FARMINGTON, Utah (Nov. 3, 2026) – Only a few weeks remain in the regular season as Utah Tech has extended their lead in first place to four matches.
Below are news & notes from around the league for Big Sky volleyball.
Portland State's Ava Blascziek Named Offensive Player of the Week
Portland State's Ava Blascziek was named Offensive Player of the Week after registering 64 assists in a pair of wins this weekend. Blascziek powered the Viking's success offensively as she averaged nearly 10 assists per set while also hitting .357%. She also tallied 22 digs, six kills and a service ace in route to a 2-0 week.
Portland State will take a five-match win streak into this weekend against Montana and Montana State.
Others Nominated: Hannah Stoddard (NAU), Alayna Tessena (UNC), Audrey Atwood (SUU), Tessa Treanor (UTU)
Utah Tech's Casidy Fried Named Defensive Player of the Week
Utah Tech's Casidy Fried was named Defensive Player of the Week after leading the Trailblazers to a successful 2-0 weekend. Fried's defensive efforts were felt through both matches as she averaged two blocks per set. She totaled 12 blocks on the weekend and also contributed six kills, two assists and a service ace. The honor is Fried's second in three weeks.
Utah Tech will take on Idaho State and Weber State this weekend.
Others Nominated: Bella LePore (UNC), Jessica Truong (PSU), Kaitlyn Barnes (SUU)
Trailblazers Remain Unbeaten in Big Sky Play
With only a few weeks remaining in the regular season, the Trailblazers have yet to drop a Big Sky match.
The Trailblazers have now won 16-straight matches, including an 12-0 start to Big Sky play. Utah Tech most recently took down Montana and Montana State to extend their win streak. The recent success has given the Trailblazers a four-game lead at the helm of the standings. Utah Tech looks to keep their momentum going against Idaho State and Weber State this weekend.
Utah Tech's win streak is the third-longest in the nation behind Nebraska and Eastern Kentucky. Their last loss came against LMU on September 6th.
The Big Sky has not had a volleyball team finish with a perfect record in conference play since 1996 when CSUN went 16-0.
Within the win streak, 11 of those victories have been sweeps. The Trailblazers have swept their last five opponents and six of their last seven matches.
Northern Colorado Picked as Preseason Favorites by League Coaches
Northern Colorado was named preseason favorites by the league's head coaches after winning the Big Sky tournament a season ago. The Bears look to make a run behind their two preseason All-Conference team selections Alayna Tessena and Nerea Alvarez Jorge.
Northern Colorado earned the top spot in the poll after collecting four first-place votes and a league-leading 83 points, edging out Northern Arizona by just three points, who also compiled four first-place votes. Montana collected a pair of first-place votes and found themselves deadlocked with Idaho State at third. In their first season in the league, Utah Tech got the final first-place vote.
NAU's Hanah Stoddard Tabbed as Preseason MVP by League Coaches
Northern Arizona's Hanah Stoddard headlines the preseason All-Conference Team, earning preseason MVP honors. Stoddard played a crucial role in securing the Lumberjacks' regular-season title last year after recording a career-best 461 kills over 30 matches, which ranked second in the league. Defensively, she also tabbed 376 digs and 24 total blocks. The Co-MVP from a season ago also earned AVCA All-American honorable mention honors.
Southern Utah and Utah Tech Join the Big Sky in 2026
Southern Utah and Utah Tech were officially welcomed as members of the Big Sky Conference this past summer, as the addition of the Thunderbirds and Trailblazers give the Big Sky 11 volleyball squads for the 2026 season. The 2026 season will mark SUU’s return to the Big Sky after being a volleyball member from 2012-21, while the year will be UTU’s inaugural season in the league.
2026 Big Sky Volleyball Tournament Hosted in Flagstaff
The 2026 Big Sky Volleyball Championship, hosted by Northern Arizona, will be held in Flagstaff, Arizona on Nov. 23-25. The Lumberjacks earned the right to host the 2026 championship tournament by winning last fall's regular-season title. The 2026 tournament will be the first in Flagstaff since 2015.
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2026 Big Sky Volleyball Schedule (Week 11)
Thursday, Nov. 5
Southern Utah at Weber State // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Northern Colorado at Idaho // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Northern Arizona at Montana // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Portland State at Montana State // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Utah Tech at Idaho State // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Friday, Nov. 6
Northern Colorado at Eastern Washington // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Saturday, Nov. 7
Southern Utah at Idaho State // 12:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Utah Tech at Weber State // 1:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Portland State at Montana // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Northern Arizona at Montana State // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Eastern Washington at Idaho // 8:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)