Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Friday, August 28
Asheville, N.C.
11:00 AM
Middle Tennessee
vs
Boise State
Volleyball Set to Open Season at Bulldog Invite
8/27/2026 11:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The Middle Tennessee volleyball team is set to open their season Friday and Saturday at the Bulldog Invitational hosted by UNC Asheville at the .
The Blue Raiders will open the weekend Friday morning at 11 a.m. versus new Pac-12 member Boise State. MTSU closes the weekend with a doubleheader versus the Broncos at 11 a.m. Saturday followed by a matchup with the hosting Bulldogs at 3 p.m.
Quick Hits
--After an 11-17 opening season, Alexa Keckler is in year two of her stint as the head coach of the Blue Raiders. Keckler enters the season 335-260 (.563) in her career.
--Ten players from the 2025 roster departed from the Blue Raiders in the offseason, opening the door for 10 newcomers to Alexa Keckler's team in 2026. MTSU was busy on the recruiting front, adding five transfers and five freshmen to fill the gaps.
--Graduate setter Caroline Macander returns to The 'Boro for a fifth year after breaking out for the Blue Raiders in 2025. A rarity in today's collegiate landscape, Macander has remained a Blue Raider for five years. Last season, she led the team in assists (885),assists per set (8.35) and double-doubles (16).
--Conference USA decreased to 10 teams in the 2026-27 season following the departure of UTEP and Louisiana Tech to the Mountain West and Sun Belt, respectively. Notably, the Miners dominated CUSA play in 2025, winning the regular season title and picking up an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
Series History
The Blue Raiders have played a single matchup against the Broncos in their history, losing 3-1 in a Sept. 6, 2019 matchup in Cedar Valley, Utah. MTSU is 3-0 all-time against the hosting UNC Asheville, with the most recent matchup on Oct. 17, 2023, when the Blue Raiders swept the Bulldogs at the Alumni Memorial Gym.
Scouting the Broncos and Bulldogs
Boise State is entering a new era of its athletic program as a new-look Pac-12 debuts in the 2026-27 season. Under long-tenured coach Shawn Gurus (17th season), the Broncos are coming off a 2025 campaign which saw the team go 20-11 and fall in the Mountain West semifinals.
UNC Asheville is heading into its third season under Danielle Marante. Marante holds an impressive 96-73 record and is coming off a 12-18 record in year two with the Bulldogs.
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with Blue Raider Volleyball on Instagram (@mt_volleyball), X (@MT_Volleyball), and Facebook (Middle Tennessee Volleyball).
Players Mentioned
S
/ Women's VolleyballMonday, August 10
Tuesday, October 21
Tuesday, October 07
Monday, September 29
