Fort Hays State Volleyball at
2024 Mountain Lion Classic
Friday-Saturday, September 6-7, 2024
Colorado Springs, Colo. • Gallogly Events Center
Friday – 2:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m. MT) – vs. UMary
Friday – 7 p.m. (6 p.m. MT) – at UC-Colorado Springs
Saturday – 2:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m. MT) – vs. Cameron
 
The Fort Hays State volleyball team will open the 2024 season this weekend (Sept. 6-7) with three matches at the 2024 Mountain Lion Classic, hosted by Colorado-Colorado Springs. The Tigers are set to kick off the campaign Friday against the University of Mary at 2:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m. MT) before taking on the host Mountain Lions Friday evening (7 p.m., 6 p.m. MT). The tournament will conclude Saturday afternoon when FHSU battles Cameron at 2:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m. MT).
 
Game Coverage
Live video will be available for free on The RMAC Network.
Live stats will also be posted online.
Tickets are cash only and are available at the door. Daily admission will cost $10 for adults, $5 for children 13-17 and $3 for military members or seniors 55+. Children 12 and under get in free.
Fans parking on campus on Friday will need to purchase a parking pass from a kiosk or the Parking app.  Parking is free after 4 p.m. on Friday, and all day Saturday.
 
Opening the Year in the Centennial State
This is the second-straight year and the third time in four years that the Tigers have opened a season in Colorado. The Tigers opened last year with a 1-3 weekend in Golden at the 2023 Oredigger Classic after going 2-2 in 2021 in Pueblo at the Steel City Showcase.
 
A Return to Colorado Springs, Two Decades Later
This is Fort Hays State's first trip to Colorado Springs in nearly 20 years. In the Tigers' most recent trip, 12th-ranked FHSU defeated UCCS in straight sets in an RMAC battle in 2004 (10/16/04). The head coach for that Mountain Lions team was none other than Jessica Wood-Atkins, who was in her first year at the helm at UCCS.
 
The Coach
Jessica Wood-Atkins enters her seventh year as head coach at Fort Hays State and her 12th year overall as a collegiate head coach. Wood-Atkins holds a career record of 128-164.
 
Before joining the Tiger coaching staff, Wood-Atkins spent five seasons as head coach at UC-Colorado Springs between 2004 and 2008. This is her first return to Colorado Springs since joining the Tiger coaching staff.
 
Returners
Fort Hays State returns seven players from last year's team. Returners include honorable mention All-MIAA selection Gracie Rains, 2021 honorable mention All-MIAA pick Claire Olson, Kirsten Evans, Taytum Lovesee, Ashlyn Reeves, Tallon Rentschler and Caiya Stucky.
 
Rains led the team with 265 kills last season, while Reeves ranked second in the MIAA with an average of 1.04 blocks per set. Stucky ranked fifth in the league with 936 assists, while Evans led the team with 24 service aces and Olson enters her senior season with 500 career kills and 195 career blocks.
 
Newcomers
Head coach Wood-Atkins brought in nine newcomers in 2024, including eight freshmen and one transfer. Abrey Galt transferred to Hays from Oklahoma Baptist University, while incoming freshman include Carsyn Cormaney, Ella Goodwin, Mylie Brown, Haylee Wolf, Hope Duncan, Delaney Gish, Grace Schmedding and Avery Eshleman.
 
A Look Back
The Tigers turned in a record of 11-18 in 2023, including a 5-15 mark in conference play to tie for ninth in the league standings. The Tigers were 6-3 in non-conference action over the first two weeks of the season.
 
Fort Hays State had three All-MIAA selections last year, including a pair of graduates in Emily Ellis and Riley Tinder. Gracie Rains is the lone returner from that mix after picking up honorable mention status in 2023.
 
Scouting the Opponents
UMary
The Marauders were picked 12th in the 2024 NSIC preseason poll after turning in a record of 9-19 overall and 4-14 in league action last season. UMary returns 10 student-athletes from last season in addition to 10 newcomers. Head coach Abby Pollart is entering her fourth season at the helm carrying a record of 21-64.
 
Colorado-Colorado Springs
The Mountain Lions rank 11th in the 2024 RMAC preseason poll after finishing last season 8-18 overall and 6-8 in league play. UCCS returns five players from last year and added 11 newcomers. Head coach Tara Hittle begins her third season with the Mountain Lions with a career record of 21-31.
 
Cameron
The Aggies were picked 13th in the 2024 LSC preseason poll after completing the 2023 season with a record of 6-24 overall and 3-13 in conference contests. CU boasts four returners in addition to 11 newcomers. Second-year head coach Nathan Martell begins the year with a career record of 6-24.
 
Series History
UMary
Fort Hays State is 3-0 against the Marauders all-time, including a trio of neutral-site victories. The Tigers swept UMary in the most recent meeting in September 2021, winning 25-10, 25-15, 25-20 in Pueblo, Colo.
 
Colorado-Colorado Springs
Fort Hays State leads the all-time series, 13-4. The Tigers and Mountain Lions last played in September 2016, with FHSU sweeping their former conference rival in straight sets in Goodwell, Okla. The final set of that contest was a marathon, with the Tigers winning 38-36.
 
Cameron
Fort Hays State leads the all-time series, 9-3. The Tigers won the most recent meeting, defeating the Aggies in four sets last September (9/9/23). Ashlyn Reeves totaled eight kills and three blocks in the win.