FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (October 23, 2025) - The annual Blue and Gold battle rivalry match is set for this Friday, Oct. 24, as the Northern Arizona women's volleyball team hosts the Northern Colorado Bears at 6:30 p.m. MST in the Rolle Activity Center. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+, with live stats available here.
Custom Blue and Gold Battle tote bags will be available for the first 100 students.
The Lumberjacks have reclaimed their spot atop the Big Sky Conference standings with a 6-2 record, sitting in a tie with Northern Colorado. NAU holds the edge overall, however, boasting a 16-5 mark compared to UNC's 9-11.
Northern Arizona is coming off another strong road weekend, sweeping Eastern Washington before edging Idaho in a five-set thriller. The 'Jacks remain unbeaten at home, holding a perfect 6-0 record in Flagstaff.
Offensively, Hanah Stoddard leads the charge with 330 kills, followed by Gigi Greenlee (195) and Sophia Wadsworth (152). The Lumberjacks feature a balanced setting duo in Keira Hall and Ella Hosfeld, who have each recorded 410 assists. From the service line, Hall paces the team with 23 aces, while Stoddard (20) and Melia Barlow (18) add consistent pressure. Defensively, Barlow anchors the back row with 266 digs, just ahead of Stoddard's 260, while Greenlee leads the front line with 97 blocks. Avery Gottschalk (59) and Wadsworth (53) have also been key contributors at the net.
Northern Colorado is coming off a two-match win after sweeping Idaho and defeating Eastern Washington. The Bears' only conference losses came against Weber State (0-3) and Montana State (1-3). Last week, Alayna Tessena and Zoe Gibbs powered the offense, combining for 60 kills across the two matches. Setter Nerea Alvarez-Jorge has been the steady hand for UNC, posting a career-high 57 assists against Idaho and adding 34 more versus EWU. Libero Bella LePore anchors the Bears' back row, while their front line totaled 24 blocks over the weekend.
UNC assistant coach Janae Vander Ploeg (McDonnell), inducted into the NAU Hall of Fame in 2024, is a familiar face to Lumberjack fans. During her standout career at Northern Arizona, she became the program's first AVCA All-American and All-Region First Team selection in 2015, leading NAU to its first Big Sky title in 16 years and its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1999. That season, she set the single-season kills record (563) and graduated as NAU's all-time leader in kills (1,626), kills average, attacks, and sets played. A four-time All-Academic honoree and Gold Axe Award recipient, McDonnell also earned Big Sky MVP and Tournament MVP honors before her Hall of Fame induction.
Northern Colorado leads the all-time series 25-12, dating back to 1976. The Lumberjacks will look to end a five-match losing streak against the Bears and defend their home court once again in this pivotal Big Sky showdown.
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