FRESNO STATE vs. CAL BAPTIST
August 24, 2024 • 1 p.m. PT • North Gym • Fresno, Calif.
Series History: First Match-Up
FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State volleyball team is preparing for the opening of the 2024 season with an exhibition against the Cal Baptist Lancers in the North Gym on Saturday, August 24 at 1 p.m. PT.
The Bulldogs' lone exhibition match of the preseason will be open to the public with free admission.
CHALLENGING THE LANCERS
Fresno State will be competing against the Lancers for the first time in program history.
CBU was promoted to NCAA Division 1 in 2018, primarily as a member of the Western Athletic Conference. The Lancers were formerly in the Pacific West Conference at the Division II level.
The Lancers finished 14-14 a season ago with a 7-9 mark in Western Athletic Conference play.
THE CHAMPS ARE BACK
The Bulldogs made history in 2023 by claiming the program's first Mountain West Championship since joining the conference in 2012.
Fresno State clinched the fifth seed in the tournament hosted in Las Vegas and won three straight matches in three straight days to claim the Tournament Champion title.
The 'Dogs started the tournament with a redemption game over the Boise State Broncos, who had beat Fresno State 3-1 to conclude the regular season.
After sweeping Boise State in three straight sets, the Bulldogs had to face the Regular Season Champions, Utah State. The Bulldogs sent the Aggies home with a 3-1 victory.
The Bulldogs went into the championship match in dramatic fashion, dropping the first two sets to Colorado State. The Rams took an early lead in the third set, but Fresno State powered past, winning the set 26-24.
Fresno State kept it close in the fourth set and forced a fifth set with a 28-26 win.
The fifth set was a nail-biter with the Rams and Bulldogs exchanging the lead. Fresno State surged past Colorado State to win the set 15-12 and complete a reverse sweep over the Rams to be named MW Champions.
PRESEASON ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST
Valley native and reigning Mountain West Freshman of the Year Dionii Fraga is back for her sophomore season with the Bulldogs.
Following her stellar performance as a freshman, Fraga was named a Preseason All-MW selection to start year two on the squad.
Fraga was a dynamite addition to the Bulldog squad in 2023 as the starting libero in every match and set last season. Fraga was responsible for 302 digs and averaged 4.25 digs per set, the highest in the conference in MW play in 2023.