Volleyball To Play Host In Rebel Challenge This Weekend - University of Nevada Las Vegas Athletics (2024)

LAS VEGAS (UNLVrebels.com) –The UNLV volleyball team is set to open the 2024 season on Friday in Cox Pavilion, hosting its first invitational of the year in The Rebel Challenge.

The Rebels, who are under second-year head coach Malia Shoji, will face Northwestern on Friday, Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. PT on their home court, then battle Iowa State on Saturday, Aug. 31 at 4 p.m. PT before closing out the invitational on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 12 p.m. PT vs. Pacific.

The Scarlet & Gray return 12 student-athletes on their roster, including five of their six starters from the 2023 season. Among the returners are 2023 All-Mountain West honoreesJordyn FreemanandGabrielle Arretche-Ramos, as well as other high-impact players such asArien FafardandDakota Quinlan.

UNLV was slotted to finish fifth-place in this season's Mountain West Volleyball Preseason Poll, earning a first-place vote from the conference's head coaches. The team added five new student-athletes to their 2024 roster.

Other Rebel individuals to keep an eye on as the season begins are sophom*ore libero Caleigh King and junior transfer Alondra Alarcon. King was among the top freshman in the Mountain West after claiming one of the conference's Freshman of the Week honors last season, while Alarcon was the 2023 VolleyMag National Player of the Year at Florida Southwestern.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS:

Coming off of a 15-15 record during the 2023 season in the competitive BigTen conference, the Wildcats earned several quality wins against then-No. 13 San Diego (3-1), No. 17 Purdue (3-2) and IU (3-2) who had been receiving votes at the time. Northwestern returns key players on their defense in middle blocker Kennedy Hill and defensive specialist Gigi Navarrete as well as offensive weapons like outside hitter Drew Wright. The Wildcats are led by first-year head coach Tim Nollan, who previously spent the last eight seasons as the head coach of Grand Canyon University.

Receiving votes in the 2024 AVCA/TARAFLEX Preseason Poll earlier in the month, the Cyclones are led by their unanimous Preseason All-Big 12 outside hitter Nayeli Gonzalez. Gonzalez will be a focal point for Iowa State's offense this season after being named an AVCA All-American Honorable Mention, All-Big 12 First Team and the Big 12 Rookie of the Year as a freshman in 2023. After earning a 20-10 record last season, Iowa State will look to aim high in 2024 under 20-year head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch.

The Tigers enter the 2024 season after earning an invitation to the NIVC in 2023, their third-straight appearance under 15-year head coach Greg Gibbons. The squad marked their highest amount of All-WCC honorees in 2023 since the Tigers returned to the conference in 2013. Alexa Edwards snagged her third-consecutive preseason mention in a row after the graduate student outside hitter finished third in the WCC in kills per set.

WHERE TO WATCH:
The Rebels will open the season on the Mountain West Network in their matches against Northwestern and Iowa State, the third and final match of the weekend against Pacific being on UNLV Athletics' official YouTube channel. The full season schedule and links for the weekend's neutral games may be foundhere.

UNLV SEASON TICKETS:
Season tickets, which start as low as $50, are available now and may be purchased byclickinghere. Active alumni, faculty/staff and seniors (ages 62+) are just $40. Single-game tickets are also available for just $6 online and in advance. Kids 12 and under are free all season long.Fans that want to also buy tickets for single days can do so at any point in the season through the same link.

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