BOISE, Idaho — Saint Mary's Volleyball returns to action this weekend to kick-off the 2022 season. The Gaels begin play in the new year with two matches against Boise State of the Mountain West Conference, which should be a solid litmus test to see where SMC stands early in the campaign. This year's roster features a lot of new faces and a lot of young talent, which should be exciting for fans as the season develops.
 
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's Gaels at Boise State Broncos
Friday, August 26 at 4:00 pm PT
Saturday, August 27 at 1:00 pm PT
Bronco Gym – Boise, Idaho
Watch | Live Stats (Game 1) | Live Stats (Game 2)
 
2021 IN REVIEW
Saint Mary's had one of their best seasons in the last few years, finishing off the 2021 campaign with a return to normalcy and a 15-12 record, including a 9-9 mark in WCC play. Both records were the best for the Gaels since their 2018 appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
 
SMC began the year with a 5-1 record after sweeping through the Rumble in the Rockies, and winning two of their first three back in California. The scuffled to being conference play, however, dropping five of their first seven matches in the WCC, including winnable matches against Gonzaga and Loyola Marymount. The Gaels turned a corner following that skid, however, and won their next five conference matches, including a dramatic five-set win at Santa Clara. Despite losing four of their final six games, this winning streak helped buoy the Gaels to a .500 finish in the WCC for the first time since 2018.
 
Saint Mary's landed three on the All-WCC team after their season, with Jennifer "Boo" Laird being named to the All-WCC First Team, Kristen Erland being named to the All-Freshman Team, and Kelsey Knudsen earning Honorable Mention honors.
 
NEW SQUAD, WHO DIS?
This year's version of the Gaels will look drastically different than last year's, with four starters gone and eight newcomers on the roster. SMC will have to replace the likes of Jennifer "Boo" Laird (graduate), Selbie Christensen (graduate), Kelsey Knudsen (BYU), Chandler Cowell (Hawaii), and Elena Baka (Kansas State). The Gaels will rely heavily on retuning opposite Hawley Harrer (fifth year) and junior setter Ella Sandt to provide stability to the offense. Kristen Erland is set for an expanded role in her second season, after finishing fourth on the team in points accounted for as a freshman.
 
Including Clarissa Klein and Genevieve Bane, who both redshirted one season ago, the Gaels will have six freshmen suiting up this season, and two junior college transfers in Kate Blackwell and Kjersti Strong. Blackwell figures to considerable time as a libero for the Gaels, splitting that role with the returning Makenna Joyce. Strong will make an immediate impact at the net, standing at six foot four, and will form a formidable pairing with Erland (six foot three) and Harrer (six foot two).
 
SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
The home opener for SMC is scheduled for August 31 at 7:00 pm as the Gaels take on Sacramento State. Additional home non-conference matches are against Pennsylvania, CSUN, and Cal. Five of the first six conference games for Saint Mary's are on the road, with their WCC home opener against San Francisco on September 27. In an odd scheduling quirk, the Gaels will have their most home games in the month of November (five), and no more than four home games in any other month.
 
ABOUT BOISE STATE
Boise State comes in the season with high hopes, after being named third in the preseason Mountain West coaches poll, with one first place vote in tow. Paige Bartsch was named the conference's preseason player of the year, the first for the Broncos since the 2016 season. She was the Mountain West's Freshman of the Year last year after finishing with 152 kills and 56 blocks. The Broncos will host their annual Boise State Classic on September 9-10, when Butler, Southern Utah, and Eastern Washington come to town. Mountain West play begins against New Mexico and Air Force on September 22 and 24.