Who: Denver (3-0) vs Northern Colorado (2-0), Northeastern (1-2) and Mercer (3-0)
What: The Denver Invitational
Where: Hamilton Gymnasium (Denver, Colo.)
When: September 2-4 (6 PM MT Sept. 2, 7 PM MT Sept. 3, 6 PM MT Sept. 4)
Links:Â Video | Live Stats
Purchase Tickets
Fans can purchase their season tickets or single-match tickets for the 2021 season by clicking right
HERE.
Series History
- This is the 39th meeting all-time against the Bears.
- UNC leads the series 28-10, winning the last matchup 3-1 back on Sept. 7, 2016.
- This is the second meeting against the Huskies.
- Denver won the only meeting, 3-2 back on Oct. 10, 1998.
- DU and Mercer and meeting for the first time in the series history.
Last Time Out
- Pioneers are coming off a dominant 3-0 showing in Los Angeles at the Trojan Invitational. Â
- Graduate student Lydia Bartalo was named MVP of the Trojan Invitational.
- Bartalo posted 40 kills, 24 digs and 10 service aces in three matches at the tournament.
- Tina Boe and Gianna Bartalo were also recognized for their play, being named to the All-Tournament Team.
News & Notes
- Lydia Bartalo was named Summit League Offensive Player of the Week on Aug. 31, her second time winning the award in her career.
- Denver has won all five of its home openers under head coach Tom Hogan.
- The Pioneers have won their last 10 home openers.
- The Crimson and Gold and Gold ranking in the top three in the Summit League in aces/set (second, 2.36), assists/set (third, 11.45), hitting percentage (second, .261), opponent hitting percentage (first, .131) assists (second, 126), kills (second, 133) and service aces (second, 26).
- The team's 26 total service aces rank 21st in all of the NCAA.
- Bartalo ranks 13th in the country in aces/set with a 0.91 average, tops in the Summit League.
- Bartalo's 10 service aces rank seventh most in all of Division I.
- Bartalo ranks second in the Summit League with 40 kills.
- Gianna Bartalo ranks second in the Summit League in total digs with 43.
- Hogan enters his sixth season in charge of the Pioneers.
- Hogan has a career record of 113-30 (.790).
- Hogan's .790 winning percentage is the highest by a head coach in program history.
- Hogan picked up his third Summit League Coach of the Year award last season.
- The Pioneers have won their last five season-opening matches with Hogan having a career record of 5-1 in the opener.
- Lydia Bartalo picked up her 800th career kill last season, becoming just the 15th player in program history to hit the mark.
- The Crimson and Gold have won five of the last six Summit League Tournament Championships.
- The Pioneers finished first in the Summit League with a 13-2 record and .866 winning percentage last year, including posting the first unbeaten road record in school history.
- The Crimson & Gold went 14-3 last year to mark the program's eighth straight winning season.
Summit League Preseason Poll
- Denver was picked second in the Summit League Preseason Poll and received four first-place votes by the coaches on Aug. 25.
- Graduate student Ellie Anderson and Brianna Green were tabbed as "Players to Watch" by the league.
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