Twitty Named to All-MW Preseason Team, Lobos Picked Seventh
MW RELEASE
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Senior outside hitter Lauren Twitty was selected to the 2019 Preseason All-Mountain West Team on Wednesday by the conference coaches, one of five players named to the team.
The Virginia native enters the season after earning Mountain West All-Conference the past two seasons, but this marks her first preseason nod.
Twitty has been a vital piece of the Lobo offense the last two seasons, leading the team in kills and points both years. Her junior year, Twitty recorded 247 kills in conference play and was fourth in the league in kills per set with 3.38. The outside hitter finished fifth in points in the conference with 282.5, an average of 3.87 points per set. Twitty started in every match and played in all 73 sets, recording double-digit kills in 13 MW matches and double-doubles in eight. She had a team-high 15 service aces in league play, including two league matches with three aces, and finished with 36 total blocks (five solo). She tied a career-high three assists as well as five total blocks against Air Force last season. She was second on the team in digs in MW play with 171, an average of 2.34 digs per set and third in total blocks.
In her Mountain West career, Twitty has accounted for 547 kills, 625.5 points, 370 digs, 87 blocks and 28 aces while appearing in 174 sets and starting in 41 matches. Additionally, in the last two seasons, she has started in every match. Twitty has recorded double-digit kills in 28 conference matches and twice had 20 or more while accumulating 16 double-doubles.
Looking ahead to her senior campaign, the Lobo is on the precipice of reaching 1,000 career kills, sitting just 90 away and is expected achieve her 100th-career match played during the season as she is 14 matches away.
As a team, the Lobos were projected to finish seventh in the MW, picking up 50 points as decided also by the conference coaches.
Colorado State picked up 10 first-place votes to finish as the preseason favorite for the sixth-straight season, followed by Wyoming with 79 points. UNLV finished a close third at 78 points and Boise State collected the remaining first-place vote to land in fourth with 73 points. San José State rounded out the top five with 66 points.
UNM finished six points behind Fresno State and nine points ahead of San Diego State. Air Force (28 points), Utah State (19 points) and Nevada (15 points) were predicted ninth, 10th and 11th, respectively.
Last season UNM finished seventh in the conference standings, finishing .500 at 9-9.
The Lobos enter the 2019 season with seven newcomers to the roster and only one returning starter in Twitty and have an entire new coaching staff led by Head Coach Jon Newman-Gonchar.
New Mexico hosts UTEP in an exhibition on Saturday, Aug. 24 at 2:30 p.m. held at Dreamstyle Arena- The Pit. Admission is free. The Lobos open the season on the road in Greeley, Colo., at the Northern Colorado Tournament on Friday, Aug. 30 against Rutgers at 10:30 a.m. MT.
Fans can purchase Lobo Pride Passes for access to all home matches this season for $50 by clicking HERE.
2019 Predicted Order of Finish
1. Colorado State (10) – 100
2. Wyoming – 79
3. UNLV – 78
4. Boise State (1) – 73
5. San José State – 66
6. Fresno State – 56
7. New Mexico – 50
8. San Diego State – 41
9. Air Force – 28
10. Utah State – 19
11. Nevada – 15
2019 Mountain West Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year – Katie Oleksak (Colorado State)
2019 Preseason All-MW Team
1. Mariena Hayden (UNLV)
2. Breana Runnels (Colorado State)
3. Kirstie Hillyer (Colorado State)
4. Paulina Hougaard-Jenson (Colorado State)
5. Lauren Twitty (New Mexico)
6. SETTER: Katie Oleksak (Colorado State)
7. LIBERO: Regan Leonard (Fresno State)