Broncos Open Season at Cactus Classic in Tucson, Arizona

Friday, August 30

Tucson, Ariz.

7 p.m. MT

Boise State

Arizona

Huddle during the Blue-Orange Scrimmage in 2024

Broncos Open Season at Cactus Classic in Tucson, Arizona

8/28/2024 11:05:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

By: Courtesy: Boise State Athletics

Broncos Open Season at the Cactus Classic

The Boise State volleyball team opens the 2024 campaign on the road this weekend with three matches at the Cactus Classic in Tucson, Ariz. The Broncos will face Arizona, Tennessee State, and VCU at the McKale Center on the University of Arizona's campus this Friday through Sunday.

Notables

THIS WEEK: Boise State opens the 2024 season on the road at the Cactus Classic in Tucson, Arizona, Aug. 30 - Sept. 1.
FRIDAY: The Broncos open the tournament Friday at 7 p.m. (MDT) against the host Arizona Wildcats of the Big 12 Conference, UA leads the all-time series 1-0.
SATURDAY: On Saturday at 11 a.m., the Blue and Orange will face the Tennessee State Tigers out of the Ohio Valley Conference, this will be the first meeting in the series.
SUNDAY: Boise State will conclude the Classic on Sunday at 11 a.m. when it takes on the VCU Rams from the Atlantic 10; this is also a first-time encounter.
HOW TO FOLLOW: All three matches at the tournament will feature live stats and a live stream, but a subscription ($) is required for the live streams. The Arizona contest will be on ESPN+, while the other two will be on FloSports. Check the volleyball schedule page on BroncoSports.com for all the URLs/links.
SEASON OPENERS: Boise State is 25-20 in season openers since the 1979 campaign. The Broncos are 13-15 when opening on the road (away and neutral) and are 8-7 in openers under coach Shawn Garus.
WHAT IS BACK: Boise State returns 12 veterans from the 2023 season including 11 letterwinners and one redshirt freshman.
WHAT STARTERS ARE BACK: The Blue and Orange returns four starters and the libero from last fall: Paige Bartsch (Sr., OPP), Annie Kaminski (6th year, MB), Kiersten Van Kirk (Jr., MB), Anabel Kotzakov (Jr., OPP) and two junior liberos in Breanna Mitchell and Bella McGirr.
WHAT'S NEW: The Broncos added four talented freshmen to the roster, including Katelyn Van Kirk (OH), Lilli Etter (S), Kiki Remensperger (S), and Eliza Sharp (MB).
PRESEASON MW HONORS: Paige Bartsch, the MW Co-Player of the Year in 2023, was named the 2024 MW Preseason Player of the Year for the second time (2022, 2024) in her career.
OTHERS 2023 HONOREES BACK: Annie Kaminski was an All-MW honoree last fall, along with Bartsch.
MW PRESEASON POLL: The MW coaches picked the Blue and Orange to finish third in this year's league race behind Colorado State and Utah State.
BARTSCH IN 2023: The 2023 AVCA All-American Honorable Mention honoree started all 29 contests last year and finished the season leading the MW in eight statistical categories: kills (530), kills per set (5.05), attacks (1,349), attacks per set (12.85), service aces (52), service aces per set (0.50), points (614.5) and points per set (5.85). In addition, the Helena, Mont., native was ranked in the top 14 nationally in all eight categories: second for points per set, fifth for kills per set and attacks per set, eighth for points, 10th for kills, and 14th for attacks, service aces per set and total service aces.
KAMINSKI LAST YEAR: Annie Kaminski led the team and ranked seventh in the MW last year for hitting percentage at .333 and blocks per set at 1.03.