2024 MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIP
Nov. 27-30 | Cox Pavilion | Las Vegas, NV.
Watch Live: Mountain West Network
Twitter (X): @FresnoStateVB
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
LAS VEGAS – The Fresno State volleyball team is headed back to the Cox Pavilion for the 2024 Mountain West Championship tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada this week.
The 'Dogs will kick off the tournament against the five seed, San Diego State, at 1 p.m. PT. Fresno State is joined in the tournament by no. 1 Colorado State, no. 2 San Jose State, no. 3 Utah State and no. 6 Boise State.DID YOU MISS US?
The Bulldogs are making an appearance in the MW Championship for only the second time in program history.
Fresno State made their presence known in 2023 by winning the tournament in their first ever appearance, as the bottom seed.
After a 1-17 conference season in 2022, Fresno State entered the MW Championship in 2023 with nothing to lose.
Now as the reigning Champion, the Bulldogs now have to play with a target on their backs.
THE CHAMPS ARE BACK
The Bulldogs made history in 2023 by claiming the program's first MW 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.
QUEEN COWIE
All-MW selection Brooke Cowie has been the Bulldogs' setter for every match in 2024, starting 18 times and appearing in all 74 sets.
Cowie surpassed 3,000 career assists in 2024, with 721 in conference play to average 9.74 assists per set, the second most in the MW.
She has 25 service aces this season, averaging 0.34 service aces per set, and a .904 service percentage.
With 203 digs this season, Cowie has accumulated the second most on the squad, averaging 2.74 per set.
She averaged 0.49 blocks per set in 2024 with 36 total, 26 assists and 10 solo.
Cowie has a total of 40 kills with an average of 0.54 per set and a .194 attack percentage as a setter.
The senior setter led the team in double-doubles in 2024 with 8 recorded. Addison HalusKa
Junior Addison Haluska was named to the All-MW team in 2024 after she led the Bulldogs with 307 kills this season, the second most in the conference, and the most efficient hitter on the team with an attack percentage of .235.
Haluska has started in all 18 matches for the Bulldogs and played in all 74 sets as a six-rotation player, accumulating an average of 4.15 kills per set.
In addition, she has accumulated 31 service aces in 2024 to average 0.28 per set.
Haluska has recorded 10 double-doubles this season, with 307 total kills and 137 digs in 2024.
She averages 1.85 digs per set and has a perfect reception percentage.
At the net, Haluska has 39 total blocks, 3 solo and 36 assists, to average 0.53 blocks per set.
With 349.0 points scored for the 'Dogs this season, she leads the team with 4.72 points per set, the most on the team.
The opposite hitter has earned double-digit kills in 16 matches in 2024, earning back-to-back career-highs of 25 and 29 kills.
RUD WITH IT
Senior Ella Rud earned her spot on the 2024 All-MW team as she has accumulated the second-most kills for the Bulldogs with 242, surpassing the 1,000 career kill milestone.
She averaged 3.27 kills per set in all 74 sets played for the Bulldogs and owned a .198 attack percentage.
The senior starter led the conference in service aces with 34 total, 0.46 per set, and a service percentage of .965.
Rud had a near-perfect reception percentage of .946 in 627 attempts.
She totaled 154 digs, the third most on the team, and averaged 2.08 digs per set.
At the net, she had 15 total blocks, 10 assists and five solos, for an average of 0.20 blocks per set.
She scored the second-most points for the Bulldogs with 286.0 total, 3.86 per set.
In conference action, Rud totaled three double-doubles.
EVEN BETTER AS A SOPHOMORE
Reigning Freshman of the Year Dionii Fraga led the MW in digs with 255 and 4.47 digs per set, earning her a spot on the 2024 All-MW team.
She had a 54.8 good passing percentage with a .950 reception percentage across 362 attempts.
The starting Libero in all 18 matches and all 74 sets totaled 64 assists with an average of 0.86 assists per set, and scored 17.0 points for the Bulldogs.
With 16 service aces and 0.22 aces per set, Fraga had a .873 service percentage with 189 attempts.
THE MOTTO
En route to their first MW title, Fresno State adopted the phrase "why not us?" during the 2023 season.
The phrase was inspired by the Mountain West's Preseason Coaches' Poll that had the Bulldogs predicted to finish last in the conference… and it wasn't close.
"Why not us?" was used to remind teammates and supporters alike that someone had to win… it might as well be the 'Dogs.
Fresno State has adopted a new mindset for 2024: "Earned Not Given".
The phrase was introduced by the reigning champions as a reminder that nothing has been or will be handed to them after proving that they are a championship caliber team.