Winners of 13 straight, 17 of the last 18, and 22 of the last 24, the Sacramento State volleyball squad (23-7, 13-1) will host this week’s Big Sky Conference Volleyball Tournament on Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 17-19. The Hornets, who won the Big Sky’s regular season championship, the No. 1 seed, and a first-round bye in the tournament, will try and win the tournament championship for the fourth-consecutive season.

The Hornets defeated Eastern Washington in the championship match in Cheney, Wash., each of the last three years. In fact, by virtue of Sacramento State winning this year’s regular season championship, the team has won either the Big Sky’s regular season and/or tournament championship nine-consecutive years (regular season champions: 1997-01, 2005; tournament champions: 1997-98, 2000, 2002-04).

The winner of the Big Sky Tournament receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament (Dec. 2-5), a place the Hornets have been seven times in the last eight years. After a pair of quarterfinal matches on Thursday (5:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m.), the Hornets will face the lowest remaining seed in the semifinals on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Sacramento State is 8-1 in Big Sky Tournament semifinal matches (with the team’s only loss coming to Cal State Northridge in 1999) and has reached the tournament’s championship match all but one season since joining the league in 1996. The Hornets are 14-4 all-time in the Big Sky Tournament and haven’t lost a tournament match since falling to Eastern Washington in the 2001 championship match in Sacramento.

Sacramento State also entered last year’s Big Sky Tournament with a 23-7 record, matching the team’s best record after 30 matches since the 1995 season. The Hornets’ 13-1 conference record is the team’s best Big Sky mark since the 1998 squad went 15-1. Sacramento State’s current 13-match winning streak is the longest since the 1998 squad won 15 in a row. The Hornets have swept 11 of their 13 opponents during the winning streak, including three straight and 10 of the last 11 opponents.

This past week, Sacramento State swept Northern Arizona at home, and the team’s only loss during Big Sky play was at Portland State (3-2) on Sept. 30. That also marked the team’s last loss this season. What makes Sacramento State’s 23-7 record even more amazing is the team got off to a 1-5 start, the Hornets’ worst record after six matches in program history. After the Hornets lost to Rice to fall to 1-5, head coach Debby Colberg made a switch in setters from freshman Rose Burke to senior Natalie Melcher. Melcher, who was listed as the team’s right-side hitter at the beginning of the season and has also played middle hitter during her career, has filled the setter position nicely. Since the switch to Melcher was made, Sacramento State has posted a 22-2 record.

Since losing to 10th-ranked Santa Clara on Aug. 30 inside the Hornets Nest, the Hornets have won 12 straight at home. That includes 7-0 against Big Sky competition. In fact, Sacramento State has won 47-consecutive regular season home matches against Big Sky competition dating back to the 1999 season.

A Look At The Tournament

The Big Sky Tournament features the top six teams in the eight-member league. The seeds for the tournament are as follows: Sacramento State (No. 1 seed), Portland State (No. 2 seed; 20-8, 10-4), Eastern Washington (No. 3 seed; 21-8, 10-4), Montana State (No. 4 seed; 14-14, 7-7), Idaho State (No. 5 seed; 11-17, 5-9) and Weber State (No. 6 seed; 11-18, 5-9). Northern Arizona and Montana both did not qualify for the tournament. By virtue of its No. 2 seed, Portland State will also receive a first-round bye in the single-elimination tournament.

On Thursday, Nov. 17, Eastern Washington and Weber State will square of at 5 p.m., and Montana State and Idaho State will face each other at 7:30 p.m. In the semifinals on Friday, Portland State will take on the highest remaining seed (Eastern Washington, Montana State or Idaho State) at 5 p.m., and Sacramento State will take on the lowest remaining seed (Weber State, Idaho State or Montana State) at 7:30 p.m. The winner of the two semifinal matches will play for the conference championship and an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at 7 p.m.

The NCAA has taken just one team from the Big Sky in 13 of the last 14 years, making the automatic berth that much more important. Sacramento State has been the only team from the Big Sky to appear in the tournament each of the last three years despite Eastern Washington combining for a 71-18 record over that span (including a No. 24 final ranking in the 2002 top 25 poll). Three Big Sky teams appeared in the 1999 NCAA Tournament comprised of Northern Arizona, Sacramento State and Eastern Washington.

Ticket Prices For The Tournament

All matches during the tournament will take place inside the Hornets Nest on the Sacramento State campus (located in Yosemite Hall). Tickets are now available through the Sacramento State ticket office by calling (916) 278-2222. Tickets can also be obtained on the days of the event. Ticket prices are as follows:

Thursday, Nov. 17 (one ticket gets fans into both matches)

Adults: $8

Youth (ages 3-17)/Students, faculty and staff from Big Sky Conference schools with valid ID: $5

Friday, Nov. 18 (one ticket gets fans into both matches)

Adults: $8

Youth (ages 3-17)/Students, faculty and staff from Big Sky Conference schools with valid ID: $5

Saturday, Nov. 19

Adults: $10

Youth (ages 3-17)/Students, faculty and staff from Big Sky Conference schools with valid ID: $5

A Winning Combination

In the NCAA Div. I rankings, Sacramento State is the only team to rank among the nation’s top 20 in both blocks and digs. The new rankings, which come out every Tuesday, currently list Sacramento State fourth in the nation in digs and 16th in blocks. The Hornets are averaging a Big Sky-best 19.64 digs and 3.10 blocks per game.

The Hornets, who rank among the nation’s leaders in digs nearly every season (including 14th last year), are ranked high in blocks for the first time in recent memory. Sacramento State is on pace to lead the Big Sky in blocks per game for the first time since joining the league in 1996.

Debby Colberg-coached teams are notoriously strong on defense, but this season’s squad could be one of her top defensive teams. Junior libero Kristin Lutes is 18th in the nation and first in the Big Sky with 5.53 digs per game, and has at least 11 digs in every match this year. In fact, Lutes leads a list of four Hornets who average at least 2.90 digs per game. In addition, Sacramento State’s defense has limited the opposition to hitting percentages of .190 or below in 18-consecutive matches.

Sophomore middle hitter Lindsay Haupt (17th in the nation and first in the Big Sky with 1.53) leads a group of three Hornets with at least 1.15 blocks per game, including middle hitter Michelle Franz (1.28) and setter Natalie Melcher (1.18).

Head Coach Debby Colberg

For the 30th-straight season, Debby Colberg will control the Sacramento State sidelines. During her tenure, Colberg has posted a 766-276 record (.735 winning percentage) and has led the team to 17 league titles and 25 postseason berths. Her 766 victories are fifth among active NCAA coaches with five-plus years of Div. I experience. Colberg was named the Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year for the fifth-consecutive season last year and a conference-record seven times in the last eight seasons (1997-98, 2000-04). During her tenure with the Hornets, she has been honored as coach of the year 14 times, including Region Coach of the Year on four occasions. She has led the Hornets to 11-consecutive 20-win seasons, and her teams have posted winning records in 28 of her 30 years at the helm. The 1989 AVCA National Div. II Coach of the Year, Colberg led the Hornets to back-to-back national championships in 1980 (AIAW National Champs) and 1981 (NCAA Div. II National Champs). She also had the added responsibility of serving as Sacramento State’s athletic director from 1999 until 2002.

Team Notables

Sophomore Lindsay Haupt, who missed Saturday’s match against NAU with back spasms, has hit better than .300 in a team-best 12-straight matches...the Hornets have limited Big Sky opposition to a .117 hitting percentage...junior Atlee Hubbard has a double-double in 18 matches this year, and leads the team with 3.70 kills per game...junior Leah Klemenhagen tied her career high with nine kills against NAU on Saturday...senior Shannon Arts has 16 matches with double figures in kills this year after combining to accomplish the feat nine times during her first three years with the team...the Hornets are 15-3 when senior Mallory Hook has at least 10 digs...Sacramento State is 7-0 when sophomore Michelle Franz posts double-figure kills...the Hornets have not lost a match since the month of September.