Broncos Head to Missoula for the Ellesyn Invitational

Friday, September 6

Missoula, Mont.

5 p.m. MT

Boise State

Southern Miss.

Annie Kaminski and Anabel Kotzakov go up for the block during the Arizona contests in 2024.

Broncos Head to Missoula for the Ellesyn Invitational

9/4/2024 11:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

By: Courtesy: Boise State Athletics

Broncos Head to Missoula, Mont., for the Ellesyn Invitational

The Boise State volleyball team is off to Missoula, Mont., this week for the Ellesyn Invitational, sponsored by Homewood Suites & Erck Hotels. The Broncos will open Friday with Southern Miss, then follow with matches against Utah Valley on Saturday and Montana on Sunday.

Need to Know / Notables

FRIDAY: The Broncos open the Ellesyn Invitational Friday at 5 p.m. (MT) against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles (3-0) of the Sun Belt Conference. Boise State leads the all-time series 1-0, winning 3-0 in 1997 at a neutral site.
SATURDAY: On Saturday at 2 p.m., the Blue and Orange will take on the Utah Valley Wolverines out of the Western Athletic Conference (3-0). UVU leads the all-time series 8-4. However, the Broncos have won the last two meetings by 3-1 scores in 2011 and 2019.
SUNDAY: Boise State will conclude the tournament against the host school, the Montana Grizzlies (1-2) from the Big Sky Conference. The two former Big Sky rivals have met 40 times previously, with the Grizzlies holding a 22-18 overall advantage. The Broncos won 3-1 last year in Boise.
HOW TO FOLLOW: All three matches at the tournament will feature live stats and a live stream. All three contests will be aired on ESPN+ which requires a subscription to watch. Check the volleyball schedule page on BroncoSports.com for all the URLs/links.
LAST WEEK: Boise State went 2-1 at the Cactus Classic in Tucson, Ariz., where they fell 3-1 to the Arizona Wildcats, then defeated Tennessee State and VCU by 3-0 sweeps.
TOP BRONCOS: Boise State is led by senior Paige Bartsch, The Helena, Mont., native is averaging 3.8 kills (4th MW) and 4.35 points per set (4th MW). Sixth year, Annie Kaminski is hitting a team-best .455 percent (5th MW).
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.