GAME NOTES: Wildcats Trek to Las Vegas for UNLV Rebel Challenge

Match 4: Weber State (3-0) at UNLV (3-0)
Thursday, September 1 | 7:00 MT
Las Vegas, NV | Cox Pavilion
Stream: https://bit.ly/3R7cK6b
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/2MPNPGq

Match 5: Weber State (3-0) vs St. John's (3-0)
Friday, September 2 | 7:00 MT
Las Vegas, NV | Cox Pavilion
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/2MPNPGq

Match 6: Weber State (3-0) vs Miami (3-0)
Saturday, September 3 | 4:00 MT
Las Vegas, NV | Cox Pavilion
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/2MPNPGq

The Weber State Wildcat volleyball team heads to sunny Las Vegas, Nevada to play in the UNLV Rebel Challenge – a tournament featuring four teams who went undefeated through the first weekend of play.

THE MATCHES
• The Weber State volleyball team started its 2022 season in style by claiming the Wildcat Invitational championship on its home floor. They won the championship by beating UC Riverside (3-0), Southern Utah (3-1), and San Jose State (3-1).

• Kate Standifird was named the MVP of the Wildcat Invitational after her terrific performance. Dani Richins was named to the all-tournament team.

• Weber State takes off to Las Vegas for the UNLV Rebel Challenge. The Wildcats will face off against the 2021 NIVC champion Rebels, and will play St. John's and Miami for the first time in program history.

• The UNLV match can be seen on the Mountain West Network, video will not be available for the St. John's or Miami matches.

• A link to live stats will be published as it becomes available.

QUICK HITS
• Weber State has won back-to-back Big Sky Conference championships, including the 2020-21 conference tournament. Over that stretch, the Wildcats have gone 41-12 overall and 28-4 in conference play. In 2021, the team advanced to the quarterfinals of the NIVC, and in 2020-21 the Wildcats won the first NCAA tournament match in program history.

• Dani Richins was named the 2021 Big Sky Conference MVP, and was named an All-American for the second time in her career. With Rylin Adams having won conference MVP in 2020-21, Wildcat outside hitters have claimed back-to-back MVP awards.

• The Wildcats hosted the Big Sky Conference tournament for the first time in program history in 2021. They advanced to the championship match for the third consecutive season.

• After having claimed the 2021 Big Sky regular season championship in 2021, Weber State also claimed the right to host the 2022 Big Sky Conference championship.

• The Wildcats were picked No. 2 in the Big Sky preseason polls, received two first-place votes.

• Head Coach Jeremiah Larsen is entering his eighth season leading the Wildcats, and brought in Sammi Stuart as his new associate head coach. Matt Kuelpman is returning for his fourth season as an assistant head coach.

• Freshman middle blocker Saane Katoa was named Big Sky Conference defensive player of the week after she tallied 19 total blocks in the three matches of the Wildcat Invitational. Katoa is currently ranked tenth in the nation in total blocks, and 13th in the nation in blocks per set.

HITTING NEW HIGHS
• Richins' 24 kills against San Jose State tie a career high that she set in 2019 against the Idaho Vandals.

• Standifird set a new career high in assists in the match against San Jose State. Her 43 assists surpassed her previous career high of 41 that she set in 2021 against Kansas State.

FANTASTIC FRESHMAN
• The Wildcats most recent recruiting class is one of the most highly-touted in school history, and several fantastic freshman are already making big impacts.

• In addition to Katoa being named the conference player of the week, Ashley Gneiting had some of the most clutch kills of the weekend in a four-set thriller against San Jose State. Charli Bouquet and Brielle Rueckert also made significant contributions during the Wildcat Invitational.

GAME NOTES: Wildcats Trek to Las Vegas for UNLV Rebel Challenge

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Players Mentioned

Rylin Adams

Charli Bouquet

Ashley Gneiting

Saane Munyer

Kate Payne

Dani Richins

Brielle Rueckert

Weber State University Athletics