Sept. 11-13 – Hampton Inn Nighthawks Classic – Nampa, Idaho
Mines (4-0) vs. Seattle Pacific (4-0) – Thursday, 11:30 a.m. [Live Stats] [GNAC Network]
Mines (4-0) at Northwest Nazarene (0-3) – Thursday, 7 p.m. [Live Stats] [GNAC Network]
Mines (4-0) vs. Concordia Irvine University (3-0) – Friday, 4:30 p.m. [Live Stats] [GNAC Network]
Mines (4-0) vs. Westmont (3-0) – Saturday, 11:30 a.m. [Live Stats] [GNAC Network]

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MASHIN' TATERS
The first road trip of the season for the Colorado School of Mines Volleyball team is to Idaho. The Orediggers head to the state known for its potato production to compete at the Hampton Inn Nighthawks Classic hosted by Northwest Nazarene in Nampa. Mines hopes to mash some proverbial potatoes across four matches starting with Seattle Pacific on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. Thursday evening brings a 7 p.m. showdown with the host Nighthawks. On Friday, Mines plays one match at 4:30 p.m. against Concordia University Irvine (CUI). The Orediggers' weekend closes Saturday with an 11:30 a.m. contest against Westmont. This week's trip marks Mines' second consecutive year appearing at the NNU invite.
 
HOW TO WATCH
All of Mines' matches in Idaho will stream live on the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Network. Similar to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the GNAC teamed up with Hudl over the summer to make its streaming pay-per-view. Fans should note that RMAC Network subscriptions, unfortunately, will not give them access to the GNAC Network. Single-game passes on the GNAC Network cost $12, monthly subscriptions are $25, and an all-access pass for the 2025-26 academic year runs $120.
 
ADDITIONAL LIVE COVERAGE
Fans who prefer not to pay to watch the matches can still follow live. Northwest Nazarene's staff will have live stats available for free through Sidearm. Those are linked here and above. Note, the live stats do not include any video.
 
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
Seattle Pacific started its 2025 campaign 4-0 at the Otter Invitational hosted by Cal State Monterey Bay in Seaside, Calif. They Falcons dropped just two sets in wins against Lincoln Memorial, Cal State Monterey Bay, Westminster, and Dominican. Northwest Nazarene enters its own event with an 0-3 record after falling to #RV Cal State San Bernardino, #16 Point Loma, and Emporia State at the San Diego Invite. Concordia University Irvine hosted its own invitational, the Golden Eagle Classic, and posted a 3-0 mark thanks to victories over Western Oregon, Cal State Dominguez Hills, and Texas Woman's. Westmont also boasts a 3-0 record. The Warriors took down UC Merced, #RV Stanislaus State, and Chico State and the Sunbird Classic in Fresno, Calif.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Mines is 1-2 in the all-time series against Seattle Pacific. The Falcons won in three sets in 1991. The Orediggers claimed their own 3-0 victory in 2021. Mines and SPU last met in 2023 in San Marcos, Calif., where Seattle Pacific won in straight sets. Against Northwest Nazarene, the Orediggers are 2-0. They won 3-1 in 2014 and 3-2 in 2015. Both matches were at Lockridge Arena as part of the Oredigger Volleyball Classic. Thursday marks the first meeting between Mines and NNU in 10 years. Meanwhile, Mines and CUI have only played once. The Orediggers were victorious, 3-1, in 2023 in San Marcos, Calif. Westmont and Mines have never played in volleyball. The Warriors are currently transitioning from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to NCAA Division II.
 
LAST YEAR IN IDAHO
The Orediggers played at the Northwest Nazarene Tournament on the second weekend of the 2024 season as well. They started with a five-set win against Saint Martin's as part of a Thursday twin bill. Later that evening, Mines was swept by Point Loma. Friday brought a five-set heartbreaker at the hands of Biola. On Saturday, the Orediggers clinched a 3-0, finale victory over Augustana. That result provided Mines a 2-2 record for the weekend and a 3-5 mark for the season thus far. Individual highlights from the road trip included 37 kills on .301 hitting with 14 blocks for Morgan McChesney. Jenna McLaughlin had 28 kills on .338 hitting and 18 total blocks. In the back row, Olivia Murillo churned out 86 digs, Jada Price had 65 digs, and Avery Perreira posted 42 digs with six service aces.
 
UNDEAFEATED
Mines start its season hosting the 2025 Oredigger Volleyball Classic presented by Marriott Denver West. The Orediggers went 4-0 at their own event – Mines' first 4-0 start since 2018. The three-day event started Thursday night with a non-conference showdown between Colorado School of Mines and South Dakota Mines. The home team won in four sets thanks to Amanda Donais Dudley's 13 kills and 10 digs. Tori Garrett, Abbie O'Shay, and Jenna McLaughlin also posted double-digit kills. On Friday, Mines played twice and won both, 3-1. Davenport was the Orediggers' first victim after another Donais Dudley double-double and 15 kills by Garrett. O'Shay hammered Valdosta State for 16 kills while Naomi Romslo produced 13 kills and… Donais Dudley had her third double-double in as many matches. Saturday featured the biggest match of the weekend between Mines and #14 Grand Valley State. The Orediggers outlasted the Lakers in five sets thanks to 17 digs from Jada Price, 13 digs from Donais Dudley, and 11 digs apiece for Francesca Nuzzo and Hailee Martinez. Donais Dudley added 15 kills for good measure and Martinez handed out 40 assists.
 
OREDIGGER CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT
Jada Price served as Mines' lone representative on last weekend's all-tournament team thanks to her performance at libero. Her four-match resume included 56 digs at a clip of 3.29 digs per set. She also produced 12 assists and five service aces. The most valuable player was Grand Valley State's Meghan O'Sullivan who had a pair of triple-doubles over the weekend. The rest of the all-tournament team included Brianna Stawski (Grand Valley State), Alex Dvorak (Washburn), Connelly Kilgore (Colorado Christian), Abby Alan (Davenport), Keilah Rivers (Washburn), Kendall Stover (Grand Valley State), and Brynne Topolski (Washburn). Mines and #22 Washburn were the only undefeated teams in the event.
 
RMAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Hailee Martinez and Jenna McLaughlin earned weekly honors from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference for their respective performances on opening weekend. Martinez was named RMAC Setter of the Week for the first time in her career and McLaughlin won RMAC Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career. Martinez dished out 164 assists, averaging 9.65 assists per set, while adding 38 digs, five blocks, three aces, and two kills. The graduate transfer ranked second in the tournament and is now #1 in the RMAC in assists per set. McLaughlin was huge at middle blocker, stifling defenses to the tune of 23 total blocks (1.35 blocks per set). She also produced 37 kills on .286 hitting with three aces and nine digs. After the weekend, McLaughlin ranked #1 in the RMAC in total blocks and blocks per set.
 
AMANDA DONAIS DUDLEY
In case you missed it, Amanda Donais Dudley returned to Mines volleyball this season for her final year of collegiate eligibility while pursuing a master's degree in mechanical engineering. Donais Dudley started her collegiate career as an Oredigger in 2018 and played through the fall of 2021 when she was named third-team all-America. The Ramona, Calif., native graduated with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in the spring of 2022, but still had a season left to play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Needless to say, after three seasons off, Donais Dudley did not look worse for wear on opening weekend. She started her encore with a double-double in all four matches. After one weekend, Donais Dudley owns 49 kills at 2.88 kills per set on .223 hitting with 62 digs (3.65 digs per set), ranking #1 on the team in kills and digs. She also boasts 12 total blocks and four service aces. Donais Dudley's career numbers now sit at 945 kills, 764 digs, 185 total blocks, 97 service aces, and 89 assists.
 
PHENOMENAL FRESHMEN
Opening weekend inevitably brought a number of debuts by the Oredigger true freshmen. Tori Garrett, Abbie O'Shay, and Cadence McDonald all played their first collegiate matches. On the outside, Garrett hammered out 38 kills with six aces, 11 digs, and five total blocks. O'Shay handled things in the middle, churning out 44 kills, 17 blocks, seven digs, and one ace. McDonald saw spot action but had multiple clutch moments which led to two kills and two total blocks.
 
OREDIGGER DEBUTS
Mines' true freshmen weren't the only Orediggers making debuts last weekend. Transfers Hailee Martinez and Francesca Nuzzo both played their first matches in a Mines uniform. Martinez, who also played at Western Colorado and Midland (Nebraska) raced her way to RMAC Setter of the Week distinction, as documented above. Nuzzo, a two-year player from Northeastern Junior College in Colorado, put together a weekend featuring 40 dig, nine kills, six total blocks, and four aces.
 
IN THE POLLS
Colorado School of Mines volleyball hasn't returned to the national polls just yet, but the Orediggers are getting close. They have been absent from the national list for most of the last two seasons. The 2025 preseason poll did not include the Orediggers either. However, after a 4-0 start, Mines is receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches' Association (AVCA)/TARAFLEX Division II Women's Volleyball Poll. The Orediggers' 77 points are equal to being 30th in the nation. Other notable names in the first national poll of the regular season include #3 MSU Denver, #13 Grand Valley State, and #18 Colorado Mesa.
 
STANDING IN THE HALL OF FAME
Five-time all-American Danielle Johnson-Hazlewood was announced as a member of the Mines Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 over the summer. She will officially enshrined on Oct. 4. One of the most decorated players in Mines volleyball history, Johnson-Hazlewood is one of an elite few Orediggers in any sport to have been a four-year RMAC champion. She led Mines to the conference regular-season titles in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Johnson-Hazlewood also helped the Orediggers win the RMAC Tournament title as a senior in 2015. Fans can read her entire Mines Athletics Hall of Fame profile HERE.
 
AT THE HELM
Head Coach Jamie Magalei is in her 18th season leading the Mines volleyball program. She is easily the program's all-time leader in total wins and win percentage at 367-139 (.725). Magalei surpassed 300 career wins in 2021. She's one of six to reach the milestone while coaching in the RMAC. Through 2024, Magalei has coached 31 all-America selections, three Academic All-Americans, and 66 all-conference performers. Her resume also includes three Regional Players of the Year, two Regional Freshmen of the Year, and 16 RMAC major award winners. Magalei has guided Mines to six RMAC regular-season championships, and five RMAC Tournament titles with 13 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances from 2009-22 (no NCAA tournament in 2020). The North Dakota native also guided the Orediggers to either a conference regular-season or tournament title every season from 2012-21 including a sweep of both in 2015.
 
UP NEXT
Mines begins its Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference slate next weekend, hosting #3 MSU Denver on Friday at 7 p.m. before traveling to UCCS on Saturday. Tickets for Friday's match can be purchased at www.minesathletics.com/tickets. Both contests will have live video available with a subscription to the RMAC Network.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines volleyball on "X" (formerly Twitter) at @MinesVolleyball and on Instagram at @mines.volleyball. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, "X" and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.