Matchup: FGCU (2-1) vs New Mexico State (2-1)
When: Aug. 31 | 12:30 PM (ET) | Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit
Links: Live stats | Radio
Coaches: Matt Botsford (5th season at FGCU – 91-39 (.700); same overall) | Mike Jordan (21st season at New Mexico State – 444-193 (.697); same overall)
 
Matchup: FGCU vs New Mexico (1-2)
When: Aug. 31 | 9:30 PM (ET) | Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit
Links: Live Stats | Live Video (Mountain West Network, free)
Coach: Jeff Nelson (12th season at New Mexico – 205-135 (.603); 24th season overall - 447-282 (.613)

Matchup: FGCU vs Eastern Kentucky (0-3)
When: Sept. 1 | 1 PM (ET) | Dreamstyle Arena – The Pit
Links: Live Stats
Coach: Lori Duncan (21st season at Eastern Kentucky – 267-349 (.433); 29th season overall - 296-449 (.397)
 
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Senior outside hitter Amanda Carroll returns to her hometown this weekend for the first time as a collegiate student-athlete to lead the FGCU women's volleyball team (2-1) in the Lobo Classic on the campus of the University of New Mexico.

All three matches – against New Mexico State, New Mexico and Eastern Kentucky – will be held in The Pit at Dreamstyle Arena.

"Consistency is what every coach is looking for this time of year," FGCU head coach Matt Botsford said. "It's early. There's going to be some ups and downs. We saw a little bit of that in our first event at Miami. I'd like to see us shrink those peaks and valleys so it's a little more sustainable. That's really the priority right now."

Of the weekend's opponents, FGCU has only played New Mexico State once, which resulted in a straight-set loss for the Eagles on Sept. 4, 2008 in Las Cruces, N.M.

LAST TIME OUT
FGCU is coming off a strong opening weekend in which the team went 2-1 in the Sunshine State Challenge on the campus of the University of Miami. Despite a tough loss to UCF, the Eagles handed the Hurricanes a straight set loss for the program's first-ever road Power-5 win. In fact, it was the first time they even took a set from them after losing three in straight sets.

Cortney VanLiew (Seymour, Ind./Columbus East HS), who produced 53 kills while recording at least 16 in each match, had a career-high 20 in the win over Miami en route to Sunshine State Challenge MVP recognition. Maggie Rick recorded 74 assists and had at least seven digs in each match, including her first double-double of the season against Miami (19 assists, 10 digs).

RECORD CHASERS
In fact, Rick (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity Catholic HS) now has 3,759 assists in her career, which puts her just 650 shy of eclipsing Gigi Meyer (4,408, 2011-14) for the program's overall record. Her total also has her 10th in ASUN history, needing only 31 more to move past Kayla Weller (Stetson, 3,789, 2012-15). Entering this season, she owned the program's third, fourth and fifth highest single season assist totals and three of the six highest single season totals in assists per set in the Division-I era.

Including last weekend, Rick has also now produced at least 20 assists in 98 of 100 career matches, which also makes her just the ninth player in program history to reach the century mark in matches played. She's had at least 60 assists four times, 50-59 eight times, 40-49 23 times and 30-39 47 times. With 108 more digs, she can become just the third player in program history with at least 1,000 assists and 700 digs in a career – joining Meyer (4,408 assists/947 digs) and Chandra Lefever (3,108 assists/765 digs).

Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS) increased her program record kill total to 1,385 with last weekend's performance, which included 31 kills, 28 digs, six block assists, three assists and two aces. In fact, she inched past Snowy Burnam (.968, 93 receptions) for the current program record in reception percentage (.969, 1,723 receptions). Her two aces gave her 101 in her career and moved her past Brooke Youngquist Sweat (100, 2004-07) for second most in program history. Ana Kokanovic (139, 2007-08) holds the record.

Moreover, Carroll is now just three digs away from 1,000 in her career, which would make her the sixth player in program history to accomplish the feat and only the second (Brooke Youngquist Sweat) to join the 1,000/1000 club in kills and digs. She also needs just six more kills to eclipse Katie Plummer (Mercer, 2001-04, 1,390) for eighth-most in ASUN history.

The multi-dimensional star has notched double figure kills in 80 of 97 matches and double-digit digs in 47 of 97. Her 42 career double-doubles is the most in the program's Division-I era and the second most all-time behind 2016 Rio Olympian Brooke Youngquist-Sweat (50, 2004-07).
 
HOMECOMING
Carroll will be playing collegiate volleyball in her hometown for the first time. The local product graduated from Sandia High School, where she was the New Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year in 2013 and 2014. She led her team to a 21-1 record and a Class 5A state championship in 2013.

COACHING MILESTONE
Head coach Matt Botsford is in his fifth season and needs just nine more victories to reach 100 in his career. He has compiled an 91-39 record and his teams have registered at least 20 wins overall in three straight seasons and at least 10 wins in ASUN play in four straight seasons – both of which are record streaks in FGCU's Division-I era (2007-present).

This year's team is Botsford's most experienced squad as the roster features five seniors and 22 seasons of prior collegiate experience. It comes one year after taking his least experienced team, with 17 seasons of experience, to an ASUN runner-up finish for the second straight season.

SCOUTING NEW MEXICO STATE
New Mexico State posted a 2-1 record in the team's season-opening weekend at the Sun Devil Classic in Tempe, Ariz. They started the weekend with a 3-1 victory over Pacific before being swept by the host Sun Devils in the nightcap. The Aggies closed competition by taking down UT Arlington 3-0.

NMSU landed a pair of players on the Sun Devil Classic All-Tournament Team following the squad's performance - Megan Hart and Ashley Anselmo. Hart posted 21 kills over the weekend, including 13 in the season opener against Pacific. The middle blocker also tallied 12 total blocks during tournament play. Anslemo racked up 15 kills on a .342 hitting clip. She recorded a squad-best 13 blocks over the weekend including six against Pacific.

Outside hitter Tatyana Battle enters this weekend with 991 career kills.

SCOUTING NEW MEXICO
New Mexico (1-2) opened the season last weekend in the Idaho Volleyball Classic, where junior outside hitter Lauren Twitty earned a spot on the all-tournament team after leading the Lobos with 49 kills. Her team went five sets in two of the three, losing the season opener to Grand Canyon and closing the tournament with a five-set win over Idaho. They also lost to Santa Clara.

Over the past five seasons, New Mexico is 52-24 (.684) at home, and they are 112-50 in head coach Jeff Nelson's tenure. Twitty produced a pair of double-doubles last weekend – 17 kills and 11 digs against Grand Canyon and 20 kills and 14 digs against Idaho. Outside hitter Tai Bierria also had a pair of double-doubles in her first three matches as a Lobo after transferring from Memphis. In fact, the Idaho match saw New Mexico produce four double-doubles.

New Mexico, who will be in Jacksonville to compete in a tournament at North Florida next weekend, is a nine-time NCAA Tournament participant with the last appearance coming in 2010. They have made it to the NCAA Sweet 16 three times while producing two Olympians and 12 All-Americans.

SCOUTING EASTERN KENTUCKY
Eastern Kentucky (0-3) has gotten off to a tough start this season under the direction of 21st year head coach Lori Duncan, who has announced this will be her final season. One of her team's losses was to No. 6 Penn State on Aug. 24 in the Penn State Invitational. The team's other two losses came against Navy and UMBC. All three were in straight sets.

Cassie Knutson (25) and Lindsey Wilkins (23) are leading the team in kills, while Chloe Rojas has a team-high 37 digs. Rachel Woody paces the team in assists with 56 while the team has compiled five solo blocks and 24 blocks assists, led by two solo and six assisted from Kaylin Johnson.

Eastern Kentucky is a two-time NCAA participant with the most recent appearance coming in 2004, and the program has compiled nine Ohio Valley Conference championships.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU volleyball program, follow us on Twitter at @FGCU_VB, on Facebook at /FGCUVolleyball and on Instagram at @FGCU_VB.
 
COACH BOTSFORD
Matt Botsford is in his fifth season as head coach of the FGCU women's volleyball program in 2018 after being hired on Feb. 10, 2014. In his four plus seasons, Botsford-led teams have compiled an 91-39 (.700) record overall, including a 42-14 (.750) record in ASUN play. He has taken the program to heights it has not seen in the Division-I era (2007-present) – registering at least 20 wins overall in three straight seasons and at least 10 wins in conference play four straight seasons. Furthermore, the team's offensive efficiency has drastically improved since Botsford started. In his first two seasons, his squad produced hitting percentages of .212 and .220. The past two, which have seen .267 and .256 percentages, are the third and fourth highest in program history. All four seasons under Botsford have seen a top-3 ASUN regular season finish and at least an ASUN semifinal appearance. His first two campaigns resulted in regular season runner-up finishes, and the past two have seen the Eagles advance to the tournament championship. On Sept. 10, 2016, Botsford led his team to a five-set win over Indiana in Alico Arena, which signified the program's first-ever win over a team from a Power-5 conference.
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help.