Getting off on the right foot as a new coach is certainly no easy task, especially with the ever-looming shadow of the illustrious 26-year career of coach Tom Hilbert there to set the bar high. 

Coach Emily Kohan did not back down from that challenge. Setting the tone with an upset against No. 10 Kentucky in front of a record-breaking crowd right out of the gate, the 2023 Colorado State volleyball season showed that Kohan and her squad were not there to sit back and stay happy with their previous success. They were hungry, and they wanted more. When everything was said and done, the team led the Mountain West in hitting percentage, finished second with a record of 19-12 and lost in the conference championship to Fresno State. 

The 2024 season is shaping up to be filled with that same hunger and drive. Kohan is returning with the same core squad as last season, with her three 2023 All-Mountain West players leading the charge: Malaya Jones, Emery Herman and Naeemah Weathers. 

Other players of note this season include Kekua Richards, Kennedy Stanford and Maria Brun. 

Richards, who saw limited minutes last season, is a 6-foot-7-inch middle blocker with the potential to be a young defensive star for the Rams should she remain injury-free. 

Stanford, who recorded her 1,000th career kill and 100th career match as a Ram last season, is entering her last year of eligibility for the green and gold this year. While the 2023 season saw Stanford working through ups and downs in her productivity on the court at times, she still contributed greatly to the Rams’ success and will be a key part of the squad in 2024. 

Brun is the only international player for the Rams this year. Hailing from Barcelona, Spain, the 6-foot-1-inch outside hitter previously played for Catalonian team Club Voleibol Sant Cugat, which placed third in the Spanish Cup.

In addition to her club, Brun has also played on the international stage, helping Spain win the Western European Volleyball Zonal Association’s U19 tournament. While Brun is certainly young, her experience in big situations will make her a welcome addition to a squad that undoubtedly wishes to go deep in the playoffs once again. 

Here are some matches to look out for:

Aug. 30 Florida: Can lightning strike twice? To open the season in Moby Arena, the Rams will take on No. 19 Florida, an opponent that will force the Rams to show their strengths and discover their weaknesses. While a loss certainly does not spell doom for the rest of the season, picking up an early win could do wonders for the team’s momentum and self-confidence. 

Sept. 6 Oregon:  Exactly a week after their matchup against Florida, the green and gold will step up in intensity once more as they take on No. 7 Oregon. This match will not only be a challenge to see if the Rams can step up to the competition, but it will also show if the squad is able to take the lessons they learned from the previous week of play to improve upon their strengths and patch up their weaknesses.  

Sept. 19-20 Colorado:  Few environments bring out the competitive spirit like that of a heated rivalry. The Rams will host the Buffaloes in Moby Arena Sept. 19 and then move down to Boulder to finish up the showdown Sept. 20. In addition to being rivalry matches, these two matches will be the final nonconference contests of the season. If CSU is looking to make a statement heading into conference play, the Rocky Mountain Showdown will certainly be the time to do that.

Sept. 26, Nov. 23 Utah State: Perhaps the biggest obstacle CSU will need to overcome this season will be the Utah State Aggies. The Aggies, who finished first in the conference with a 24-7 record and a staggering 17-1 conference record, beat the Rams in every instance they met last year. If the Rams are looking to be top dogs this year, setting the tone against USU in their first conference-play matchup Sept. 26 and finishing strong in their final match of the regular season Nov. 23 will certainly be goals for the green and gold. 

Oct. 5, Nov. 14 Fresno State: There are few things as sweet as revenge. After fighting their way to the MW championship last season, the Rams took a 2-0 set lead. After several errors and a surging comeback from FSU, CSU was reverse-swept and left the arena empty-handed. As their rematch with the Bulldogs approaches, the Rams will be looking to show they won’t make the same mistakes twice.

Oct. 8, Nov. 5 Wyoming: The Border War never fails to impress. Last season, the Rams fell in their first match against the Cowgirls in Laramie, Wyoming, but they evened up the count in their second matchup with a 3-1 victory in Moby Arena led by Jones, who recorded 23 kills. This year, the rivalry will have its first battle in Moby Arena Oct. 8 and finish in Laramie Nov. 5.

Reach Will Engle at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @willengle44.

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