LA JOLLA, Calif.—UC San Diego women's volleyball will open up its home schedule this weekend with the UC San Diego Invitational on Friday and Saturday in LionTree Arena. 
 
The Tritons (5-1) will face off with Liberty in the opening match on Friday at 10 a.m. and UC San Diego will take on New Mexico in the evening at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, the Tritons will face Pacific at 2 p.m. UC San Diego will also host three neutral matches, with Pacific vs. New Mexico (12:30 p.m.) and Liberty vs. Pacific (4:30 p.m.) on Friday, and Liberty vs. New Mexico (11:30 a.m.) on Saturday. All times are listed in Pacific Time.
 
UC San Diego's matches will be broadcast on ESPN+ and all neutral contests can be viewed via a free live stream on Tritons All-Access. Live statistics will be available for all games via UCSDTritons.com.
 
DETAILS
Match 7
UC San Diego (5-1) vs Liberty (4-2)
Friday, Sept. 9 | 10 a.m. PT
LionTree Arena (4,000) | La Jolla, Calif.
Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
 
Match 8
UC San Diego vs New Mexico (4-1)
Friday, Sept. 9 | 6:30 p.m. PT
LionTree Arena (4,000) | La Jolla, Calif.
Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
 
Match 9
UC San Diego vs Pacific (3-3)
Saturday, Sept. 10 | 2 p.m. PT
LionTree Arena (4,000) | La Jolla, Calif.
Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
 
NEUTRAL MATCHES
Sept. 9 | 12:30 p.m. PT | Pacific vs New Mexico | Watch | Live Stats
Sept. 9 | 4:30 p.m. PT | Liberty vs Pacific | Watch | Live Stats
Sept. 10 | 11:30 a.m. PT | Liberty vs New Mexico | Watch | Live Stats

ABOUT THE TRITONS
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 5-1
Big West: 0-0
Home: 0-0
Away: 1-1
Neutral: 4-0
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0
Streak: W3
 
ABOUT LIBERTY
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 4-2
Conference: 0-0
Home: 3-0
Away: 0-1
Neutral: 1-1
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0
Streak: W3
 
ABOUT NEW MEXICO
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 4-1
Conference: 0-0
Home: 2-0
Away: 1-0
Neutral: 1-1
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0
Streak: W1
 
ABOUT PACIFIC
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 3-3
Conference: 0-0
Home: 0-0
Away: 1-1
Neutral: 2-2
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0
Streak: W1
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Tritons went 3-0 at the Colonel Classic in Thibodaux, La. to improve to 5-1 overall—marking their best start to the season since 2017. In Friday's morning match, UC San Diego earned its first sweep of the season, taking down Southern Illinois, 3-0. In the second match of the day, the Tritons defeated the host, Nicholls, 3-1. UC San Diego wrapped up the weekend on Saturday morning with another sweep, 3-0, this time over Southern U. 
 
UC San Diego 3, Southern Illinois 0
Set scores: 25-16. 25-21, 25-20
Top performers: McInnes (18 kills); Henderson (13 kills, 11 digs); Da Silva (6 blocks); Strand (35 assists); Dong (18 digs); Repetti (12 digs)
Notables: The Tritons notched an impressive .325 hitting percentage, while outblocking SIU, 10-2.
 
UC San Diego 3, Nicholls 1
Set scores: 25-16, 16-25, 25-21, 25-21
Top performers: McInnes (17 kills, 3 blocks); Henderson (15 kills); McDaniel (14 kills); Da Silva (7 blocks); Strand (39 assists, 13 digs); Dong (18 digs); Repetti (10 digs)
Notables: UC San Diego hit over .300 in back-to-back matches, recording a .303 hitting percentage. Nicholls held the advantage in aces, 8-3. 
 
UC San Diego 3, Southern 0
Set scores: 25-15, 25-8, 25-14
Top performers: Saran (9 kills, 7 blocks); Tanner (17 assists, 3 blocks); Dong (15 digs)
Notables: The Tritons recorded their best hitting percentage (.434) of the Division I era and best since Oct. 15, 2004 at Cal State L.A. (.442). It was the first time UC San Diego hit over .400 since Oct. 10, 2008 against Sonoma State (.408). The Tritons held the advantage in blocks (7-3) and digs (34-22), holding the Jaguars to a .013 hitting percentage. 
 
ALL-TOURNAMENT PERFORMANCES
For their efforts, Ava McInnes, Izzi Strand and Shara Da Silva were named to the Colonel Classic All-Tournament Team. McInnes averaged 5.13 kills, 1.50 digs and 0.63 blocks in eight sets, finishing the weekend with 44 points. Strand averaged 9.44 assists, 2.89 digs and 0.33 blocks per set, directing the offense to hitting percentages above .300 in all three matches. Da Silva tallied 13 total blocks in eight sets to rank third in the Big West in blocks per set and second in total blocks, finishing the weekend with 17.5 points. 
 
STRAND NAMED UCU ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Setter Izzi Strand tallied 9.44 assists and 2.89 digs per set to lead UC San Diego to a clean 3-0 sweep of the Colonel Classic—earning all-tournament honors. Strand recorded her fourth double-double of the season on Sept. 2 against the host Nicholls, finishing with 39 assists—one shy of her career high—and 13 digs. She also finished one dig shy of another double-double in the early match against Southern Illinois, tallying 35 assists and nine digs. Strand directed the offense to team hitting percentages of .325, .303 and .434—the latter being the Tritons' best hitting percentage of the Division I era and best since Oct. 15, 2004 against at Cal State L.A. (.442).
 
STACKING UP AGAINST THE BIG WEST
After two weeks of competition, UC San Diego sits atop the Big West with a 5-1 record. The Tritons also rank among the top five in the Big West in multiple team categories including hitting percentage (2nd, .250), opponent hitting percentage (3rd, .174), blocks (3rd, 2.65 avg/s), assists (4th, 11.91 avg/s), kills (4th, 12.65 avg/s) and opponent kills (3rd, 12.13 avg/s).
 
Ava McInnes second in points (4.71 avg/s) and third in kills (4.05 avg/s), while Izzi Strand ranks fifth in assists (8.68 avg/s). Shara Da Silva ranks third in the conference in blocks per set (1.48 avg/s) and second in total blocks (31), while Naya Dong ranks fifth in digs per set (3.91 avg/s).
 
McINNES EARNS TRITON ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
McInnes averaged 4.23 points per set, with 44 kills and seven aces in three matches to lead UC San Diego to a 2-1 finish at the San Diego State Invitational on the opening weekend of competition. The outside hitter averaged a team-best 3.38 kills per set and was second in digs with 2.00 per set, tallying 19 kills in the Tritons first program win over Cal on Aug. 27, 3-2.
 
ALL-CONFERENCE RETURNERS
Ava McInnes and Emily McDaniel will lead a talented group of returners for UC San Diego. Both Tritons were recognized as All-Big West Honorable Mention and named to the Big West All-Freshman Team in their debut season in 2021.
 
McInnes played in 30 matches, making 27 starts and led the Tritons in points (404.5), points per set (3.6), kills (359), kills per set (3.2), total attack attempts (1,110), and service aces (23). McDaniel saw action in 20 matches, making 19 starts and led the Tritons in blocks per set (0.8) as well as hitting percentage (.285). She also finished second on the team in total blocks (59), third in points per set (3.1) and kills per set (2.5).
 
EXPERIENCED ROSTER
UC San Diego returns 10 Tritons who saw playing time during the 2021 season. The senior class consists of Naya Dong, Grace Cannon and Dani Mason who appeared in an average 73 sets during the 2021 season (219 total sets). The junior class consists of Izzi Strand, Natalie Repetti and transfer Shara Da Silva who appeared in an average 80 sets (240 total sets). The sophomores consist of Juliette Bokor, Ava McInnes, Sabire Karacaova, Emily McDaniel, Zaria Henderson and transfer Gabby Quach who appeared in an average 78 sets (469 total sets).
 
FRESH FACES
The Tritons add eight talented newcomers to the 2022 roster, including six freshmen, a sophomore transfer and junior college transfer. The freshmen additions include outside Regan Dryden (Los Gatos, Calif.), outside Katie Rapp (Rancho Mirage, Calif.), opposite/setter Aubrey Tanner (Sierra Madre, Calif.), libero Kayla Uhlick (Riverside, Calif.) and middle Jasmine Saran (Temecula, Calif.). Setter Gabby Quach joins UC San Diego after spending her freshman campaign at Portland and middle Shara Da Silva joins the Tritons from Tyler Junior College. 
 
TEAM CAPTAINS
This year's team captains are libero Naya Dong, middle Dani Mason and outside Ava McInnes.
 
TRITONS PICKED EIGHTH IN PRESEASON POLL
As UC San Diego heads into its second year in the Big West, the Tritons were picked eighth with 37 points in the coaches' poll. Hawai'i was picked to finish first with 96 points and six first-place votes, followed closely by UC Santa Barbara with 94 points and the remaining five first-place votes. Cal Poly (79 points), Long Beach State (75), UC Irvine (61), CSU Bakersfield (47), UC Davis (46), UC San Diego (37), Cal State Fullerton (36), CSUN (24) and UC Riverside (10) rounded out the 11-team poll.
 
WINNING IN THE CLASSROOM
Grace Cannon and Ava McInnes were two of the five women's volleyball scholar-athletes named to the Big West All-Academic team for the 2021 fall season. Additionally, the Tritons earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award, which recognizes teams that maintain a year-long GPA of 3.3 or above. UC San Diego is now a five-time recipient of this award.
 
WELCOME TO LIONTREE ARENA
Since it was established nearly three decades ago, the University of California San Diego's RIMAC (Recreation, Intramural and Athletic Complex) Arena has been home to countless athletic competitions, graduations, concerts and other events that are imprinted on the memories of thousands of UC San Diego alumni, students, friends and visitors.
 
In June of 2022, UC San Diego announced that RIMAC Arena has been named LionTree Arena in recognition of a $5 million gift for scholar-athletes from LionTree, an independent investment and merchant bank with expertise in technology, media and the digital economy. LionTree was founded by UC San Diego alumnus Aryeh B. Bourkoff, who also serves as the firm's CEO. LionTree's gift is the largest ever received by UC San Diego Athletics, establishing the LionTree Endowed Scholarship Fund to support scholar-athletes.
 
UC SAN DIEGO AND COVID-19
UC San Diego's nationally renowned Return to Learn program was created to return to in-person teaching, learning, conducting pioneering research and serving our communities in the safest way possible. The program has three adaptive pillars that are central to our strategy to resume on-campus activity: risk mitigation, viral detection, and intervention.

For the latest information on UC San Diego and COVID-19, please visit the University's Return to Learn site.
 
GAME DAY GOES DIGITAL
Triton fans now have a whole new way to access game day information, as game programs have gone digital! Fans can visit UCSDTritons.com from their smart phone or scan the QR code at the entrance to Triton Soccer Stadium for everything they need to know about each home game, including updated rosters, schedules, and stats for each team, as well as links to watch on ESPN+.

COVERING THE TRITONS
Media members wishing to cover a UC San Diego game in-person at LionTree Arena must notify a member of the Athletics Communication staff no later than 24 hours prior to the game. 

Following the conclusion of each home game, a video highlight melt and video postgame interviews will be made available for media members to download.
 
ON THE MOVE
After 20 seasons playing as an NCAA Division II team, the entire athletics program has begun a four-year transition to NCAA Division I, culminating in full DI status as a member of the Big West Conference for the 2024-25 academic year. At that time, all sports will be eligible for conference and NCAA postseason play.
 
WHY THE TRITONS?
The Triton is described as the offspring of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a demigod of the sea with a lower part of the body like that of a fish. It is known as a mighty and fierce sea warrior. Given UC San Diego's close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and its connections with the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Triton became our mascot in 1964.
 
UC SAN DIEGO ON THE WORLDWIDE LEADER
Most UC San Diego home men's and women's basketball games, men's and women's soccer matches, men's and women's volleyball matches, baseball and softball games are broadcast live on ESPN+. For more information on where to watch UC San Diego women's volleyball, visit UCSDTritons.com/live.
 
UC SAN DIEGO ATHLETICS LAUNCHES WEEKLY PODCAST
As part of UC San Diego's transition to Division I, the Athletics Department launched a weekly podcast, Tritoncast. Produced by UC San Diego Athletics Communications, Tritoncast features in-depth interviews with UC San Diego personalities including scholar-athletes, alums, coaches, and administrators. Triton fans will get an inside look at the UC San Diego Athletics Department as the program transitions to NCAA Division I and the Big West Conference. New episodes of Tritoncast are available each week on the most popular podcasting apps, including Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Audible, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, and Vurbl. In addition, each episode can be heard and downloaded on UCSDTritons.com. For individual show information and listen links, follow Tritoncast on Twitter @Tritoncast.
 
GET SOCIAL WITH UC SAN DIEGO WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Keep up with the Tritons all season long on social media through Twitter and Instagram. The team's handle is @ucsdwvb.
 
FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD
Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out the Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!

GEAR
For the latest Triton apparel and accessories, click here.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.