SAN MARCOS, Calif. –  The Cal State San Marcos volleyball team (4-13, 2-8 CCAA) will make a quick trip to Northerrn California to take on Chico State on Friday at 5 p.m. and Stanislaus State on Saturday at 2 p.m. 

LAST WEEK

• CSUSM went 0-2 against then-No. 6 Cal Poly Pomona last weekend
• The Cougars fell in three sets (12-25, 15-25, 13-25) in The Sports Center last Friday.  
• On Saturday, CSUSM gave the Broncos a run for their money in the third set before falling 24-26 after dropping the first two sets 13-25 and 12-25. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• The Cougars hit a season-best .359 against Cal State East Bay with 45 kills on 92 attempts and made only 12 errors.
• CSUSM is averaging 15.08 digs per set, ranking sixth in the CCAA. 
• The Cougars' 980 total digs are the sixth most in the conference.
• Jackie Phillips ranks third in the CCAA in digs per set with 3.85. 

  
FRIDAY NIGHT AT CHICO

• The Cougars are on an eight-match win streak against the Wildcats while holding a 10-3 lead in the all-time series. 
• CSUSM recorded four-set victories in both matches last season against Chico State. 
• Last week, the Wildcats split their series with travel partner Stanislaus State as both teams were victorious on their home court. 
• After being swept by the Warriors in Turlock on Oct. 15, Chico State snapped a five-match losing streak with a five-set victory over Stan State last Friday. 
• Chico State (4-6) is seventh in the CCAA standings, one game behind sixth-place Sonoma State (5-5).
• The Wildcats rank fourth in the CCAA with 1.88 block per set average. 
• Chico State is last in the conference rankings in kills (11.14) and assists (10.23) per set. 
• Kassandrra Nall is leading the Wildcats with 3.37 kills per set. 
• The Wildcats were picked to finish last in the 2024 CCAA Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll.

SATURDAY MATINEE IN TURLOCK

• Prior to hosting CSUSM on Saturday, the Warriors will face No. 5 Cal Poly Pomona at 5 p.m. on Friday. 
• CSUSM is 9-4 in the all-time series against Stan State.
• The Cougars swept the Warriors in both matches last season.
• Entering the weekend, Stan State is tied with Cal State San Bernardino for fourth in the CCAA standings. 
• Stated earlier in this release, the Warriors split their matches last weekend with their travel partner, Chico State. 
• Stan State's loss on Friday snapped a four-match win streak that included two upsets – a sweep over then-No. 21 Cal State San Bernardino and a five-set thriller against then-No. 18 Cal State LA. 
• The Warriors are the CCAA leader in blocks per set (2.42) and rank 24th in Division II. 
• Stan State has a conference-best 162 blocks and 133 aces this season. 
• Autumn Kirby and Alex Byrd are 1-2 in the CCAA statistics, averaging 1.13 and 1.09 block per set, respectively. 
• Gabby Rawson is second in the CCAA in digs per set (4.00). 
• Stan State was selected to finish eighth in the 2024 CCAA Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll.

LOOK INSIDE THE COUGARS

• The 2024 CSUSM roster consists of eight 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.