The University of Utah's volleyball team, sitting at No. 20 in the nation, is hitting the road for its final non-conference clashes at the SLO Classic. According to UtahUtes.com, the Utes will first face California Baptist on Thursday, and later, the tourney hosts Cal Poly, before wrapping up against St. Mary's. The Utah-Cal Poly showdown on Friday will be the only game from the event broadcast on ESPN+.
In week three of the season, the Utes split results 1-1 at the Husker Invitational. Led by Head Coach Beth Launiere, who's in her 36th year and boasts a record of 679-427, the Utes have shown progress in the AVCA Polls, climbing to No. 20 from their initial No. 23 rank. They return nine players from the previous season's NCAA Tournament team, with three players, Kamryn Gibadlo, Emrie Moea'i, and Isabelle Marco, selected as 2025 All-Big 12.
California Baptist, with a fresh start under Head Coach Trevor Johnson, currently has a 4-5 record headed into their matchup with Utah. While Cal Poly holds a more formidable 6-3, the Mustangs are coming off a flawless Mustang Invitational, sweeping past their opposition. Saint Mary's, under new leadership from Head Coach Tyler Hildebrand, is battling with a 1-7 start, though they snagged a recent victory against North Dakota. "This weekend marks the first time in over a month the Gaels play matches in their home state of California," notes UtahUtes.com
