SAN ANGELO – Angelo State isn't just playing in “Division II's Most Prestigious Volleyball Tournament” this weekend, it is adding to the stature.

The No. 9 Belles enter the Colorado Premiere Challenge along with eight other teams ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association top-25, including No. 11 Cal-State Bernadino (2-2) which is ASU's opening match at noon on Friday in Denver, Colo. ASU is the fourth highest ranked team in the tournament which is being hosted by Regis University and Metropolitan State University-Denver.

“We are heading into a weekend where we are going to play highly ranked teams so if we want to maintain our status then we are going to have to beat those teams,” ASU head coach Chuck Waddington said. “In order to beat those teams we are going to have to play our style of volleyball and handle the ball really well and play crazy defense.”

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ASU is joined by No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul, No. 3 Tampa, No. 5 Central Missouri, No. 10 Metro State, No. 14 West Texas A&M, No. 17 Lewis and No. 21 Colorado School of Mines – along with Abilene Christian which comes into the tournament unranked. The Belles also play unranked Regis (1-3) at 3:30 p.m. on Friday before moving out of pool play to Saturday matches.

“The target on our back is way bigger now,” Waddington said. “We are going to have to push hard to maintain our success. Teams are going to be coming after us and we aren't a team that no one has ever heard of before. It comes with pressure but we still have to come out and play our style of volleyball.”

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Angelo State (4-0) has never played Cal-State Bernadino and is 1-3 all-time against Regis. The last match against Regis resulted in a 3-1 loss in 1995. The Belles are coming off a Hilltopper/Rattler Classic where they won all 12 sets played and were propelled from No. 15 to No. 9 with the release of Monday's new AVCA poll.

“It makes you kind of speechless,” ASU senior Chelsea Gibson said. “It's pretty amazing that we could make it happen for this program. We are just going out with all the talent on our team and are going to play our hardest and staying focused on what we're working for.”

Additional Quotes

Maddie Huth
On how the Belles are performing early in the season:
We are striving to get every ball. We are scrappy and are defending well.

On finding out the Belles entered the top-10:
It's really exciting and is a push to go even further. It's exciting that our first goal is achieved and now we strive for more.
 
Chuck Waddington
On the strengths the Belles showed last weekend:
Offensively we have done a nice job of putting the ball away and getting splits. We are giving ourselves opportunities to score off of our defense. I would like to see us getting better swings when we dig the ball.

 
Team Breakdowns (Pool Matches)

No. 9 Angelo State Belles (4-0)
W, (3-0) Southeastern Oklahoma
W, (3-0) St. Mary's
W, (3-0) Southwestern Oklahoma
W, (3-0) St. Edward's
 
ASU LEADERS
Kills: Shelbi Goode (56)
Assists: Alex Woolsey (158)
Digs: Shelby Wilt (65)
Blocks: Maddie Huth (9)
 
No. 11 Cal-State Bernadino Coyotes (2-2)
W, (3-0) Colorado at Colorado Springs
L, (3-1) No. 10 Metro State
W, (3-1) Western New Mexico
L, (3-1) No. 24 Grand Canyon
 
CSU-Bernadino LEADERS
Kills: Ashley Solis (45)
Assists: Camille Smith (140)
Digs: Arielle McCullough (62)
Blocks: Mercedes Winchester (17)
 
Regis University Rangers (1-3)
L, (3-1) No. 1 Concordia St. Paul
L, (3-0) Southwest Minnesota St.
W, (3-1) Hillsdale
L, (3-1) BYU-Hawaii
 
REGIS LEADERS
Kills: Katie Klein (50)
Assists: Jaclyn Williamson (122)
Digs: Sage Martinson & Klein (48)
Blocks: Gina Morgan (7)