University of Denver
San Diego
11/5/2026 2:12:00 PM | Volleyball
DENVER – The University of Denver volleyball team returns to Hamilton Gymnasium on Saturday, Nov. 7, welcoming San Diego for its second West Coast Conference matchup. First serve is set for noon MT, with the match streaming on ESPN+.
The Pioneers enter the weekend at 12-11 overall and 5-6 in WCC play following a three-set sweep of San Francisco on Oct. 31. Denver delivered one of its strongest offensive performances of the season against the Dons, recording 46 kills with just 10 errors on 85 attempts for a .424 hitting percentage, its highest mark of the campaign. The Pioneers opened the match with 13 kills and zero errors in the first set, hitting .591 on their way to a 25-17 victory.
Sophomore outside hitter Alicia Thibodeau led Denver with 13 kills on a .478 hitting percentage and recorded a career-high six service aces. Sophomore middle blocker Izabela Molina added 10 kills on 13 attempts, hitting .692, while freshman setter Lily Van Hal dished out 37 assists, her second-highest total of the season. Sophomore libero Madison Winkler led the Pioneers with 11 digs.
Thibodeau leads Denver offensively with 246 kills this season, averaging 3.15 per set. Van Hal has directed the Pioneers' offense with 523 assists, averaging 6.23 per set, while Winkler anchors the back row with 393 digs this season.
Winkler still leads the WCC in both total digs and digs per set.
San Diego comes to Denver at 13-8 overall and 8-3 in conference play, having won six consecutive matches. The Toreros closed October with victories over San Francisco and Santa Clara, including a 3-1 win over the Broncos on Oct. 31.
San Diego owns a 3-0 victory over Denver from the first meeting between the programs on Oct. 3 in San Diego.
Saturday marks the third all-time meeting between Denver and San Diego, with the Toreros holding a 2-0 advantage in the series. The teams first met in 2009 before San Diego claimed the most recent matchup in three sets earlier this season.
The Pioneers continue their conference schedule on Thursday, Nov. 12, traveling to Los Angeles to face LMU at 7 p.m. MT.
Ticket Information:
Tickets for the 2026 volleyball season are on sale now, and can be purchased here.
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