COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Hailey Rubino and Yasmin Tan, sophomores-to-be on the University of New Mexico volleyball team, have been selected to compete with the 2018 Mountain West Global Challenge Team.
Lobo head coach Jeff Nelson will join the duo to coach the Mountain West’s squad when they compete in the 2018 Global Challenge in Europe, from July 4-15. There, the MW Global Challenge Team will face off against junior national and club teams from throughout Europe.
This year marks the fifth straight year that the Lobos have been represented on the team.
Last season, senior-to-be Carly Beddingfield was part of the team, while in 2016 Carson Heilborn and Victoria Spragg competed. In 2015, Julia Warren and Devanne Sours participated with Nelson coaching the team, and in 2014, Warren, Cassie House and former assistant coach JJ Glavan made the trip.
Rubino, hailing from Leesburg, Virginia, played and started in 28 matches for the Lobos during her freshman campaign last fall, only missing four matches due to a broken foot.
Despite the injury setback, she finished fourth on the team in kills (178 kills, 1.78 kills/set) and digs (216 digs, 2.16 digs/set). In matches she played full-rotation, she averaged 2.88 kills/set, which would have ranked second on the team.
Tan, a Melbourne, Australia, product, played in 29 matches last fall as a freshman, registering three starts. She finished the season with 105 kills (1.25 kills/set), reaching at least five kills 12 times.
She posted a strong three-match stretch to open October, with back-to-back matches of eight kills vs. Nevada and San José State before tallying a career-best nine kills and .400 hitting percentage vs. San Diego State.
Nelson, making his second appearance as the MW team coach, enters his 12th year at the helm of the New Mexico volleyball program and his 24th year overall as a collegiate head coach.
One of the winningest coaches in program history, Nelson owns a 204-133 record during his 11 years of volleyball at UNM. During his tenure, he’s coached 18 Lobos to 31 All-Mountain West honors and eight superlative conference awards.
The 2010 MW Coach of the Year, Nelson has led New Mexico to 10 seasons with a record of .500 or better and two NCAA Tournament appearances.
The 12 Mountain West student-athletes that make up the team will travel to Pula, Croatia, and will compete for four days. The team will also have free time to explore London and Venice during the trip.
This year’s squad includes five outside hitters, four middle blockers, two setters and one libero from eight of the 11 MW member institutions. Coaching alongside Nelson will be San José State’s Alex Luna.
Bring It Promotions is managing the trip and has been running the Global Challenge tournament for 14 years. BIP has been coordinating overseas University tours since 1997.
The opening ceremonies for the 2018 Global Challenge are on July 9, with competition scheduled for July 10-13.
The Mountain West finished as the runner-up in the 2017 edition of the Global Challenge, with three third-place finishes prior to that.
Fans can follow @UNMLoboVB on Twitter and Instagram for information and updates on the team!