Red-Hot Aztecs Continue Homestand vs. Utah State, Texas State

SAN DIEGO -- Winners of five straight, the San Diego State volleyball team looks to extend its victory streak this week when it battles Utah State and Texas State in a pair of Pac-12 matches at Peterson Gym.

The Aztecs will square off against the Aggies on Thursday, Oct. 15, starting at 6 p.m. PT, before tangling with the Bobcats on Saturday, Oct. 17 at noon.

Along with live stats, both contests will air live on the Pac-12 YouTube Channel, with links available on GoAztecs.com.

Thursday’s encounter with Utah State has been designated as the SDSU volleyball program’s Dig Pink Match in support of the Side-Out Foundation's research into metastatic breast cancer. Aztec players will don pink warm-ups prior to the contest, and the first 250 fans will receive a free pink T-shirt.

In addition, Saturday's giveaway prior to the Texas State clash features free SDSU pins to the first 250 spectators.

OPENING SERVE
> San Diego State has swept its last three opponents, including a pair of whitewashes last week against Oregon State (25-21, 25-20, 25-18) and Gonzaga (25-12, 25-19, 25-18) to open a four-match homestand.
> Individually, the Aztecs earned two conference weekly honors, as Kendall Mairs garnered Pac-12 Setter of the Week accolades for the second week in a row and third time this season after dishing out a league-best 70 assists (11.67/set), while Taelyn Bentley was named Defensive Player of the Week after ranking among the conference leaders with 10 blocks.
> Offensively, SDSU was paced by Layla Austin, who blasted 24 kills (4.00/set) for the week, while Tessa Schouten finished with 18 put-aways of her own (3.00/set) and hit a combined .571, committing just two errors in 28 attempts.
> As a team, the Aztecs hit .368 in two matches last week while limiting the opposition to a .098 clip.
> SDSU has posted a .300 hitting percentage or greater in six matches already this season after surpassing that barrier just four times during the entire 2025 campaign.
> Entering the week, SDSU (10-6, 5-1 Pac-12) is slotted second in the conference standings, one match behind front-runner Colorado State (13-3, 6-0 Pac-12).

SERIES RECORDS
> The Aztecs still lead the all-time series vs. Utah State 18-16, including a 12-4 mark in San Diego and a 6-12 ledger in road/neutral contests. 
> SDSU will be looking to put the brakes on a nine-match skid against the Aggies after dropping a pair of encounters during the 2025 regular-season, including a 3-1 setback in Peterson Gym (25-23, 20-25, 20-25, 23-25).
> In that match, the Aztecs owned the statistical edge in kills (57-51) and digs (44-42) but were victimized by 11 service errors and eight Aggie aces..
> Among returners, Ella Schabort set a season high with 15 kills, while Kendall Mairs (24 assists) and Zara Stewart (11 digs) topped the squad in their respective statistical categories.
> San Diego State leads the all-time series vs. Texas State 3-1, but the two programs have not met since the 2004 campaign when the Bobcats claimed a three-set decision in the opener of their own tournament.

MATCH CONNECTIONS
> Utah State middle blocker Addy Cook and defensive specialist Lily LaFlesch transferred from Wyoming, where they played two games against San Diego State during the 2025 campaign. Against the Aztecs in Peterson Gym, Cook finished with six kills and three block assists, while LaFlesch contributed six digs and a service ace, helping the Cowgirls to a 3-0 win. Two weeks later in the first round of the Mountain West Championship, Cook finished with six additional kills, while LaFlesch served up three aces and scooped up a trio of digs; however, SDSU exacted a measure of revenge with a three-set sweep.
> Aztec outside hitter Layla Austin and Utah State libero Sadie Warren met three times on the prep volleyball scene in Texas between 2023 and 2024. Austin's Southlake Carroll High School team captured all three meetings with Warren's Wylie High squad, including a 3-0 sweep in 2024. Competing as a junior, Austin recorded eight kills, three digs and a solo block in that contest, according to MaxPreps, while the senior Warren finished with 15 digs and one setting assist.
> Similarly, Austin faced Aggie defensive specialist AC Gibbs in high school competition, as Southlake Carroll posted a 2-0 victory over The Woodlands in the second match of the 2025 campaign when both players were prep seniors. According to MaxPreps, Austin racked up eight kills and 13 digs in that contest, while Gibbs scooped up nine digs while contributing three assists and two service aces.
> Utah State assistant coach/director of operations Shelby Capllonch faced the Aztecs in nine matches during her collegiate playing career, including six times at UNLV from 2019-21 and three occasions with USU in 2022-23. As a collegian, Capllonch's teams combined for a 7-2 record against SDSU, including a 4-2 mark with UNLV and a 3-0 ledger with the Aggies.
> Aztec defensive specialist Rylie Sengdara and Texas State outside hitter Ameena Campbell were teammates at Cal State Fullerton in 2024. Campbell was a sophomore on that Titan squad, while Sengdara was a freshman.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME
> Since the beginning of the 2009 campaign, Aztecs have amassed a 136-94 (.591) record at home, highlighted by a 14-0 mark during the 2012 season when SDSU captured the Mountain West championship.
> In 2024, the Aztecs posted a 10-2 ledger at Peterson Gym, marking their first season with double-digit home victories since the 2017 campaign, when the Scarlet and Black went 10-5.

SDSU IN PAC-12 RANKINGS
> Entering the fourth week of conference play, Taelyn Bentley still leads the in the Pac-12 with a .405 hitting percentage.
> In addition, Kendall Mairs finds herself among the league leaders in three categories, ranking third in assists (9.60/set), while tying for eighth in service aces (0.31/set) and occupying the ninth spot in digs (2.95/set).
> Not to be outdone, Ella Schabort (3.41/set) and Layla Austin (3.21) are slotted fifth and sixth in kills, respectively, while Zara Stewart ranks fifth in digs (3.60/set).
> As a team, SDSU occupies the second position in the Pac-12 in hitting percentage (.227), kills (13.31), assists (12.28/set) and digs (14.09/set).
> The Aztecs' .407 hitting percentage at Santa Clara marks the second-highest team efficiency for a single match thus far in the Pac-12, while their .389 clip against Gonzaga is slotted fifth.
> SDSU's 65 kills at Boise State represents the second-highest team total in the conference for a four-set match and is tied for the ninth-best in the league overall. 
> In addition, the Aztecs' 62 assists against the Broncos marks the second-highest figure in the league for a four-set match.
> San Diego State's 57 team digs against UC Davis marks the third-best figure for a three-set match this season.
 > Individually, Ella Schabort's .692 hitting percentage (19-1-26) at Santa Clara is tied for the highest clip in the Pac-12 thus far, while her 19 kills in that contest is tops for a three-set match.
> In addition, Layla Austin's .586 efficiency (18-1-29) against UC Irvine ranks seventh in the league, while her 18 kills from that outing is slotted second for a three-set match.
> Not to be outdone, Kendall Mairs dished out a career-high 50 assists at Boise State, which ranks second in the conference for a four-set match.
> Elsewhere, Zara Stewart has recorded the third-highest dig-total in the Pac-12 for a four-set match with 21 scoops against IU Indy, while her 16 digs at Fresno State is tied for the fifth best in a three-set match.

AUSTIN AWESOME
> Freshman sensation Layla Austin has made an immediate impact in her first season with the Aztecs, ranking sixth among the Pac-12 leaders this week with an average of 3.21 kills per set.
> A former prep All-American from Southlake, Texas, Austin has led the Scarlet and Black with double-digit kills in 12 of 16 matches this year, highlighted by a collegiate-best 18 put-aways vs. UC Irvine at the Husky Invitational on Aug. 30.
> Against the Anteaters, Austin committed just one error in 39 attempts for a .586 hitting percentage, which marks the seventh-highest efficiency in the Pac-12 so far this season.
> For her efforts, Austin earned a spot on the Husky Invite all-tournament team.
> Additionally, Austin has posted two of the Aztecs' other top-six hitting percentages of the season (min. 12 kills), including a .406 clip (17-4-32) at Boise State on Oct. 1 and a .400 efficiency (17-5-30) vs. IU Indy on Aug. 28.
> Not to be outdone, Austin ranks third on the squad with 133 digs (2.29/set), highlighted by a career-best 20 scoops vs. Cal on Sept. 12.

NEWCOMERS CONTRIBUTING
> Nine of the Aztecs' 10 newcomers have seen action this season, with two of those players - Layla Austin and Nazare Judd appearing in all 58 sets.
> Along with Austin's elite production, SDSU has received steady contributions from middle blockers Taelyn Bentley and Tessa Schouten.
> A sophomore transfer from South Florida, Bentley leads the Pac-12 with a .405 hitting percentage and is slotted second on the team with 42 blocks while ranking third with 97 kills (1.80/set).
> At the Santa Clara Mission Classic, Bentley hit a combined .727, knocking down 17 kills in just 22 attempts with one error.
> The Corvallis, Oregon, native blasted a career-high 11 kills in the that tournament vs. Cal before launching 10 put-aways against Arizona in the Aztecs home opener.
> In the Aztecs' Pac-12 home opener against Oregon State, Bentley set a season high with seven blocks, including a pair of solo rejections.
> A junior transfer from Saint Mary's, Schouten leads the team with 46 blocks and ranks fourth with 94 kills (1.74/set). 
> In SDSU's sweep at Fresno State, Schouten established a career best with 11 kills after setting season highs with seven block assists and three digs against Cal Poly at the Aggie Invitational. The Davis, California native matched her career against Oregon State when floored 11 shots in another Aztec blanking.
> Elsewhere, Ole Miss transfer Annabelle De Jager has appeared in 37 sets across 12 matches this season, ranking fifth on the team with 66 kills (1.78/set) while adding 41 digs (1.11/set) and 12 blocks.
> De Jager enjoyed a breakout match in SDSU's home opener against Arizona when she launched a career-high 13 kills to go with eight digs. In addition, the Eaton, Colorado, native collected a collegiate-best nine digs against Cal Poly at the Aggie Invitational. 
> Judd has also played in all 58 sets for the Scarlet and Black this year, earning a start in five straight matches from Sept. 4-18, highlighted by a season-best performance of eight digs vs. Arizona.
> A San Diego native who returned to her hometown after spending her freshman season at San José State, Judd has collected 74 digs for the year (1.28/set) to go with eight setting assists. She has cracked the starting lineup in the last four matches, including home tilts with Oregon State and Gonzaga.
> In addition, senior Haylee Brown has seen increased playing time of late, appearing in nine of the last 11 matches, highlighted by a season-high performance of 10 kills against California at the Santa Clara Mission Classic, where she committed just one error in 26 attempts for a .346 hitting percentage. The Nevada transfer also matched her season best with 10 put-aways against Oregon State.
> Freshman middle blocker Chelsea Cocks earned her first career start against CSU Bakersfield and responded with a season-high four kills and six blocks, including a pair of solo stops. She also received a starting assignment at San Diego, where she matched her season best with four additional put-aways while adding a trio of block assists.
> Freshman setter Logan Cary has seen action in 17 sets as a reserve across eight matches thus far, posting a season-high 15 assists and seven digs at San Diego.
> Freshman middle blocker Lauranta Iyalekhue made her first two collegiate appearances, Sept. 18-19, when she played in one set apiece vs. Arizona and at USD.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
> Utah State (3-12, 2-3 Pac-12) dropped a four-set decision at home to Boise State (25-27, 18-25, 28-26, 21-25) in its lone match last week. With the loss, the Aggies find themselves in a tie for fifth place in the conference standings with Washington State. USU has compiled a 3-4 record at home this season but is winless in eight road/neutral contests. Prior to the 2026 campaign, the Aggies were picked to finish sixth in the Pac-12 preseason coaches poll. Offensively, Utah State is led by junior Sami Blackett, who ranks fourth in the league in kills (3.44/set), while fellow classmate Olivia Ruy (3.14/set) is slotted ninth in that category. In addition, sophomore Silina Damuni occupies the fourth spot in conference with 8.12 assists per set, while junior Ava Napierski ranks fifth with a .340 hitting percentage. Not to be outdone, sophomore Lily LaFlesch leads the Pac-12 with 3.84 digs per set, while graduate student Sophie Scott tops the squad with 43 blocks. As a team, the Aggies are slotted fourth in the league in assists (10.92/set) and fifth in both kills (11.80/set) and digs (13.36) but rank just seventh in blocks (2.01) and eighth in hitting percentage (.206). Utah State is under the direction of first-year head coach Keith Smith, who arrived on the Logan campus after serving as an assistant at TCU in 2025, where he helped the Horned Frogs compile a 21-11 overall record and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Prior his move to Texas, Smith was an assistant coach for the women's U21 national team at the 2025 NORCECA Pan American Cup, helping Team USA capture a gold medal in Costa Rica.

> Texas State (7-10, 2-4 Pac-12) sits in seventh place in the conference standings after splitting two home matches last week. The Bobcats prevailed by a 3-1 count against Gonzaga  (25-16, 17-25, 25-20, 25-21) before suffering a reversal of fortune in a four-set loss to Washington State (21-25, 25-22, 19-25, 17-25). With the results, Texas State moved to 3-3 in home matches while maintaining a 2-3 mark on the road and a 2-4 ledger in neutral contests. Prior to Saturday's showdown at SDSU, the Bobcats will play host to Oregon State on Wednesday night. Earlier, Texas State was pegged for a third place finish in the Pac-12 preseason coaches poll. In their final season as Sun Belt members in 2025, the Bobcats posted a 17-12 overall record and finished third in West Division with a 7-5 mark in conference play. Entering the week, senior Brooke Bentke leads the team with 2.67 kills per set, while fellow classmate Caelyn Robel (2.42), sophomore Peyton McKee (2.35) and fifth-year senior India Bennett are also averaging 2.31 put-aways per frame. Bennett ranks third in the Pac-12 with a .360 hitting percentage, while Robel is slotted 10th in that category with a .285 efficiency. In addition, junior setter Anna Blaine is slotted seventh in the conference with 7.03 assists per set, while Bentke occupies the seventh position in service aces (0.31/set). Defensively, redshirt freshman Ashley Euston ranks ninth in blocks (1.03/set), just ahead of Bennett (1.03/set), while fifth-year senior Jasmine Purakal is slotted 10th in digs (2.89/set). As a team, the Bobcats occupy the fourth position in the Pac-12 in hitting percentage (.221) and the sixth spot in both blocks (2.09/set) and service aces (1.34/set) but rank just eighth in kills (11.97/set) and ninth in digs (11.55/set). Texas State is under the guidance of seventh-year head coach Sean Huiet, who spent the previous 14 seasons as an assistant coach with the program, including one-year stint as associate head coach in 2019. A 2003 graduate of Bowling Green, Huiet played collegiately for the Falcons' club team as a libero and setter, contributing to a pair of top 25 national finishes. He was a first-team all-conference selection in 2003 after leading Bowling Green to a ninth-place standing at nationals.

ON THE HORIZON
> Following this weekend's action, San Diego State will travel to the Pacific Northwest for a rematch with Gonzaga on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Charlotte Y. Martin Centre in Spokane, Washington. 

HEAD COACH BRENT HILLIARD
Now in his seventh year on The Mesa, head coach Brent Hilliard and the San Diego State volleyball program begin a new chapter this fall when the Aztecs embark on their inaugural season in the Pac-12 Conference.

In its final Mountain West campaign, Hilliard directed SDSU to its second straight conference tournament appearance and third in the last four years when the Aztecs secured the No. 6 seed at the 2025 MW Championship.

Facing third-seeded Wyoming in the opening round, SDSU recorded a statement win with a 3-0 upset of the Cowgirls before falling to No. 2 seed Colorado State in a tight four-set battle in the semifinals.

Under Hilliard’s tutelage, opposite hitter Taylor Underwood garnered first-team all-Mountain West accolades for the third year in row after leading the Scarlet and Black with 3.47 kills per set, which ranked seventh in the league.

With her 364 overall kills, Underwood surpassed the 1,000-kill plateau in an SDSU uniform after transferring from DePaul in 2023 and became the first Aztec player to record 300 put-aways in three straight seasons since Deja Harris (2016-18).

Not to be outdone, Hilliard oversaw the development of freshman libero Zara Stewart, a prized recruit who earned first-team all-MW honors after ranking fifth in the conference with 3.70 digs per set (455 overall).

Scholastic achievement has been a trademark for the Aztec volleyball program, and the 2025 campaign was no different, as 11 players earned spots on the Mountain West all-academic team following the fall semester, including Underwood and Campbell Hague, who also landed on the College Sports Communicators academic all-district team.