PULLMAN, Wash. — 17^th-ranked Washington State volleyball will host its 2023 home opener and a trio of nonconference matches inside Bohler Gym this weekend beginning with Northwestern State Friday at noon, followed by a nightcap against Drake beginning at 7:30 p.m.  The Cougars wrap up the two-day Cougar Invitational on Saturday night against Tulsa beginning at 6 p.m.

Match Notes (PDF)
Match Info:
vs Northwestern State (0-4, 0-0 Southland Conference)
>> Friday, Sept. 1 // First serve: 12 p.m. (PST)
>> SERIES: Tied 0-0
vs Drake (0-3, 0-0 The Valley)
>> Friday, Sept. 1 // First serve: 7:30 p.m. (PST)
>> SERIES: Tied 0-0
vs Tulsa (1-1, 0-0 AAC)
>> Saturday, Sept. 2 // First serve: 6 p.m. (PST)
>> SERIES: WSU leads 2-1

Quick Notes:
>> WSU gets set to unveil new renovations to its home venue with the first regular season matches on its brand new TaraFlex playing surface as well as the first matches with completely renovated seating for fans on the lower level of Bohler Gym, bringing more fans closer to the action.
>> WSU moved up four spots to No. 17 in this week's AVCA Top-25 Coaches' poll following a 2-1 weekend at the Cardinal Classic in Louisville, Ky.  The Cougars had a three-set loss to fourth-ranked Louisville sandwiched by a pair of sweeps over Wright State and Troy to begin the 2023 campaign.
>> Katy Ryan was nominated for Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week and was named to the Cardinal Classic All-Tournament Team after averaging 3.33 k/s at a .471 clip.
>> Heading into the week, Magda Jehlářová, sits just nine blocks shy of becoming the program's all-time leader in career blocks.  Carrie Couturier (1988-91) is the current all-time leader with 615 career blocks.

            Career Total Blocks
1. 615 Carrie Couturier (468 sets), 1988-91
2. 607 Magda Jehlářová (426 sets), 2019-Current
3. 577 Claire Martin (464 sets), 2015-18
        Career Blocks Per Set (min 250 sets)
1) 1.47 Joanne Johnson (281 sets), 1991-93
2) 1.42 Magda Jehlářová (426 sets), 2019-Current
3) 1.31 Carrie Couturier (468 sets), 1988-91

>> Washington State is a perfect 12-0 under head coach Jen Greeny in home openers and have swept each of their last two including a 3-0 win over CBU last season.
>> Argentina Ung ranks 24th in the NCAA after averaging 11.11 assists/set in the first weekend of the 2023 season.  She also tallied nine kills with zero errors (9-0-17, .529).
>> Washington State was picked to finish second in the Preseason Pac-12 Conference Coaches' Poll, tying the highest ranking all-time for WSU in the annual preseason poll — WSU was also picked to finish runner-up in 1996.
>> The Cougars had three players — Magda Jehlářová, Iman Isanovic, and Pia Timmer — named to the Preseason All-Pac-12 team earlier this fall.
>> Magda Jehlářová (Czech Republic) and Iman Isanovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) each get set to return to the team after spending the previous two weeks representing their respective home countries in the 2023 CEV Women's European Volleyball Championship.
>> Coach Greeny and her staff are two wins shy of their 100th win inside Bohler Gym going into the weekend.
>> Washington State had the most assists/set (14.11) out of any team in the Pac-12 after the opening weekend of the season.  WSU was third in the Pac and seventh in the NCAA after the first weekend of 2023 with a .350 hitting percentage.

Up Next:
Washington State will host a second straight home tourney next week as it continues a six-match homestand next Wednesday against UC Irvine beginning at 6 p.m.  The Cougs will then see back-to-back NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago beginning with Towson next Thursday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m., followed by ninth-ranked BYU on Fri., Sept. 8, starting at 7 p.m.

For all the latest WSU volleyball news, photos and videos, like the team on Facebook (facebook.com/WSUCougarVB), or follow on Twitter (@WSUCougarVB) and Instagram (@wsucougarvb).