Year one of the Big Ten era and year two of the Leslie Gabriel era begin for Washington Volleyball on Friday in Bozeman, Montana where the Huskies will open the 2024 season against Montana State. The Huskies believe they have the pieces in place to restart a new NCAA tournament streak and prove themselves in the huge and talented Big Ten Conference.
THIS WEEK – DAWGS IN MONTANA
Friday, Aug. 30 | at Montana State, 6 pm PT | Live Stream (ESPN+) | Live Stats
Saturday, Aug. 31 | vs. Middle Tennessee, 2:30 pm PT | Live Stats
The Huskies start the season in Big Sky Country, visiting Bozeman for the second time in the past three seasons. Washington was also at Montana State in 2022, going 3-0 from Sept. 16-17 over North Texas, Boise State, and the host Bobcats. Washington faces Montana State in the opener on Friday at 6:00 p.m. Pacific time, with a live stream on ESPN+
The Bobcats were 24-9 last year including an impressive 12-1 at home and 12-4 in Big Sky matches. They lost a five setter in the Big Sky tourney final, one set short of NCAA tourney qualification. MSU went on to play in the NIVC tournament, beating Pacific, Sacramento State, and Wyoming before falling to Wichita State in the semifinals. MSU was voted 2nd in the Big Sky Preseason Poll this year.
Saturday, UW takes on Middle Tennessee in MSU’s Shroyer Gymnasium at 2:30 p.m. Pacific. There will be no live stream on Saturday. The Blue Raiders were chosen fifth in the preseason Conference USA coaches poll and junior Adrianna Rhoda was named to the CUSA Preseason Team. Rhoda was an All-CUSA First Team pick last year when she ranked third in the league with 3.47 kills per set. MTSU was 20-10 last season and 11-5 in conference, also taking part in the NIVC at the end of the year, falling in round one to Ball State.
2023 RECAP
In Leslie Gabriel‘s first season at the helm, she had to replace nearly the entire starting lineup from the 2022 team. Only libero Lauren Bays was back in the same role. Washington battled through injuries to an already small roster during the final year of the Pac-12, still earning a winning record overall at 16-15 but missing the NCAA tourney for the first time since 2001. The top returning scorer from 2022, Emoni Bush, missed the entire season due to shoulder surgery, and in-season injuries forced constant lineup…
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