DU Set to Host The Thin Air Challenge

Thursday, September 9

Denver, Colo.

6 p.m. MT

University of Denver

Air Force

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Photo by: C. Morgan Engel/Clarkson Creative

9/8/2021 11:15:00 AM | Volleyball

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Pioneers play three at home starting on Thursday

Who: Denver (5-1) vs Air Force (0-6), Cal State Fullerton (2-2) and Idaho (2-4)
What: The Thin Air Challenge
Where: Hamilton Gymnasium (Denver, Colo.)
When: September 9-11 (6 PM MT Sept. 9, 6 PM MT Sept. 10, 3:30 PM MT Sept. 11)
Links: Video | Live Stats

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Fans can purchase their season tickets or single-match tickets for the 2021 season by clicking right HERE.

Series History

This is the 50th meeting all-time against Air Force.
The Falcons lead the series 36-13, winning the last matchup 3-1 back on Sept. 19, 2019.
This is the first meeting against the Titans.
DU and Idaho are meeting for the third time ever.
The series is tied at 1-1, with both teams playing twice in 2012.

Last Time Out

Pioneers are coming off a 2-1 week in after hosting the Denver Invitational last weekend.
Erica Andrich had 10 kills in a loss to the Bears on Sept. 2.
Denver took care of business against Northeastern, dropping them in straight sets on Friday night.
Tina Boe turned in her best outing of the early season, finishing with a season-high 12 kills and six total blocks.
The Pioneers closed out the Denver Invitational strong on Saturday, making short work of Mercer with a 3-0 victory.
Lydia Bartalo and Boe led the way with eight kills.

News & Notes

The Crimson and Gold and Gold ranking in the top three in the Summit League in aces/set (second, 2.05), assists/set (second, 11.80), hitting percentage (third, .257), opponent hitting percentage (third, .150) assists (second, 126), kills (second, 133) and service aces (second, 26).
The team's 41 total service aces rank 44th in all of the NCAA.
Bartalo ranks second in the in the Summit League in aces/set with a .65 average, also good for 18th in the NCAA.
Bartalo's 13 services aces rank 15th most in all of Division I.
Bartalo ranks seventh in the Summit League with 58 kills.
Gianna Bartalo ranks sixth in the Summit League in total digs with 67.
Bartalo was named Summit League Offensive Player of the Week on Aug. 31, her second time winning the award in her career.
Boe ranks first in the Summit League in hitting percentage with a .446 mark, good with 26th in all of Division I.
Denver has an home record of 97-9 (.915) since 2014.
Hogan enters his sixth season in charge of the Pioneers.
Hogan has a career record of 115-31 (.787).
Hogan's .787 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.
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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