UPCOMING GAMES
California State University San Marcos Invitational
September 2-3, 2016
The Sports Center | San Marcos, Calif.
 
Friday, September 2
Vs. Johnson & Wales University | 1 p.m. MT
Vs. Westmont College | 5 p.m. MT
 
Saturday, Sept. 3
Vs. Sonoma State University | 3 p.m. MT
At Cal State San Marcos | 7 p.m. MT
 
GAME COVERAGE
Fans can follow all four Skyhawks matches via live stats and free via web stream.
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/csusm/wvball/
Video: http://www.csusmcougars.com/watch/?Live=112
 
OPENING WEEKEND
FLC will travel to San Marcos, Calif. to play their first four games of the 2016 season.  Friday's opponents hail from the NAIA – Johnson & Wales University and Westmont College. Saturday will feature two NCAA Division II teams – Sonoma State University and host school Cal State San Marcos.  This weekend's matches will be the first ever games played in Cal State San Marcos' brand new facility – The Sports Center.
 
THE SERIES
Friday's season opening match will mark the first time FLC and JWU (Denver, Colo.) have played each other.  The Skyhawks are 1-0 all-time against Westmont College.  The first and only match against WC was on Nov. 11, 1988 (W, 3-2).  Sonoma State University and the Skyhawks have competed against each other five times.  The Skyhawks won the first match, 2-1, on Oct. 16, 1987 before SSU claimed the next four matches.  The final match of the weekend against CSU San Marcos will also be the first time either team has played each other.
 
PRESEAON POLL
The 2016 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll has the Fort Lewis College volleyball program picked to finish 13^th out of 15 teams. The Skyhawks received 45 points in the preseason poll.  Colorado School of Mines is the preseason favorite with 192 points and 11 first place votes.
 
FLC finished 16^th in the league last year with a 2-16 RMAC record (5-21 overall).  The Skyhawks return five starters (Matisse Monty, Gabriella Hickman, Maddie LeBlanc, Hannah Hargrove and Delaney Scanlan), including libero Ally Dell'Amico, and 11 letterwinner's from last year's team.  Dell'Amico and Monty earned RMAC Honorable Mention honors last year.
 
SEASONED COACH
Kelley Rifilato is in her fourth season with the Skyhawks in 2016 after being named the Fort Lewis College head volleyball coach in June 2013.  In three years at the helm of the volleyball program, Rifilato owns a 23-57 (.288) overall record, and a 17-38 (.309) conference mark.  She has coach five All-RMAC and 13 Academic All-RMAC performers while taking the 2013 team to the RMAC tournament.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Skyhawks will continue their 10-match road trip next weekend when they travel to Wichita Falls, Texas for the Midwestern State University Invitational Sept. 9-10.  FLC will face Midwestern State University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Southern Nazarene, and Emporia State University.