ARCATA, Calif.---- The Cal Poly Humboldt volleyball team will begin their 2022 season in Silver City, New Mexico at the Green Chile Classic which is hosted by Western New Mexico University. The Jacks will open the classic facing the hosts, Western New Mexico, at 6pm (MT) on August 25. They will finish off the classic on August 26 against Holy Names at 9am (MT) and Wisconsin-Parkside at 11am (MT).
RECAP OF 2021: Cal Poly Humboldt went 3-18 overall and 2-16 in the CCAA. The Jacks lost four letter-winners from last year's team including All-CCAA honoree,
Carla Crespo. Humboldt does return All-CCAA honoree,
Lindsey McLaughlin and 2019 All-CCAA selection
Lenox Loving.
McLaughlin led Humboldt with her 166 kills and 44 total blocks. She recorded a team leading 18 service aces to go along with her 57 digs. Loving played in a shortened season in the 2021 campaign. She played in just 30 sets while recording 82 kills and 77 digs.
FIRST YEAR: The
Angela Spoja ERA in Lumberjack volleyball will begin this weekend in New Mexico. Spoja comes to Humboldt from Eastern Washington University where she was the Interim Head Coach during the Spring 2022 season. She has over 25 years of coaching experience in the community college, NAIA and NCAA Division I levels.
Prior to Eastern Washington, Spoja was the head volleyball coach at Evergreen State College from 2013 to 2019. She is the all-time winningest coach for Evergreen State as the Geoducks recorded 68 wins after going 0-55 the previous two seasons. During her time on the sidelines for Evergreen State, Spoja coached the first NAIA All-American and the first Freshman of the Year for the Geoducks.
SMART IN THE CLASSROOM: As a team this past academic year, the Lumberjacks were named United State Marine Corps/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award recipient. The Jacks had ten players named to the 2021-22 CCAA All-Academic Team in
Hannah Cantrell,
Jillian Fairchild,
Gianna Giacomotto,
Anna Hospodar,
Lenox Loving,
Kaitlyn Patterson,
Macy Thomas,
Riley Tishlarich,
Nicole Yakushenok and
Riley White. Nine Jacks were named to the CCAA Fall Academic Honor Roll in Giacomotto, Loving, Patterson, Thomas and White along with
Carla Crespo,
Elyse McKinney and
Katie Nall.
WESTERN NEW MEXICO: The Mustangs went 4-22 in 2021 and 3-14 in the Lone Star Conference. Bria Augustine returns for the Mustangs after a season which she had a team high 285 kills in 89 sets while recording 258 digs. Hannah Hertzog returns for WNMU after posting a team high 34 service aces and a team high 425 assists. This is the first ever meeting between Humboldt and Western New Mexico.
HOLY NAMES: The Hawks went 9-19 overall last season including 6-14 in the PacWest Conference in 2021. They ended the season on a three-match winning streak. Jasmine Yun returns for Holy Names with her 23 service aces and 205 digs. Also back are Camille Rivers and Rein Bocage. Rivers had 452 assists last season as did Yun. She also added 13 service aces and 205 digs.
The Jacks lead the all-time series with Holy Names 4-1. The Hawks won last year's meeting in four (26-24, 19-25, 24-26, 17-25) in Rohnert Park on September 11.
Lenox Loving and 10 kills and 18 digs while
Lindsey McLaughlin added 11 kills.
WISCONSIN-PARKSIDE: The Rangers finished 2021 with an 8-18 overall record and a 4-10 Great Lakes Valley Conference record. Wisconsin-Parkside returns Lexi Packard with her 128 kills, 49 digs and 66 total blocks. Also, back for the Rangers are Alysha Bricki and Lindsay Krznarich. Bricki had 497 assists and 20 service aces while Krznarich had 117 kills and 81 total blocks. Just like the Jacks and the Mustangs, this is the first meeting between the Jacks and the Rangers.
LIVE STREAM AND STATS: To watch the Lumberjack three matches in New Mexico, please go to the Lone Star Digital Network at
https://lonestarconferencenetwork.com/wnmu/. For live stats, go to
https://humboldtathletics.com/sidearmstats/wvball/.
UP NEXT: After Friday's matches, Humboldt will return to the court on September 8 and 10 when the Jacks begin their CCAA season. They will host Cal State East Bay on September 8 in their home opener. Two days later, Humboldt will host Cal State San Marcos on September 10. Both matches are scheduled to begin at 5pm.
