FARMINGTON, Utah (Sept. 10, 2025) – Big Sky Volleyball action is heating up as teams prepare for week three of the season. Eight teams will kick off the weekend on Thursday as non-conference play rolls on.
Big Sky Volleyball Weekly Notes (Week 3)
Big Sky Weekly Honors Announced
Offensive Player of the Week: Hannah Stoddard, Northern Arizona (OH, R-Jr., Coeur d'Alene, ID.)
Hanah Stoddard hit to a .291 clip at the GCU Classic, with a .400 hitting percentage against Grand Canyon. The Idaho native totalled 55 kills over the tournament, averaging 5.0 kills/set. She helped NAU extend its 24-0 win streak over GCU and led team to sweep East Texas A&M. Over the course of the weekend Stoddard secured double-doubles in all three matches and was named to All-Tournament team.
Co-Defensive Player of the Week: Alexis Batezel, Montana (L, Sr., Las Vegas, Nev.)
Batezel averaged 5.6 digs per set to lead the Montana defense in a 3-0 weekend. Batezel had 56 total digs while Montana held its opponents to just .178 hitting on the weekend as the Griz took 9 out of 10 possible sets.
Co-Defensive Player of the Week: Reese Ampi, Sacramento State (L, Jr., Redding, Calif.)
Junior libero Reese Ampi helped the Hornets to a 2-1 record, which included a victory over UC Riverside, a road win at Southern Utah, and a tight 3-2 road loss (16-14 in the 5th) at Utah Tech. She spearheaded a Hornet defense that limited the opposition to a .120 hitting percentage, including sub-.100 marks from both Riverside and Southern Utah.
The Redding, Calif., native had 14-plus digs in all three matches, which included a career-high 31 in Saturday’s loss at Utah Tech. The 31 digs were the most by a Hornet in three years, and she finished the week with an average of 4.54 digs per set. In addition, in 39 serves sent her way, Ampi had zero reception errors.
The junior had 14 digs against both UC Riverside and Southern Utah, and added 31 at Utah Tech. She remains second in the Big Sky with an average of 4.46 digs per set this season.
Week 2 Highlights
Weekend two action consisted of 30 matches amongest our 10 teams; Weber State comes out at the top of the standings with a 5-1 record through their first six matches of the season.
Montana State and Northern Arizona round out the top three spots, both with a 4-2 record. The Bobcats traveled to Spokane and returned to Bozeman with a 3-0 record on the weekend, one of those wins over tournament host Gonzaga.
Northern Arizona remains perfect against in-state rival Grand Canyon, moving to 24-0 against the Lopes, with a 3-1 victory on Sunday to cap off a winning weekend for the Lumberjacks.
Weber State Named Preseason Favorites
The Wildcats earned the top spot in the preseason poll after receiving five first place votes from the league's head coaches. Weber State is looking to secure their first regular season crown since the 2021 season. The Wildcats most recently won the Big Sky Volleyball tournament in 2023.
2025 Big Sky Volleyball Coaches’ Poll Results
1. Weber State (5) - 74
2. Northern Colorado (2) - 66
T3. Idaho State (2) - 65
T3. Sacramento State - 65
5. Eastern Washington - 40
6. Portland State - 39
T7. Montana State - 36
T7. Northern Arizona (1) - 36
9. Montana - 20
10. Idaho - 9
*() Indicates first place vote
Watts Headlines Inaugural Preseason All-Conference Team
Idaho State's Jaydin Watts headlines the inagural preseason All-Conference Team, earning preseason MVP honors. Watts was second in the league a season ago in blocks (161) and blocking average (1.34). Watts played a crucial role in Idaho State's record setting-defensive efforts last season. The Bengals led the nation in total blocks (364) and third in blocks per set (2.96). Fellow Bengal Meline Shulikov also earn a preseason nod.
Defending regular-season champion Northern Colorado also earned a pair of preseason honors in Isabel Bennett and Alayna Tessena. The Bears are coming off of a 28-8 record a season ago which included wins over Michigan State, Ole Miss and Colorado. The success continued into the postseason with a semifinal apperance in the NIVC.
2025 Big Sky Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team
1. Jaydin Watts, ISU (Preseason MVP)
2. Ashley Gneiting, WSU
3. Isabel Bennett, UNC
4. Hannah Stoddard, NAU
5. Kate Doorn, SAC
6. Naomi White, PSU
7. Quincy Moran, EWU
8. Lauren Lindseth, MSU
9. Meline Shulikov, ISU
10. Alayna Tessena, UNC
Sacramento State Seeks to Repeat as Tournament Champions in 2025
Sacramento State, who claimed its first tournament title since 2007 a season ago, will look to defend its title this year as the Hornets set their sights on another tourney crown. The Hornets were the first team to win the tournament on their home court since North Dakota in 2016.
Greeley Tabbed as Host City for 2025 Big Sky Tournament
The 2025 Big Sky Conference Volleyball Championship will be held at the Bank of Colorado Arena in Greeley, Colorado on Nov. 24-26. The top-eight teams in the conference standings after the conclusion of the regular season will comprise the championship field.
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2025 Big Sky Volleyball Schedule (Week 3)
Thursday, Sept. 11
Portland State vs New Mexico // 3:00 p.m. MT
Sacramento State vs Dartmouth // 4:00 p.m. MT
Idaho State vs San Francisco // 3:30 p.m. MT (MW Network)
Idaho at North Dakota State // 6:00 p.m. MT (SL Network)
Eastern Washington at Nevada // 7:00 p.m. MT (MW Network)
UC San Diego at Northern Arizona // 7:30 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Northern Colorado at Cal Poly // 7:00 p.m. MT
Montana State at Oregon State // 7:30 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Friday, Sept. 12
Weber State vs Murray State // 9:00 a.m. MT
Montana at Indiana State // 9:00 a.m. MT (ESPN+)
Idaho vs UTSA // 11:00 a.m. MT
Montana vs Butler // 12:30 p.m. MT
Eastern Washington vs CSU Bakersfield // 3:00 p.m. MT
Sacramento State at Boston College // 4:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Idaho State vs Utah Tech // 3:30 p.m. MT (MW Network)
Montana State vs UNLV // 4:00 p.m. MT
Northern Colorado vs Kansas State // 4:00 p.m. MT
Weber State at Southeast Missouri State // 5:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Portland State vs Cal Baptist // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Texas Tech at Northern Arizona // 7:30 MT (ESPN+)
Saturday, Sept. 13
Sacramento State vs Albany // 9:00 a.m. MT
Montana vs Eastern Illinois // 9:00 a.m. MT
Idaho at North Dakota // 10:00 a.m. MT (SL Network)
Eastern Washington vs Pacific // 11:00 a.m. MT
Weber State vs Iowa // 11:00 a.m. MT
Portland State vs Cal State Fullerton // 12:00 p.m. MT
Montana State vs UC Irvine // 12:00 p.m. MT
Idaho State at Boise State // 12:00 p.m. MT (MW Network)
Southern Utah at Northern Arizona // 2:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Northern Colorado at UC Santa Barbara // 2:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Tuesday, Sept. 16
Weber State at BYU // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)