TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo women's volleyball team begins its 2022 season this weekend in Tempe, Ariz. at the Webb-Burbridge Classic hosted by Arizona State.

The Rockets will play twice on Friday, taking on Northern Iowa at Noon ET and CSU Bakersfield at 8:00 p.m. before playing the Sun Devils on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. ET.

The Rockets return several key contributors in 2022 including First-Team All-MAC and AVCA All-Region honoree Taylor Alt, Second-Team All-MAC honoree Sina Uluave, middle blocker duo Olivia Vance and Rhyenne Filisi, and back row stalwart Ryann Jaqua.

Toledo was picked to finish third in the MAC West Division in the preseason coaches poll and Alt was named to the Preseason All-MAC West Division squad.

Tournament Schedule

Friday, August 26
Toledo vs. Northern Iowa - 9:00 a.m. MST
Arizona State vs. CSU Bakersfield - 11:00 a.m. MST
Toledo vs. CSU Bakersfield - 5:00 p.m. MST
Arizona State vs. Northern Iowa - 7:30 p.m. MST

Saturday, August 27
CSU Bakersfield vs. Northern Iowa - 11:00 MST
Toledo at Arizona State* - 3:00 p.m. MST
* PAC-12 Network Arizona

2021 Rewind

• Toledo turned in one of the best seasons in program history last year, going 20-13 and earning its first-ever postseason berth in the NIVC.
• The Rockets reached the 20-win plateau for just the second time ever, the last being in 1983, and their .606 winning percentage was the best since 2013.
• The 14-4 start to last year was the best in school history.
• Three Rockets earned postseason honors from the MAC: Taylor Alt (First Team), Sina Uluave (Second Team), and Elaine Redman (All-Freshman Team; has since transferred to Chattanooga).
• Alt also earned AVCA All-Region accolades, making her just the second Rocket ever to do so.
• Toledo's appearance in the MAC Tournament was its first since 2016.

 
2021 Quick Hits

• The Rockets broke the program record in both total blocks and blocks/set last season, tallying 287.5 total blocks and averaging 2.42/set. The total blocks record had stood since 1987, and the blocks/set record was held by the 2020-21 team.
• The Rockets had a streak of 17 straight sets won from Sept. 25 (first set at Ohio) through Oct. 15 (second set vs. Western Michigan) that ranks as the second-longest such streak in program history. The 2005 team won 18 straight sets at one point in their season.
• Taylor Alt ended her sophomore season with 477 kills and averaging 4.04/set. Her kills/set average is the fifth-highest in a single season in school history, and she is now just the fifth player ever to average at least four kills per set. Her 477 kills are fourth-most ever in a season by a Rocket and her 1,234 attack attempts are sixth-most ever.
• Rhyenne Filisi (1.08) and Olivia Vance (1.00) both ended the 2021 season averaging at least one block per set. Filisi's figure is the second-best in a single season in school history, just 0.01 off the record (Denise Berg, 1.09 blocks/set, 1994) and Vance now is tied for ninth in program history.
• Toledo was arguably the best defensive team in the MAC last season, leading the conference in in opponent attack percentage (.174) and tying for the league lead in blocks (2.42/set).

About Northern Iowa
Northern Iowa was picked to finish sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference in the league's annual preseason poll. UNI returns five starters, plus the libero from a year ago, including MVC Second Team setter Carly Spies and MVC Honorable Mention and Freshman Team honoree Kira Fallert. The Panthers' kills leader in Emily Holterhaus also returns for her fourth season, as does setter Tayler Alden, who led UNI in assists (697) and service aces (35) last season.

About CSU Bakersfield
CSUB was picked to finish sixth in the Big West Conference. The Roadrunners surprised their Big West foes last season and earned a fourth-place finish at the end of the regular season after posting an 18-11 record and 11-9 mark in league play. Bakersfield returns 2021 kills leader Hayley McCluskey and veteran middle blocker Hana Makonova in 2022.

About Arizona State
Arizona State went 14-17 overall and 7-13 in Pac-12 play in 2021, finishing ninth in the conference. The 2022 roster features eight returning starters, including senior Iman Isanovic. Isanovic led ASU in kills, aces, and solo blocks last season and ranked 13^th in the country in terminations. The Sun Devils were picked to finish eighth in the Pac-12 preseason coaches poll.