UTEP volleyball hits the road for the final time during the 2026 regular season, traveling to Phoenix, Arizona, for a pair of Mountain West matchups against Grand Canyon.
The Miners carry a 16-10 overall record and an 8-6 mark in conference play into the two-match series at Global Credit Union Arena. Head coach Ben Wallis leads his squad into Thursday’s opening match at 6 p.m. MT, followed by the series finale on Saturday at 1 p.m. MT.
Both contests will stream live on MW+ as UTEP closes out its regular-season away schedule.
The team enters the final road trip following a split series against UC Davis at Club Memorial. The Miners opened that weekend with a 3-1 victory on Friday, highlighted by a marathon 34-32 second set that lasted 58 minutes and a .450 hitting clip in the third frame. UC Davis bounced back in Sunday’s rematch to take a 3-1 decision.
UTEP leads the Mountain West in seven distinct statistical categories, including team kills with 1,298 and team total blocks at 260.0. Nationally, the Miners rank 7th among NCAA Division I programs in total blocks and 28th in blocks per set at 2.60. Among 343 NCAA Division I teams, UTEP also ranks 58th in kills (1,298), 61st in assists (1,192), 85th in opponent hitting percentage (0.191), and 99th in match win-loss percentage.
Individually, Luvina Oguntimehin anchors the defensive front with 112 total blocks, averaging 1.14 blocks per set. Senior setter Kalia Kohler directs the offense with 575 assists, averaging 5.75 per set in the team’s 6-2 system.
Lauren Perry leads the conference and ranks 18th nationally with 49 total aces, helping a service attack that has produced 147 aces this season. Across the full stat sheet, the Miners hold distinct advantages over opponents in kills (1,297-1,235), assists (1,192-1,127), service aces (147-102), and blocks (260-180.5).
Luvina Oguntimehin earned Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week honors on September 28 following a three-match stretch where she recorded 19 blocks.
Grand Canyon hosts the series with a 15-10 overall record and a 9-5 conference standing. The Lopes have won six of their last seven matches under head coach Kendra Potts, including sweeps of San José State and victories over New Mexico.
GCU hits .248 as a team and relies heavily on fifth-year outside hitter Starr Williams, who paces the offense with 360 kills and an average of 3.83 kills per set.
UTEP holds a 4-3 advantage in official countable matches against Grand Canyon. The programs first met on September 23, 1978, when the Miners secured a 3-1 neutral-site victory.
Thursday’s matchup marks the first time the two teams will meet in Phoenix for an official, countable contest. Including preseason exhibitions, UTEP leads the combined series 7-3-2.
Following their matches in Phoenix, the Miners will look toward the final stretch of conference competition and postseason positioning.
