Photo by: Bobcat Creative Services
10/26/2026 12:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BOZEMAN, Mont. – After helping Montana State Volleyball to a pair of Big Sky victories last week, senior Joelie Spelts and sophomore Nicolette Noble have earned conference weekly honors.
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Spelts was tabbed as Offensive Player of the Week, and Noble was recognized for her defensive success for the third time this season, marking just the seventh time in program history that two Bobcats have been selected in the same week. MSU is the first school this season to earn multiple conference honors in the same week.
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"I think getting both Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week does go to show that the team put together a really good week as well," head coach Matt Houk said. "Oftentimes individual awards are a sign that the team is doing good things. The team performed quite consistently this weekend, and Nikki and Joelie played a big role in that. We had a really tough road match with Weber State on Thursday and found a way to get to our end goal by the time it was said and done. We had a long travel day on Friday, with an event on Friday night. They stayed consistent with their preparation and put themselves in a position to have a good Saturday night against Idaho State and wrap up a great weekend for Montana State athletics."
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After another phenomenal weekend for the Bobcats, Spelts continues to prove her position as one of the conference's most consistent and impactful players. With 31 kills on just 54 swings this weekend, Spelts matched her career-high with 17 kills and hit .667 on Saturday night, leading the Bobcats' offense in the four-set win over Idaho State. The middle blocker averaged 3.44 kills per set and added a team-high eight blocks, two digs, and an assist while accounting for 35.5 Bobcat points on the weekend.Â
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The recognition marks the first weekly honors for Spelts, who leads the Big Sky with a .402 hitting percentage on the season, the 27th best mark amongst NCAA DI volleyball players, and is atop the Bobcat stat sheet with a team-high 253 kills this year.
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"Joelie had another great week, and she continues to be an offensive force in this conference," Houk said. "We keep talking about how consistent she is. We can throw the ball to her in many circumstances, and she is going to put a positive swing on it for us, and more than that, she continues to be a really good leader in the gym and sets a great example for her teammates. I'm really happy that Joelie is getting recognized and rewarded for her efforts this season, and she absolutely deserves this award."
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Noble continues to play an integral role in Montana State's defense, starting at libero in all 21 matches this season. In Thursday's win at Weber State, Noble matched her career-high 28 digs. She added a team-high 14 digs in Saturday's win over Idaho State, contributing to a weekend total of 42.
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Averaging 4.67 digs per set, Noble has led the Bobcats in the category in all but two of MSU's games this season. Noble added five aces at the service line, with five assists and a perfect 1.00 reception percentage throughout the weekend.Â
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The sophomore standout was previously recognized by the Big Sky after the first week of the 2026 season, and again following a pair of wins and a career-best 28 digs at the Mercer Invitational to conclude non-conference play.
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"Nikki continues to be a rock in the libero jersey," Houk said. "Every match she digs a bunch of balls for us, keeps us in rallies, makes sure we get a lot of transition opportunities, and is really holding it down in serve receive. She is passing for a positive number this season, and her serve has started to become a weapon for us as well. Nikki continues to expand upon her overall game, and she is deserving of each award she has earned this season as she continues to show that she is one of the best liberos in the conference."
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Montana State continues conference play on Thursday, Oct. 29 at Southern Utah and Friday, Oct. 30 at Utah Tech, looking to extend a three-game win streak. The Bobcats return to Bozeman for their penultimate homestand, hosting Portland State and Northern Arizona on Nov. 5 and Nov. 7. Tickets for the remainder of the 2026 season are on sale now.
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Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State women's volleyball team, follow the Bobcats @MSUBobcatsVB on X, Instagram, and Facebook. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following @MSUBobcats on X, @MontanaStateBobcats on Instagram, and @Montana State Bobcats on Facebook.
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Spelts was tabbed as Offensive Player of the Week, and Noble was recognized for her defensive success for the third time this season, marking just the seventh time in program history that two Bobcats have been selected in the same week. MSU is the first school this season to earn multiple conference honors in the same week.
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"I think getting both Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week does go to show that the team put together a really good week as well," head coach Matt Houk said. "Oftentimes individual awards are a sign that the team is doing good things. The team performed quite consistently this weekend, and Nikki and Joelie played a big role in that. We had a really tough road match with Weber State on Thursday and found a way to get to our end goal by the time it was said and done. We had a long travel day on Friday, with an event on Friday night. They stayed consistent with their preparation and put themselves in a position to have a good Saturday night against Idaho State and wrap up a great weekend for Montana State athletics."
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After another phenomenal weekend for the Bobcats, Spelts continues to prove her position as one of the conference's most consistent and impactful players. With 31 kills on just 54 swings this weekend, Spelts matched her career-high with 17 kills and hit .667 on Saturday night, leading the Bobcats' offense in the four-set win over Idaho State. The middle blocker averaged 3.44 kills per set and added a team-high eight blocks, two digs, and an assist while accounting for 35.5 Bobcat points on the weekend.Â
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The recognition marks the first weekly honors for Spelts, who leads the Big Sky with a .402 hitting percentage on the season, the 27th best mark amongst NCAA DI volleyball players, and is atop the Bobcat stat sheet with a team-high 253 kills this year.
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"Joelie had another great week, and she continues to be an offensive force in this conference," Houk said. "We keep talking about how consistent she is. We can throw the ball to her in many circumstances, and she is going to put a positive swing on it for us, and more than that, she continues to be a really good leader in the gym and sets a great example for her teammates. I'm really happy that Joelie is getting recognized and rewarded for her efforts this season, and she absolutely deserves this award."
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Noble continues to play an integral role in Montana State's defense, starting at libero in all 21 matches this season. In Thursday's win at Weber State, Noble matched her career-high 28 digs. She added a team-high 14 digs in Saturday's win over Idaho State, contributing to a weekend total of 42.
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Averaging 4.67 digs per set, Noble has led the Bobcats in the category in all but two of MSU's games this season. Noble added five aces at the service line, with five assists and a perfect 1.00 reception percentage throughout the weekend.Â
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The sophomore standout was previously recognized by the Big Sky after the first week of the 2026 season, and again following a pair of wins and a career-best 28 digs at the Mercer Invitational to conclude non-conference play.
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"Nikki continues to be a rock in the libero jersey," Houk said. "Every match she digs a bunch of balls for us, keeps us in rallies, makes sure we get a lot of transition opportunities, and is really holding it down in serve receive. She is passing for a positive number this season, and her serve has started to become a weapon for us as well. Nikki continues to expand upon her overall game, and she is deserving of each award she has earned this season as she continues to show that she is one of the best liberos in the conference."
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Montana State continues conference play on Thursday, Oct. 29 at Southern Utah and Friday, Oct. 30 at Utah Tech, looking to extend a three-game win streak. The Bobcats return to Bozeman for their penultimate homestand, hosting Portland State and Northern Arizona on Nov. 5 and Nov. 7. Tickets for the remainder of the 2026 season are on sale now.
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Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State women's volleyball team, follow the Bobcats @MSUBobcatsVB on X, Instagram, and Facebook. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following @MSUBobcats on X, @MontanaStateBobcats on Instagram, and @Montana State Bobcats on Facebook.
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