Colorado State University Athletics
Friday, August 28
Fort Collins, CO
6:00 PM
Colorado State
1-0,0-0Pac-12
3
vs
0
UC Davis
0-1,0-0Mountain West
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Davis | 21 | 16 | 16 | 0 |
| Colorado St. | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Rams Open Season in Sweeping Fashion
8/28/2026 9:52:00 PM | Volleyball
Kohan’s team sharp offensively, defensively
As the lights dimmed in Moby Arena, an anxious crowd awaited the return of Colorado State volleyball, ready to set the tone for a new season. As the players took the court, the fans rose to their feet, ready to see the beginning of Moby Madness.Â
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With the student section booming behind them Friday night, the Rams opened the 2026 season on a perfect note, sweeping UC Davis 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-16) in a match showcasing the team's skill on both sides of the court using a relentless attack and strong defense.Â
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UC Davis was no easy task with the Aggies being a team predicted to place high in the Mountain West, and the Rams knew that opening night would be an early test of their ability to perform under pressure. The Rams used this opportunity to see how the team would react when stakes were high.
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Colorado State started off shaky with the majority of their service errors in the first set, giving the Aggies a chance to stay in the game.Â
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"We've worked a lot on having aggressive serves and with our aggressive serves comes some errors," outside hitter Halle Jameson said.Â
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Early mistakes however did not define the Rams. As the set progressed, CSU began to find its rhythm. Either due to the competitiveness of their spirits or the cheers of the student section, this gave them the fire they needed to finish the set strong and continue the momentum throughout the match.Â
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From there the Rams began to look like the team they've been building for months. The Rams' offense and defense fed off one  another, turning blocks into easy scoring opportunities and rallies into kill after kill. The Rams used their strong team connection to keep UC Davis off balance, shifting their attack and denying the Aggies a predictable look.Â
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Unlike other teams, the Rams had ample time to prepare for the season starting in May. Using this time to build, CSU was able to build its offensive identity and lock down its mission of speeding up on offense to create confusion and trick the blockers.Â
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This strategy paid off.Â
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CSU saw huge success with UC Davis having just two blocks, while the Rams were able to continue attacking and find openings. The Rams also saw success on the other end, seeing a total of 13 blocks, absolutely shutting down the Aggie offense.Â
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At the center of this machine was 6-foot-7 middle blocker Kekua Richards, recording seven of the Rams' 13 blocks. Â
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"We've been working on our blocking since May," Richards said. "That's the main thing that we've been wanting to focus on since our team is so physical and we're so up there."
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Not only were the Rams stopping the Aggies from producing, they also hit well above UC Davis with a .320 hitting percentage, outplaying them in every aspect.Â
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What keeps this team moving is the devotion to the task, with every player putting in maximum effort and drive, rounding out the team.Â
Â
"We've been focusing on just playing with each other instead of just one person being on fire the whole time," Richards said.Â
Â
The Rams have much depth to their team, with all ages on the court at any given time. The returning players come back with more knowledge, drive, maturity, and a chip on their shoulder from last year's second-place finish.Â
Â
This drive is seen in freshman Ella Stowell, who produced eight kills and a .385 hitting percentage, showing herself as another example of the Rams relentless offense.Â
Â
Entering a new conference the Rams remain steady and confident, knowing that this year they will be a team to be reckoned with.Â
Â
"The mission doesn't change no matter the conference, we're gonna go win championships," coach Emily Kohan said.Â
Â
Â
With the student section booming behind them Friday night, the Rams opened the 2026 season on a perfect note, sweeping UC Davis 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-16) in a match showcasing the team's skill on both sides of the court using a relentless attack and strong defense.Â
Â
UC Davis was no easy task with the Aggies being a team predicted to place high in the Mountain West, and the Rams knew that opening night would be an early test of their ability to perform under pressure. The Rams used this opportunity to see how the team would react when stakes were high.
Â
Colorado State started off shaky with the majority of their service errors in the first set, giving the Aggies a chance to stay in the game.Â
Â
"We've worked a lot on having aggressive serves and with our aggressive serves comes some errors," outside hitter Halle Jameson said.Â
Â
Early mistakes however did not define the Rams. As the set progressed, CSU began to find its rhythm. Either due to the competitiveness of their spirits or the cheers of the student section, this gave them the fire they needed to finish the set strong and continue the momentum throughout the match.Â
Â
From there the Rams began to look like the team they've been building for months. The Rams' offense and defense fed off one  another, turning blocks into easy scoring opportunities and rallies into kill after kill. The Rams used their strong team connection to keep UC Davis off balance, shifting their attack and denying the Aggies a predictable look.Â
Â
Unlike other teams, the Rams had ample time to prepare for the season starting in May. Using this time to build, CSU was able to build its offensive identity and lock down its mission of speeding up on offense to create confusion and trick the blockers.Â
Â
This strategy paid off.Â
Â
CSU saw huge success with UC Davis having just two blocks, while the Rams were able to continue attacking and find openings. The Rams also saw success on the other end, seeing a total of 13 blocks, absolutely shutting down the Aggie offense.Â
Â
At the center of this machine was 6-foot-7 middle blocker Kekua Richards, recording seven of the Rams' 13 blocks. Â
Â
"We've been working on our blocking since May," Richards said. "That's the main thing that we've been wanting to focus on since our team is so physical and we're so up there."
Â
Not only were the Rams stopping the Aggies from producing, they also hit well above UC Davis with a .320 hitting percentage, outplaying them in every aspect.Â
Â
What keeps this team moving is the devotion to the task, with every player putting in maximum effort and drive, rounding out the team.Â
Â
"We've been focusing on just playing with each other instead of just one person being on fire the whole time," Richards said.Â
Â
The Rams have much depth to their team, with all ages on the court at any given time. The returning players come back with more knowledge, drive, maturity, and a chip on their shoulder from last year's second-place finish.Â
Â
This drive is seen in freshman Ella Stowell, who produced eight kills and a .385 hitting percentage, showing herself as another example of the Rams relentless offense.Â
Â
Entering a new conference the Rams remain steady and confident, knowing that this year they will be a team to be reckoned with.Â
Â
"The mission doesn't change no matter the conference, we're gonna go win championships," coach Emily Kohan said.Â
Â
Players Mentioned
Team Stats
UCD
CSU
Kills
30
32
Errors
25
8
Attempts
92
75
Hitting %
.054
.320
Points
35.0
50.0
Assists
30
27
Aces
3
5
Blocks
2
13
Game Leaders
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
5
Aces
1
Blocks
6
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
7
Monday, August 24
Friday, August 21
Thursday, August 06
Monday, November 17