NM State to host Liberty for two matches between pair of CUSA top-four seeds.
Source: NMSU Athletics
Article and Photo By Matthew Knope for NMSU: Courtesy
Last weekend’s series versus FIU could not have gone any better for the home team, as they took both matches in convincing fashion. This weekend, NM State will look to replicate its success with a two-contest stint against Liberty in what is set to be a pivotal series between two of Conference USA’s top four teams. The Aggies (6-4) roll in off six straight dominant set victories, while the Flames (5-3) are coming off a home split with Middle Tennessee.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Who: Liberty (11-9, 5-3 CUSA) at NM State (12-10, 6-4 CUSA)
Where: Pan American Center – Las Cruces, N.M.
When: Friday, Oct. 25 (6:00 PM) / Saturday, Oct. 26 (1:00 PM)
Live Stream: ESPN+
Live Statistics: nmstatestats.com
All-Time Record vs. Liberty: 2-1
Last Meeting: NM State 3 at Liberty 1 – Oct. 8, 2023
QUICK HITS
– NM State has now played 13 series against CUSA opponents; including at least one against each league member, with a 17-9 record
– The Aggies hold a 7-6 record in series openers, but are 10-3 in finales spanning their two years in the league
– Darian Markham is currently 86th in the nation with an average of 4.22 digs per set
– Last weekend, the star libero passed Krystal Torres for first place on the all-time NM State dig list, when she recorded her 1,943rd dig of her career
– Kacia Brown is the reigning CUSA Defensive Player of the Week, earning the award on Monday, Oct. 21
– The middle blocker was exceptional last weekend, tallying 11 blocks as NM State swept FIU
– On Oct. 7, Nellie Reese became the first Aggie to ever be named CUSA Setter of the Week
– Reese leads the Aggies in assists (472), assists per set (5.83) and service aces (13) on the season
– Yasso Amin was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, Sept. 16
– Starr Williams was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, Sept. 2
– Nicole Briggs leads all Aggies with 0.90 blocks per set and has been involved in 41.5% of all Aggie blocks this season (66/159)
LAST TIME OUT
NM State hosted FIU (2-19, 0-8 CUSA) last weekend, taking both matches in sweeps. The Aggies were exceptional at the block, tallying 20 denials and two of their three highest single-match block totals this season. Kacia Brown led the way with 11 blocks as Ashley Herman finished the weekend with a team-high 21 hyper-efficient kills. Meanwhile, Makayla Martinez entered the starting rotation for the first time in her career, pouring in four aces and notching 17 digs. The true freshman joined Darian Markham in the opening lineup, as the veteran broke the all-time dig record in program history. The pair of wins improved NM State to 12-10 overall and 6-4 in CUSA play. For the fifth time this season, the Crimson & White find themselves sitting above .500 entering the weekend.
2023 MATCHUP SUMMARY
Last year, these two sides met in Lynchburg for just the second and third contests in program history. The Flames took the series opener by a score of 3-1, but the Aggies flipped the script in the finale. NM State posted totals that ranked in its top three for the season in kills (62), digs (72) and aces (11). Darian Markham was exceptional, setting an arena record with 30 digs. Meanwhile, 17 kills, nine blocks, five service aces and seven digs from Kacia Brown were far too much for the home team as the Aggies won the series finale in four sets.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?
After making the All-CUSA Second Team a year ago, Kacia Brown racked up some more hardware earlier this week. The redshirt senior middle blocker was named CUSA Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, becoming the first Aggie to win this award this season, and joining Darian Markham (twice in 2023) as the only members to ever win the award for NM State in CUSA. Last weekend, Brown tallied 11 blocks (two solo) in just six sets, leading the Aggies to a dominant performance in which they tallied 20 blocks.
Since NM State’s match versus Incarnate Word on Sept. 21 (11 matches), Brown has amassed 61 kills (5.55 per match), 36 blocks, eight solo blocks, 40 digs (1.03 per set) and six aces. The redshirt senior has now earned 10 consecutive starts entering the weekend and has taken the team-lead in solo blocks on the season (10). Over this span, she leads her squad with an impressive .391 hitting percentage and 0.92 blocks per set. She now joins Mari Sharp and Yasso Amin as the only three Aggies to average at least 1.00 digs and 1.00 kills per set.
GOT FIVE ON IT
Makayla Martinez recorded the first two starts of her young career last weekend. The true freshman defensive specialist had four aces and 17 digs on the weekend, including a team-high 10 digs and three aces on Saturday. The showing marked her first time recording a double-digit dig total as well as her first time atop the Aggie leaderboard for digs in a match. For the season, Martinez now ranks fifth on the team in digs per set (1.48) and is second in aces (12) and aces per set (0.20).
GIVING IT 200 PERCENT
The Aggies are third among CUSA institutions in hitting percentage (.231), behind only WKU and UTEP. NM State is 12-1 this season when posting a team mark above .200, but 0-9 when hitting .199 or worse. Additionally, when opponents hit below .200, NM State is 10-1 this season, but have just two wins in 11 tries when opponents post at least a .200 mark.
When out-hitting their opponents, the Aggies are 12-1 this season. Conversely, the Crimson & White have yet to win a match in which their opponents have a higher hitting percentage (0-9).
EARNING HARDWARE
Kacia Brown’s Defensive Player of the Week award on Monday made her the fourth Aggie to earn league weekly honors this season. Earlier this month, Nellie Reese became the first Aggie to ever win a conference setter of the week award after tallying a highly efficient 57 assists versus LA Tech. NM State also claimed two of the season’s first three Offensive Player of the Week Awards. Starr Williams picked up league recognition after the first week of the campaign, when she put up 30 kills on a staggering .560 hitting percentage versus two 2023 NCAA Tournament representatives. Yasso Amin followed suit with an exceptional Borderland Invitational, posting 37 kills on a .388 hitting percentage to win her first CUSA Weekly Award on Sept. 16.
FEELIN’ 22
After three seasons with Arizona, Nicole Briggs transferred to NM State in the summer of 2024. The Chino, Calif. native joined Mike Jordan‘s squad after playing 54 matches, including all 31 last season, for the Wildcats. Briggs quickly made her mark for the Aggies, setting three career highs during a win over CSUN in the fifth match of the season. Briggs has already set new single-match bests in kills (8), total blocks (12), block assists (10), points (14), total attempts (19) and tied career highs in digs (2) and solo blocks (2). Entering the weekend, she leads the Aggies with 59 block assists, 66 total blocks and 0.90 blocks per set.
TAKING NOTICE
Conference USA unveiled its 2024 volleyball preseason awards on Thursday, Aug. 22, which included both a head coaches’ poll and a 13-member All-CUSA Preseason Team. The Aggies received two first-place votes en route to finishing second in the poll, behind five-time defending regular-season champion Western Kentucky. Four Aggies (Yasso Amin, Darian Markham, Mari Sharp and Ryleigh Whitekettle) were named to the preseason team, giving NM State the most representatives in the 10-member league.
LEGENDS ON THE BENCH
Entering 2024, Mike Jordan already amassed 565 wins, 12 regular-season conference titles and seven conference tournament championships. With Gregg Whitis already back for his fourth year as an assistant, Jordan added two of his greatest former players to his coaching staff. In February, Operations Director Tatyana Battle was elevated to assistant coach. In July, Jordan brought Lia Mosher back to Las Cruces after playing last season professionally overseas. Battle and Mosher played a combined 10 seasons for the Crimson & White, including two as teammates (2017-18). The duo combined for a 97-17 (.851) WAC record, six regular-season titles and three trips to the NCAA Tournament. Battle and Mosher tallied 262 matches played, 2,154 kills, 1,145 digs and 617 blocks.
FIFTH-YEAR AGGIES
Darian Markham and Mari Sharp each came to Las Cruces in the fall of 2020, making their Aggie debut in Spring 2021. Each have won multiple individual awards and a pair of WAC titles, and both are in their fifth season with the Crimson & White in 2024. Both Markham and Sharp were named to the All-CUSA Preseason Team in August after a 2023 campaign in which they were named CUSA Libero of the Year and All-CUSA Second Team selection, respectively.
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