SAN DIEGO – San Diego State middle blocker Julia Haynie (Temecula, Calif.) has been named to the Mountain West touring volleyball team that will participate in the 2023 Global Challenge, set for July 13-23 in Europe. The announcement was made Wednesday from the league office in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Along with Utah State head coach Roger Neilson, Aztec assistant coach Melanie Greene will also help direct the MW traveling squad for this year's Global Challenge, which will allow 12 student-athletes from eight of the conference's 11 institutions to train and compete.
San Diego State's participation in the 2023 Global Challenge is being supported by the SDSU Athletics Women's Funded.
After a four-day stop in Maribor, Slovenia, for training and friendly competition from July 13-16, the MW touring team will head to Pula, Croatia, for the opening ceremony on July 18. The conference's traveling squad is comprised of four outside hitters, three middle blockers, two opposite hitters, two setters and one libero. Additionally, the group will be afforded the opportunity to visit Venice, Italy, during the trip.
With her selection, Haynie becomes the 11th Aztec volleyball player to compete in the Global Challenge after Ashlynn Dunbar and Delaney Taylor were chosen in 2018. This year marks the sixth time SDSU has sent at least one player for the event.
A native of Temecula, Haynie was slotted fifth in the Mountain West during the 2022 campaign with a career-best .356 hitting percentage, committing one attack error or less in 15 matches. The Aztec middle blocker ranked third on the squad in total blocks (43) and sixth in kills (137), the latter of which marked a collegiate high. She also recorded multiple blocks in 10 matches and surpassed the double-digit kill plateau on four occasions.
Haynie came up huge in the final two matches of the regular-season, helping SDSU secure the sixth and final spot in the Mountain West Championship after combining for 20 kills (.529), nine digs and five total blocks in must-win road victories at Nevada and San José State.
A 2007 alumna of San Diego State, Greene is entering her 13th season as an assistant coach on the Aztec staff after serving a three-year stint as a part-time volunteer. During her senior season in 2006, she ranked fourth in the Mountain West with an average of 3.68 kills per set (404 total), earning team MVP honors while serving as the Aztecs' captain.
San Diego State opens its 2023 campaign on Tuesday, August 22, when it plays host to North Florida in an exhibition match, beginning at 6 p.m. PT. The Aztecs commence their regular-season slate in the Pacific Northwest at the Portland State Tournament where the Scarlet and Black will square off against Cal State Fullerton, Kansas State and the host Vikings on successive days, August 25-27, in Portland, Oregon.
2023 Mountain West Global Challenge Volleyball Roster
Julia Haynie, MB, San Diego State
Annie Kaminski, MB, Boise State
Breanna Mitchell, L, Boise State
Emery Herman, S, Colorado State
Kennedy Stanford, OH, Colorado State
Ella Rud, OH, Fresno State
Grace Doyle, MB, Fresno State
Gabby McLachlin, OH, Nevada
Gabrielle Arretche-Ramos, OPP, UNLV
Chloe Thomas, OPP, UNLV
Tatum Stall, OH, Utah State
Kasia Partyka, S, Wyoming
Coaches: Rob Neilson, Utah State, Melanie Greene, San Diego State
About the Global Challenge
Now in its 18th year, the mission of the Global Challenge is to provide teams with international playing experience and exposure. Past tournament participants have included club and country federation teams from Slovenia, Russia, Romania, Germany, Bosnia, Montenegro, China, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Israel, Japan, Iran, Sweden, Denmark, and Puerto Rico, along with USA regional HP, youth national, junior national, and collegiate national teams.
Greene, Haynie to Partake in MW Global Challange
