SAN MARCOS, Calif. –  The Cal State San Marcos volleyball team (6-15, 4-10 CCAA) will conclude its home slate this weekend, hosting Cal State Dominguez Hills (6-16, 3-11 CCAA) on Friday at 5 p.m. before welcoming No. 24 Cal State LA (14-7, 9-5 CCAA) on Saturday at 3 p.m. 

• CSUSM went 2-0 this past weekend for the first time this season. 
• The Cougars defeated Cal Poly Humboldt in four sets (25-21, 25-16, 21-25, 25-20) to complete the season series sweep over the Jacks. 
• On Saturday, CSUSM pulled off a five-set victory (21-25, 25-22, 25-20, 20-25, 15-8) over Sonoma State to knock the Seawolves down to seventh in the CCAA standings. 
• Isabelle Bakken tallied 25 kills and a .339 attack percentage on the weekend while Kelli Miechowicz collected nine blocks. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• CSUSM is averaging 1.89 blocks per set, ranking sixth in the CCAA. 
• The Cougars' 159 total blocks rank fourth in the conference and fifth in total digs with 1,239. 
• Jackie Phillips ranks third in the CCAA in digs per set with 3.83.

  
FRIDAY NIGHT AGAINST THE TOROS

• The Cougars have a 10-7 lead in the all-time series against the Toros and are 5-1 when playing in The Sports Center. 
• CSUSM dropped a three-set match (18-25, 13-25, 19-25) in Carson last month. 
• CSUDH went 1-7 for the month of October with its lone victory coming in a five-set match against Chico State on Oct. 11. 
• The Toros are currently on a seven-match losing skid with a pair of losses at home last weekend to Cal State Monterey Bay (1-3) and Cal State East Bay (0-3). 
• CSUDH is tied for last place (11th) in the CCAA standing, one game back from CSUSM. 
• The Toros have the second-worst hitting percentage in the CCAA at .163. 
• Aleya Starnes is ninth in the conference with a 0.82 blocks per set average. 
• The Toros were picked to finish 11th in the 2024 CCAA Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll.

SENIOR DAY SATURDAY

• Prior to facing CSUSM on Saturday, the Golden Eagles will face No. 4 Cal Poly Pomona at 5 p.m. on Friday. 
• This will be the 18th time CSUSM and CSULA have faced each other, all in the NCAA Division II era (2015-present) except for one match in 2012. 
• The Golden Eagles hold a 14-3 lead in the all-time series.
• CSUSM's last win over CSULA came in 2018 with a four-set victory in Los Angeles. 
• Earlier this season, the Cougars dropped a five-match heartbreaker (23-25, 25-21, 10-25, 25-23, 10-15) in Los Angeles. 
• Entering the weekend, the Golden Eagles are third in the CCAA standings with a one-game lead over Stanislaus State and Cal State San Bernardino, who are tied for fourth place. 
• CSULA has split its last two weekend series with all going four sets, recording wins at Cal State San Bernardino and over Cal State Monterey Bay while falling to Cal State East Bay and San Francisco State. 
• The Golden Eagles are recording a .230 hitting percentage while holding opponents to a .183 clip, both ranking third in the CCAA. 
• 2023 AVCA Player of the Year Emily Elliott is the CCAA leader in aces (.59), kills (5.29) and points (6.25) per set.  
• CSULA was selected to repeat as regular-season champions 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.