SAN MARCOS, Calif. –  The Cal State San Marcos volleyball team (4-15, 2-10 CCAA) will begin its final homestand of 2024 this week, hosting Cal Poly Humboldt (7-13, 3-9 CCAA) on Friday at 5 p.m. before welcoming Sonoma State (9-9, 6-6 CCAA) on Saturday at 1 p.m. 

LAST WEEK

• CSUSM dropped two five-set heartbreakers last weekend on the road. 
• At Chico State on Friday, the Cougars jumped out and took the opening set at 25-10 but eventually fell in five sets by scores of 20-25, 25-22, 21-25 and 13-15. 
• CSUSM lost its second consecutive match (25-21, 22-25, 29-27, 13-25, 6-15) the next day at Stanislaus State. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• CSUSM is averaging 1.88 blocks per set, ranking sixth in the CCAA. 
• The Cougars' 1,106 total digs and 141 total blocks are the fifth most in the conference.
• Jackie Phillips ranks third in the CCAA in digs per set with 3.76.

  
FRIDAY NIGHT AGAINST THE JACKS

• The Cougars are on a nine-match win streak against the Lumberjacks while holding a 9-2 lead in the all-time series. 
• CSUSM recorded a four-set victory in Arcata on Oct. 5 with the final scores being 25-23, 25-16, 21-25 and 25-22. 
• In that match, the Cougars held the Jacks to a .150 attack percentage, the lowest against a CCAA opponent this season. 
• Since defeating then-No. 24 Cal State San Bernardino on Oct. 10, Humboldt has gone on a five-match skid with losses to San Francisco State, Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State East Bay and a pair to Sonoma State.
• The Lumberjacks are tied for 10th place in the CCAA standings with a one-game lead on CSUSM. 
• Humboldt has the worst hitting percentage in the CCAA at .156 while being the conference leader in total digs (1,172) and total attacks (2,774). 
• Awelina Fakalata ranks fourth in the CCAA in kills per set (4.15) and sixth in total aces (31).  
• Chico State is last in the conference rankings in kills (11.14) and assists (10.23) per set. 
• The Lumberjacks were picked to finish 10th in the 2024 CCAA Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll.

SATURDAY MATINEE AGAINST SSU

• Prior to facing CSUSM on Saturday, the Seawolves will face No. 4 Cal Poly Pomona at 5 p.m. on Friday. 
• CSUSM and SSU are tied in the all-time series at 5-5. 
• The Cougars are 4-2 when facing the Seawolves in The Sports Center. 
• Earlier this season, SSU snagged a four-set victory (25-20, 25-22, 23-25, 25-23) over the Cougars in Rohnert Park.  
• Entering the weekend, the Seawolves are in sixth place in the CCAA standings with a one-game lead over seventh-place Chico State and Cal State East Bay. 
• SSU has won three of its last four matches, including a series sweep over its travel partner Cal Poly Humboldt and a four-set victory at Cal State Monterey Bay. The Seawolves' loss came at Cal State East Bay last weekend, a four-match decision. 
• The Seawolves are ranked fourth in the CCAA in kills per set (12.39) and opponent hitting percentage (0.177). 
• Senior setter Brynna Slayton is second in the CCAA in aces per set (0.53) and third in total aces (35). 
• Senior middle blocker Emily Hernandez is third in the CCAA with a .300 hitting percentage. 
• SSU was selected to finish sixth in the 2024 CCAA Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll.

LOOK INSIDE THE COUGARS

• The 2024 CSUSM roster consists of nine players competing in their final collegiate season with five being four-year members of the Cougar family – Mya Galvan, Alyssa Gurrola, Kelli Miechowicz, Jackie Phillips and Jessica Thomas. 
• Two new Cougars will only play one season for CSUSM – Danielle McCasland, a graduate transfer from Concordia University Irvine, and Gracie Zaitz. 
• Five others are donning Cougar Blue for the first time with three being true freshmen and two junior college transfers. 
• The Cougars finished their 2023 campaign with a 12-15 overall record, were 10-8 in CCAA play and returned to the CCAA Tournament for the program's fifth appearance. 
• As a team in the CCAA statistics, CSUSM concluded 2023 ranked seventh in blocks per set (1.93) while holding opponents to 1.74, the third lowest in the conference. 
• In the 2024 CCAA Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll, the Cougars were picked to finish seventh.

THE LEONARD FILE

• Head coach Andrea Leonard enters her 14th season in charge of the Cougar volleyball team, a program she has built from the ground up since arriving on campus in 2010.
• Leonard has a 212-172 (.552) record as CSUSM's head coach.
• In 20 seasons as a collegiate head volleyball coach, Leonard holds a 304-298 (.505) career record.
• Leonard was CSUSM's first-ever CCAA Coach of the Year after guiding the Cougars to a third-place finish in the overall standings during the 2017 season.