Friday, August 25
BOZEMAN
12 p.m.
Montana State University
vs
Air Force
Volleyball Hosts Bobcat Classic
8/23/2017 12:50:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Montana State volleyball team will open at home for the first time since defeating Portland 3-1 on Aug. 29, 2008.
THE BOBCAT CLASSIC:
The Montana State volleyball team will open at home for the first time since defeating Portland 3-1 on Aug. 29, 2008. MSU will also host its first Bobcat Classic since welcoming Gonzaga, South Dakota and Akron in Sept. 2013. Here is the schedule for Friday, Aug. 25 and Saturday, Aug. 26. All matches will be played in Shroyer Gym.
Friday: 10 a.m. Gonzaga vs. Illinois
12 p.m. Air Force vs. Montana State
5 p.m. Gonzaga vs. Air Force
7 p.m. Illinois vs. Montana State
Saturday: 10:30 a.m. Air Force vs. Illinois
7 p.m. Gonzaga vs. Montana State
BOBCAT CLASSIC OPPONENTS:
Here is a closer look at this week's opponents.
Opponent: Air Force
Nickname: Falcons
Head Coach: Marc Swindle (10-21, 1-17 - 2nd Year)
2016 Record: 10-21 overall; 1-17 Mountain West
Opponent: Illinois
Nickname: Fighting Illini
Head Coach: Chris Tamas (0-0, 0-0 - 1st Year)
2016 Record: 17-14 overall; 10-10 Big Ten
Opponent: Gonzaga
Nickname: Bulldogs; Zags
Head Coach: Diane Nelson (17-11, 10-8 - 2nd Year)
2016 Record: 17-11 overall; 10-8 Mountain West
CATCH THE CATS:
Pluto TV – Channel 238 for Montana State broadcasts
Pluto TV is the leading free Internet-based TV service that is available on almost any device such as Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, PlayStation, Xbox, and smart TVs like Sony, Samsung, Vizio and more. Pluto TV is also available through a free app on mobile and table devices (i.e. iOS and Android), as well as traditional PCs. All content on Pluto TV is free, including its Video on Demand.
Live Video Stream - Pluto TV at WatchBigSky.com
Live Stats – www.Bobcatstats.com
ON POINT WITH THE CATS:
* The Bobcats are 21-16 since the 1980 campaign in season-openers
* MSU has won its last two openers - 2015 vs. Tulane, 2016 vs. Grand Canyon
* The Bobcats have faced Air Force the last two seasons losing 3-2 in both
* MSU is 4-4 in its all-time series with Gonzaga dating back to the 1992 season
* MSU/Illinois have met once with the Illini winning 2-1 @ BYU on 9/21/84
* The Bobcats return ten players, including five starters and its libero from '16
* Sixty-nine percent of MSU's roster is comprised of sophomores & freshmen
* Montana State is celebrating its 125th birthday during the 2017-18 season
THE JONES FILE (0-0 OVERALL, 0-0 BIG SKY CONFERNCE, FIRST SEASON):
* Daniel Jones was named interim head coach on May 24, 2017 following the resignation of JJ Riley for family reasons. Riley served two seasons at Montana State and posted an overall mark of 8-41 and saw the Bobcats jump up 45 spots in the NCAA Division I RPI during his tenure with a roster comprised mainly of sophomore and freshmen. Jones served as an assistant coach to Riley in both 2015 and 2016.
* Jones came to Bozeman following a stint as an assistant at Utah Valley, where he also served as recruiting coordinator. Jones spent four seasons at Utah from 2010 to 2013, first serving as video and statistics coordinator, before moving into operations.
* A native of New Zealand, Jones also has coaching experience with USA Volleyball. He served as an assistant coach in USA Volleyball's A2 program, which worked with the top collegiate players in the nation.
* Jones began his coaching career at Avondale College (Auckland, New Zealand), where he helped guide Avondale to the 2003 national championship, before taking over the head coaching position and a third-place finish in 2006.
ODDS & ENDS:
* MSU averaged 1,044 fans last year, which was 2nd in the Big Sky behind North Dakota (1,090) and 44th overall at the NCAA Division I level. Both marks are impressive considering MSU finished 5-20 overall. The Cats ranked ahead of programs like Notre Dame, Alabama and Oklahoma.
* The Bobcats return five starters and its libero from its starting rotation that played in the final match of the season against Idaho on Nov. 12. Returning to the starting rotation are Katie Rutecki, Kiana Black, Natalie Passeck, Audra Dugan, Chase Doughty and libero Allyssa Rizzo. Black, Passeck, Dugan and Doughty accounted for 56 percent of MSU's kill total last fall. In addition, Rizzo, Passeck and Rutecki were the Bobcats' top three in digs, respectively. Black and Dugan paced MSU at the net leading the team in blocking.
*First-year head coach Daniel Jones will look to lead the Bobcats to the Big Sky Conference Tournament for just the second time in the last 12 years this fall. MSU's last winning season in Big Sky Conference play came in 2004 when the Bobcats posted a 10-4 league slate.
THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS:
The Montana State volleyball team held its Blue/Gold Scrimmage on Saturday. The Gold team came away with a victory by taking three sets (25-14, 19-25, 25-19, 15-6), but even more significant, knocked out the early season jitters before MSU opens its 2017 schedule on its home court. "We got exactly what we wanted out of the scrimmage," coach Daniel Jones said. "We were able to go through our pre-match routine, give them a feel for what game day will be like, see how they respond under the spotlight of being in uniform and having a crowd. It was great to see those things and nobody was fazed by the situation. We have six freshmen and they all stepped up and played really well. We've got 10 returners and they all did a solid job too." The Gold team clearly took control in the first set en route to its 11-point margin. Despite a six-point edge to win the second set, the Blue team easily held a lead throughout the frame including scoring the first six points. The third set was much more competitive before the Gold team closed it out in the fourth.
The Montana State volleyball team will open at home for the first time since defeating Portland 3-1 on Aug. 29, 2008. MSU will also host its first Bobcat Classic since welcoming Gonzaga, South Dakota and Akron in Sept. 2013. Here is the schedule for Friday, Aug. 25 and Saturday, Aug. 26. All matches will be played in Shroyer Gym.
Friday: 10 a.m. Gonzaga vs. Illinois
12 p.m. Air Force vs. Montana State
5 p.m. Gonzaga vs. Air Force
7 p.m. Illinois vs. Montana State
Saturday: 10:30 a.m. Air Force vs. Illinois
7 p.m. Gonzaga vs. Montana State
BOBCAT CLASSIC OPPONENTS:
Here is a closer look at this week's opponents.
Opponent: Air Force
Nickname: Falcons
Head Coach: Marc Swindle (10-21, 1-17 - 2nd Year)
2016 Record: 10-21 overall; 1-17 Mountain West
Opponent: Illinois
Nickname: Fighting Illini
Head Coach: Chris Tamas (0-0, 0-0 - 1st Year)
2016 Record: 17-14 overall; 10-10 Big Ten
Opponent: Gonzaga
Nickname: Bulldogs; Zags
Head Coach: Diane Nelson (17-11, 10-8 - 2nd Year)
2016 Record: 17-11 overall; 10-8 Mountain West
CATCH THE CATS:
Pluto TV – Channel 238 for Montana State broadcasts
Pluto TV is the leading free Internet-based TV service that is available on almost any device such as Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, PlayStation, Xbox, and smart TVs like Sony, Samsung, Vizio and more. Pluto TV is also available through a free app on mobile and table devices (i.e. iOS and Android), as well as traditional PCs. All content on Pluto TV is free, including its Video on Demand.
Live Video Stream - Pluto TV at WatchBigSky.com
Live Stats – www.Bobcatstats.com
ON POINT WITH THE CATS:
* The Bobcats are 21-16 since the 1980 campaign in season-openers
* MSU has won its last two openers - 2015 vs. Tulane, 2016 vs. Grand Canyon
* The Bobcats have faced Air Force the last two seasons losing 3-2 in both
* MSU is 4-4 in its all-time series with Gonzaga dating back to the 1992 season
* MSU/Illinois have met once with the Illini winning 2-1 @ BYU on 9/21/84
* The Bobcats return ten players, including five starters and its libero from '16
* Sixty-nine percent of MSU's roster is comprised of sophomores & freshmen
* Montana State is celebrating its 125th birthday during the 2017-18 season
THE JONES FILE (0-0 OVERALL, 0-0 BIG SKY CONFERNCE, FIRST SEASON):
* Daniel Jones was named interim head coach on May 24, 2017 following the resignation of JJ Riley for family reasons. Riley served two seasons at Montana State and posted an overall mark of 8-41 and saw the Bobcats jump up 45 spots in the NCAA Division I RPI during his tenure with a roster comprised mainly of sophomore and freshmen. Jones served as an assistant coach to Riley in both 2015 and 2016.
* Jones came to Bozeman following a stint as an assistant at Utah Valley, where he also served as recruiting coordinator. Jones spent four seasons at Utah from 2010 to 2013, first serving as video and statistics coordinator, before moving into operations.
* A native of New Zealand, Jones also has coaching experience with USA Volleyball. He served as an assistant coach in USA Volleyball's A2 program, which worked with the top collegiate players in the nation.
* Jones began his coaching career at Avondale College (Auckland, New Zealand), where he helped guide Avondale to the 2003 national championship, before taking over the head coaching position and a third-place finish in 2006.
ODDS & ENDS:
* MSU averaged 1,044 fans last year, which was 2nd in the Big Sky behind North Dakota (1,090) and 44th overall at the NCAA Division I level. Both marks are impressive considering MSU finished 5-20 overall. The Cats ranked ahead of programs like Notre Dame, Alabama and Oklahoma.
* The Bobcats return five starters and its libero from its starting rotation that played in the final match of the season against Idaho on Nov. 12. Returning to the starting rotation are Katie Rutecki, Kiana Black, Natalie Passeck, Audra Dugan, Chase Doughty and libero Allyssa Rizzo. Black, Passeck, Dugan and Doughty accounted for 56 percent of MSU's kill total last fall. In addition, Rizzo, Passeck and Rutecki were the Bobcats' top three in digs, respectively. Black and Dugan paced MSU at the net leading the team in blocking.
*First-year head coach Daniel Jones will look to lead the Bobcats to the Big Sky Conference Tournament for just the second time in the last 12 years this fall. MSU's last winning season in Big Sky Conference play came in 2004 when the Bobcats posted a 10-4 league slate.
THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS:
The Montana State volleyball team held its Blue/Gold Scrimmage on Saturday. The Gold team came away with a victory by taking three sets (25-14, 19-25, 25-19, 15-6), but even more significant, knocked out the early season jitters before MSU opens its 2017 schedule on its home court. "We got exactly what we wanted out of the scrimmage," coach Daniel Jones said. "We were able to go through our pre-match routine, give them a feel for what game day will be like, see how they respond under the spotlight of being in uniform and having a crowd. It was great to see those things and nobody was fazed by the situation. We have six freshmen and they all stepped up and played really well. We've got 10 returners and they all did a solid job too." The Gold team clearly took control in the first set en route to its 11-point margin. Despite a six-point edge to win the second set, the Blue team easily held a lead throughout the frame including scoring the first six points. The third set was much more competitive before the Gold team closed it out in the fourth.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
S
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