Las Vegas, New Mexico – Coming off hosting the Medow City Classic the Cowgirls now turn their attention to begin conference play in the RMAC.
Year Three: This is the third season for the Cowgirls under the direction of head coach
Meg Grose as the Cowgirls have made significant strides since she has taken the helm.
Last Season: The Cowgirls finished 12-16 last season and 4-10 in conference play while also having a home winning record on the Purple Floor of the Wilson Center.
In her second season leading the program, Grose guided the Cowgirls to a big turnaround in the 2025 campaign, recording the program's most wins since 2013 and securing its first home record above .500 in more than 20 years.
Under her direction, New Mexico Highlands has produced back-to-back all-conference selections.
RMAC Poll: The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) released the 2026 Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll. New Mexico Highlands received 52 points, good for a 12th place finish, in the voting by the conference's 15 coaches.
Stats Leaders:
Kills: Aziza Morris (65)
Assists: Marissa Sandoval-Moya (90)
Aces: Lea Süsoy (11)
Digs: Lea Süsoy (62)
Blocks: Lenaea Carr (26.0)
Last Time Out:
Game One: vs. Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm
Cowgirls started the match on a 3-0 run until the Savage Storm go on the board via a service error.
After the Cowgirls had the lead, the Savage Strom went on a run themselves to capture the lead and were fighting their way ahead.
The Savage Storm continued to apply pressure to the Cowgirls growing their lead increasingly and the Cowgirls seemed to have no way to slow it down and the Savage Strom capture the first set.
The Savage Storm kept their foot on the gas pedal in the second set, and the Cowgirls could not seem to answer at all.
The Cowgirls found the momentum as the set continued and made it a three-point deficit but the Savage Storm found a way to build the lead.
The second belonged to
Duda Carvalho as she was landing kill after kill keep her team in this set. The Savage Storm eventually captured the second set.
Set three was a quick and explosive start for the storm and it seemed there was no way to slow them down or stall them.
The Cowgirls found someone momentum making it a three-point ball game forcing a Southeastern Oklahoma State timeout.
The Cowgirls continued the momentum and tied the set at 20 all. The Savage Storm then began to pull away late and would capture the victory.
Game Two: vs. Eastern New Mexico
Rivalry game part two for the Cowgirls facing the Greyhound of Eastern New Mexico. An old fashion shootout was in store for this matchup as each team had exchanged point after point as neither team could find breathing room.
The largest lead of the set was five held by the Greyhounds. Which was the difference in set one.
The Cowgirls found themselves behind one set a familiar spot this weekend however it did not seem to matter early in the set as the Cowgirls had a three-to-four-point lead throughout the set.
The Greyhounds then brought the score within one. Later the Greyhounds would take a lead at 19-18 forcing a Cowgirl timeout.
The Cowgirls then pulled ahead followed by the Greyhounds then matching the Cowgirls at 24 forcing more points to be scored causing the set to go longer.
The Greyhound would take the set 29-27 following a intense rally that was going.
Set three saw the two teams exchanging points once again back and forth, point after point. With no room for error if the Cowgirls wanted to avoid the sweep.
The Cowgirls found themselves behind after a large rally from the Greyhound and needed to dig themselves out of the hole to avoid the sweep.
The rally then proved to be too much as the Cowgirls would fall to the Greyhounds and that would complete the Meadow City Classic.
Two Cowgirls were named to the Meadow City Classic All-Tournament team in
Naya Dornic and
Lea Süsoy.
Scouting The Opposition
Westminster University:
The Cowgirls open conference play with a trip to the Beehive State to face the Westminster Griffins who currently sit at 1-7 overall on the year that includes a loss to sixth ranked Washburn University in four sets. Lindsey Calvin is in her first year as the head coach of the Griffins program she had spent last season as the assistant at Westminster from September to November 2025 before being named the head coach in February.
Colorado Mesa University:
Following their match in Utah the Cowgirls will head four hours east to battle the Mavericks of Colorado Mesa. Colorado Mesa comes in at 6-2 overall in the season. One of those wins came against the seventh ranked team in the country in Nebraska-Kearney. The Mavericks are also receiving votes to be one of the top 25 ranked teams in the nation. Austin Albers is in his second season at the helm of the program. In his first season he led the Mavericks to the NCAA Tournament for a fifth straight appearance for the program.
Follow The Cowgirls: All home and road RMAC games will be on the RMAC Network.
Season Tickets: Cowgirl Volleyball season tickets are available at nmhuathletics.com
Gameday Reminders:
NMHU is a cashless campus, all purchases must be made using Debit, Credit, or Mobile
NMHU has implemented a strict
Clear Bag Policy for all on-campus events.
No outside food or drink permitted at NMHU Athletic Events.
No pets allowed in NMHU Athletic Events.
