2023 SEASON (As A Freshman): Appeared in eight matches off the bench, finishing with seven kills, three block assists and one dig across 13 sets… Made her Aztec debut against Kansas State at the Hotel Vance Rose City Showdown in Portland, Oregon, totaling one kill and one block assist in two sets played (8-26-23)… Contributed one kill and a season-high two block assists the following day against tournament host Portland State (8-27-23)… Blasted a career-high four kills while adding her first collegiate dig and setting assist in a home clash with New Mexico (10-7-23)… Entered as a reserve for one set in her final match of the season vs. Nevada (11-2-23).
PRIOR TO COLLEGE: Graduated in 2023 from North High School in hometown of McKinney, Texas, where she won four varsity letters under head coach Libby Rodriguez … Earned first-team High School All-America honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) after leading the Bulldogs in kills (473), kills per set (4.4), hitting percentage (.316), total blocks (83), and blocks per set (0.8) during her senior campaign, according to MaxPreps … Led McKinney North High to its second straight Class 5A Region II quarterfinal playoff berth after a finals appearance in 2020 … Amassed over 1,100 kills during her prep career and set an all-time school record with 353 total blocks, according to MaxPreps … Garnered first-team all-District 13 5A accolades in 2021 after collecting Blocker of the Year plaudits in 2019 … Was listed among PrepVolleyball’s Top 150 players for the class of 2023 and received All-America honorable mention from the website … Played for the renowned Madfrog Volleyball Club, helping her squad to a fifth-place tie in open competition at the 2022 Girls Junior National Championships … Also attended the 2022 Under Armour Camp … Excelled in the classroom as well, earning her school’s academic excellence cord.
PERSONAL: Born in Grapevine, Texas … Parents are Wayne and Tina Hughes … Plans to major in business at San Diego State.
Natalie Hughes Season 2023
#19Aztecs Ousted at MW Tourney in Semifinal Loss to Colorado State
The fifth-seeded San Diego State volleyball team saw its run at the 2024 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Championship come to a disappointing conclusion Friday after dropping a hard-fought 3-1 decision to top-seeded Colorado State in the semifinals.
Aztecs Surge Past Fresno State in Four Sets at MW Tourney
Fifth-seeded San Diego Statereceived double-digit kills from three players Wednesday to power past No. 4 seed Fresno State in four sets (25-18, 16-25, 25-18, 25-17) in the first round of the 2024 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Aztecs Set for Quarterfinal Showdown vs. Fresno State at MW Tourney
The fifth-seeded San Diego State volleyball team will battle No. 4 Fresno State in the quarterfinal round of the Credit Union 1 Mountain West Championship on Wednesday, Nov. 27, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Match time is set for 1 p.m. PT.
Aztecs Celebrate Senior Day with Sweep of Air Force
With one eye on next week’s Mountain West Championship, the San Diego State volleyball team began fine-tuning its game Saturday with an impressive three-set victory over Air Force (25-19, 25-21, 25-22) to highlight Senior Day festivities inside Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.
Aztecs Toppled in Four Sets at Utah State
The San Diego State volleyball team wrapped up its road trip on a sour note Saturday, dropping a four-set decision to Utah State (19-25, 23-25, 25-21, 19-25) in a Mountain West clash in Logan, Utah.
Aztecs Drop Four-Setter at Nevada, Still Clinch MW Tourney Berth
Despite falling in four sets at Nevada Thursday night, the San Diego State volleyball team clinched a spot in the Mountain West Championship after UNLV lost at Utah State later that evening.
Aztecs Celebrate Mark Warner Day with Four-Set Victory over Spartans
The San Diego State volleyball team completed an unblemished weekend homestand Saturday with a four-set triumph over San José State (25-18, 25-22, 23-25, 25-19) in a Mountain West clash inside a boisterous Aztec Court at Peterson Gym to highlight the team’s alumni reunion festivities.
Total Team Effort Propels Aztecs Past Fresno State in Five Sets
The San Diego State volleyball team received double-digit kills from five players in a dramatic five-set victory over Fresno State (25-16, 22-25, 25-18, 20-25, 15-10) Thursday in a Mountain West clash on Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.
Aztecs Complete Season Sweep of Wyoming With Another 3-0 Triumph
The San Diego State volleyball team recorded its second straight sweep of Wyoming with a three-set blanking (25-20, 25-17, 25-21) Thursday in a Mountain West match at UniWyo Sports Complex in Laramie, Wyoming.
Aztecs Set For Road Tests at Wyoming, Colorado State
The San Diego State volleyball team continues its road swing this weekend when it travels to the Front Range of the Rockies to battle Wyoming (Oct. 31) and Colorado State (Nov. 2) in a pair of key Mountain West matches.
Aztecs Fall in Grueling Five-Set Match at Boise State
The San Diego State volleyball team had its three-match winning streak snapped in a tough five-set loss to Boise State (24-26, 25-22, 22-25, 25-23, 15-17) in a Mountain West clash Thursday at Bronco Gym in Boise, Idaho.
Aztecs Set for Thursday Night Battle at Boise State
The San Diego State volleyball team opens the second half of its Mountain West regular-season schedule on Thursday, Oct. 24, when it hits the road to face Boise State in a key conference matchup at Bronco Gym in Boise, Idaho. First serve is set for 6 p.m. MT/5 p.m. PT.
Aztecs Stymie UNLV in Four Sets on Tuesday
The Mountain West’s Tuesday Night Block Party volleyball promotion lived up to its billing, as host San Diego State registered a four-set triumph over UNLV (25-19, 25-19, 23-25, 25-19) in a key conference match on Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.
Aztecs Complete Reverse Sweep in Thriller Over Colorado State
Bolstered by Talea Mitchell’s career-high 24 kills, the San Diego State volleyball team engineered a reverse sweep of Colorado State on Thursday, winning a five-set thriller (19-25, 23-25, 25-21, 25-20, 15-11) in a Mountain West clash inside Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.
Aztecs Set for Key MW Matches vs Colorado State, Wyoming This Week
After splitting two road matches, San Diego State returns home this week to face Colorado State (Oct. 17) and Wyoming (Oct. 19) in a pair of key Mountain West showdowns on Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.
Aztec Surge Past Air Force in MW Opener
The San Diego State volleyball team overcame a sluggish start to power past Air Force in four sets (16-25, 25-12, 25-20, 25-13) Thursday night in the Mountain West opener for both teams at the USAF Academy in Colorado.
Aztecs Outlast EWU in Five-Set Thriller
San Diego State wrapped up its non-conference slate Saturday with another gritty five-set victory, dispatching Eastern Washington (23-25, 25-19, 25-20, 21-25, 15-12) in its final encounter of the Gonzaga Invitational in Spokane, Washington.
Aztecs Escape with Five-Set Nail-Biter at Gonzaga
San Diego State needed a fifth-set rally to overcome Gonzaga’s upset bid on Friday, as the Aztecs hung on for a 3-2 triumph (25-14, 25-14, 21-25, 18-25, 15-12) in their opening match of the Gonzaga Invitational in Spokane, Washington.
Aztecs Continue Road Swing at Gonzaga Invitational This Weekend
San Diego State concludes the non-conference portion of its 2024 regular-season schedule this weekend when it returns to the Pacific Northwest for the Gonzaga Invitational, Sept. 20-21, in Spokane, Washington.
Two Aztecs Named to All-Tourney Team at CBU/UCR Challenge
San Diego State volleyball players Jasmine Davis and Andrea Campos were named to the all-tournament team at the CBU/UCR Challenge after helping the Aztecs to a pair of victories over UC Riverside and California Baptist, Sept. 13-14, in Riverside, California.
Aztecs Finish Perfect Weekend with Sweep of California Baptist
Behind Kat Cooper's career-high 10 kills, the San Diego State volleyball team completed its third sweep of the season on Saturday with a 3-0 whitewash of California Baptist (25-11, 25-22, 25-22) in Riverside, California.
Aztecs Topple UC Riverside in Four Sets
San Diego State overcame an early deficit to record a 3-1 victory over UC Riverside (23-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-21) on Friday in its opening match of the CBU/UCR Challenge on the campus of California Baptist in Riverside, California.
Aztecs Avoid Stumble vs. Portland State, Regroup for Five-Set Victory
The San Diego State volleyball team survived an upset bid by winless Portland State on Friday, capturing a gritty five-set triumph (25-10, 21-25, 18-25, 25-21, 15-13) in its second match of the SDSU Invitational inside Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.
Aztecs Outlast DePaul in Four Sets
The San Diego State volleyball team won its second straight on Thursday with a four-set triumph over DePaul (25-21, 20-25, 25-16, 25-22) in its opening match of the SDSU Invitational inside Aztec Court at Peterson Gym.
Aztecs to Open 2024 Schedule at ISU Tournament
San Diego State opens its highly anticipated 2024 season this weekend when it travels to the Gateway of the Northwest for the Idaho State Tournament, Aug. 30-Sept. 1, in Pocatello Idaho. The Aztecs will face ISU, CSUN and Seattle on successive days.
Aztecs Fall to New Mexico in Four Sets
Aztecs Set to Host SDSU Invitational
Aztec Volleyball Unveils 2023 Schedule
Aztecs Sign Three Prep Stars to NLIs