6 in the Gulf South Conference. The Falcons were selected third in the GSC Preseason Coaches Poll under new head coach Haven O'Quinn.
- The Falcons return three All-GSC selections in Allie Dishman, Macy Martin and Casey Henderixson. Dishman and Martin finished first and second on the team in kills, total attacks and points in 2022.
- This will be the first ever meeting between UT Tyler and the University of Montevallo.

SOUTHERN NAZARENE AT A GLANCE

- Southern Nazarene went 16-14 in 2022 and 9-7 in Great American Conference play. The Crimson Storm ended the season on a three-match losing streak.
- The Crimson Storm return three All-GAC selections in Sunny Batschelett, Whitney Bowie and Kaley Brubaker. 
- Head coach Kevin Ingram begins his 23rd season at the helm of the program. He is 429-332 (.564) as head coach at Southern Nazarene.
- SNU holds a 3-1 all-time advantage in the series between the two programs. UT Tyler won the most recent meeting in 2021 by a 3-0 final back on Sept. 2nd, 2021. SNU won the first three match ups in the series in 2019, 2009, 2005. The wins in 20019 and 2009 were 3-0 sweeps, and the 2005 meeting a 3-1 decision. 
- Southern Nazarene was selected fifth in the 2023 GAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

FORT LEWIS AT A GLANCE 

- Fort Lewis went 10-15 in 2022 and finished eighth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with an 8-10 conference record. The Skyhawks have been picked ninth in the 2023 RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll.
- Alexis Hobie and Ella Butler were each included on the 2022 All-RMAC list.
- Giedre Tarnauskaite begins her fourth season in charge of the program. She is 20-40 through her first three seasons in Durango.
- This will be the first ever meeting between the programs.

UNION AT A GLANCE

- Union posted a 22-10 record in 2022 and finished second in the Gulf South Conference standings with a 14-2 mark. The Lady Bulldogs advanced to the GSC Championship game before losing to West Florida. 
- Union will be under the direction of first-year head coach Kristen Blackburn. Blackburn competed for Union from 2016-2019 and served as the assistant coach for the program in 2022.
- The Lady Bulldogs were tabbed fourth in the 2023 GSC Preseason Poll.
- Union got the better of UT Tyler in the lone meeting between the two teams, defeating the Patriots by a 3-1 final on Sept. 2nd.