No. 3 San Diego (18-1, 9-0 WCC)  •  Portland (9-12, 2-8 WCC) •  Gonzaga

October 27 & 29 | Jenny Craig Pavilion (5,100) • San Diego, California

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SAN DIEGO — Up another spot in the AVCA Top 25 for its second-highest ranking ever and the winners of 15 consecutive matches, No. 3 San Diego volleyball (18-1, 9-0 WCC) remains at home this week, hosting Portland (9-12, 2-8 WCC) and Gonzaga in the Jenny Craig Pavilion as it continues West Coast Conference play.

The Toreros will get things started on Thursday night with a 7 p.m. matchup with the Pilots, then wrap up their weekend with a 12 p.m. contest against the Bulldogs on Saturday. Both matches will be streamed live on the WCC Network, with Jack Cronin (Thursday) and Braden Surprenant (Saturday) on the calls.

Live statistics will be provided on USDToreros.com

A HISTORIC SEASON REACHES NEW HEIGHTS
• USD achieved a new second-highest ranking in program history on Monday afternoon, checking in at No. 3 in the AVCA Division I Women's Coaches Poll for the first time ever after winning its 15th consecutive match on Friday night.

• The placement, which is up one from the No. 4 position the Toreros held for the last five straight weeks from September 19-October 17, 2022, is just one spot away from the highest ranking in program history — No. 2 on September 16, 2013.

USD'S HIGHEST ALL-TIME AVCA TOP 25 RANKINGS
1.  No. 2 - September 16, 2013

2.  No. 3 - Current Ranking - October 24, 2022

3.  No. 4 - Sept. 19, Sept. 26, Oct. 3, Oct. 10, and October 17, 2022 (Five times)

4.  No. 5 - October 3, 2016 - October 24, 2016 (Four times)

5.  No. 6 - September 26, 2016

6.  No. 7 - September 19, 2016

7.  No. 8 - Seven times (Once this season, six times in 2013)          
        • Most recent: September 12, 2022

8.   No. 9 - Six times (four in 2013, two in 2017)          
        • Most recent: November 27, 2017

9. No. 10 - September 12, 2016

USD IN THE 2022 AVCA TOP 25 - WEEK BY WEEK
Preseason (August 15)  ............................................................................................................. No. 25
Week One (August 29) .............................................................................................................. No. 15
Week Two (Sept. 5) ................................................................................................................... No. 12
Week Three (Sept. 12)............................................................................................................... No. 8
Week Five (Sept. 19)  ................................................................................................................ No. 4
Week Six (Sept. 26)  .................................................................................................................. No. 4
Week Seven (October 3) ........................................................................................................... No. 4
Week Eight (October 10) .......................................................................................................... No. 4
Week Nine (October 17) ........................................................................................................... No. 4
Week 10 (October 24)...................................................................................................No. 3

INFERNO STATUS
• San Diego enters Thursday night's action on a 15-game win streak, a stretch that dates back to September 3rd's 3-0 sweep of No. 8 Ohio State at the Cardinal Classic..

• USD has swept each of its last seven matches (September 29 at Gonzaga, October 1 at Portland, October 6 versus San Francisco, October 8 versus Santa Clara, October 13 at Pacific, October 15 at Saint Mary's, and October 21 vs. No 17 BYU), and has won in straight sets in 13 of its 19 total contests so far this season. Seven of San Diego's nine WCC wins in 2022 have been sweeps.

• The Toreros' 25-8 win over the Dons in the third set on October 6 marked San Diego's largest margin of victory so far this season (17 points), besting USD's 14-point, 25-11 win in the second set of its sweep of Saint Mary's in Moraga on October 15.

• San Diego, which last dropped a set on September 24 in its 3-2 win over Loyola Marymount, has won 21 sets in a row entering Thursday night's action.

• Its lone loss of 2022 so far  came on the road at then-No. 3 Louisville on September 2.

SAN DIEGO SWEEPS IN 2022
• August 27 at Texas A&M
• August 28 vs. RV Hawaii (neutral site)
• September 3 vs. No. 8 Ohio State (neutral site)
• September 9 vs. SMU
• September 9 vs. UConn
• September 16 vs. RV UCLA
• September 29 at Gonzaga*
• October 1 at Portland*
• October 6 vs. San Francisco*
• October 8 vs. Santa Clara*
• October 13 at Pacific*
• October 15 at Saint Mary's
• October 21 vs. No. 17 BYU*

*Denotes WCC opponent

TOUGH COMPETITION
• Five of No. 3 San Diego's 2022 opponents were ranked when USD played them, or are currently ranked in October 24th's AVCA Coaches Poll.

• October 21st's 3-0 win over No. 17 BYU marked USD's fourth win over a Top 25 opponent this season. The Toreros are 4-1 against such teams, and are 2-1 against the AVCA's top five.

RANKED TEAMS ON USD'S 2022 SCHEDULE

• No. 6 Pitt - August 26 (3-2 USD win)
• No. 3 Louisville - September 2 (3-1 USD loss)
• No. 8 Ohio State  - September 3 (3-0 USD win)
• No. 17 Pepperdine - September 22 (3-1 USD win)
• No. 17 BYU - October 21 (3-0 USD win)

• No. 3 San Diego has one match remaining on its schedule against a team currently in the AVCA Top 25 — November 22 at No. 17 BYU, which marks the Toreros' final contest of the 2022 regular season.

• Hawaii, which the Toreros swept on August 28, Utah, which San Diego beat 3-2 on September 10 and UCLA, which San Diego swept on September 16, were all receiving votes at the time USD played them, receiving 48, 50, and 44 votes in those weeks, respectively.

• USD is slated to play Pepperdine — which has been nationally ranked on multiple occasions and received the most votes (71) of any unranked team in October 24th's poll — on November 19.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME
• Over the last 20 seasons, San Diego is 238-45 at home in the Jenny Craig Pavilion, good for a remarkable .840 winning percentage.

• USD is 10-0 at home so far this season.

ALL-TIME SERIES VERSUS PORTLAND
• The Toreros are 62-9 against the Pilots all-time, with the two programs' most recent meeting coming on October 1, a 3-0 San Diego sweep in the Chiles Center.

• USD has won 11 straight matches against Portland (six of which have come in the JCP) and is 32-3 all-time opposite the Pilots at home in San Diego.

• Portland last defeated the Toreros on November 10, 2016 — a tough 3-2 decision in the Jenny Craig Pavilion.

ALL-TIME SERIES VERSUS GONZAGA
• The Toreros are 60-9 (.869) against the Bulldogs all-time, with the two programs' most recent meeting coming on September 29, a 3-0 San Diego sweep at the Martin Centre that marked San Diego's first road WCC contest of 2022.

• USD has won 54 straight matches against Gonzaga dating back to 1994 and is 29-4 all-time against the Zags at home.

• The Bulldogs last defeated the Toreros on September 30, 1994 — a 3-1 decision in Spokane.

• San Diego last lost a home match to Gonzaga on October 5, 1991— a 3-0 Bulldogs sweep in USD's Sports Center.

BENBOW AND LUKES SWEEP WCC WEEKLY AWARDS
• Following a decisive sweep of rival No. 17 BYU at the Jenny Craig Pavilion on Friday that saw the Toreros seize control of the league's standings,  San Diego swept October 24th's weekly WCC awards, with Annie Benbow taking home WCC Defensive Player of the Week honors alongside a WCC Offensive Player of the Week selection for Katie Lukes. The West Coast Conference made the announcement on Monday afternoon.

Benbow, a redshirt senior libero, set forth one of her finest performances of the season last Friday night, racking up 14 digs (4.67 D/S) as USD dispatched the Cougars in straight sets before a raucous crowd of 2,623 in the JCP. She started USD's sweep of the Cougars with five digs in Friday's first set, had four in the second, and finished strong with another five in the third as the Toreros beat BYU 25-20, 25-21, and 25-18 for the win.

• The Frisco, Texas native has totaled 238 digs and 3.61 digs per set so far this season, marks that lead the Toreros and rank fifth and fourth in the West Coast Conference, respectively.

• She has also recorded 15 service aces, which rank fifth on the USD roster.

• It's the first-ever weekly WCC accolade for Benbow, who was named to the 2022 All-WCC Preseason Team in August, the All-WCC First Team in 2021, and was a 2019 All-WCC Honorable Mention alongside a trio of All-Academic Honorable Mentions (2019, 2020-2021, 2021).

Lukes, a redshirt senior outside hitter from San Clemente, California, continued to highlight a high-octane San Diego offense with a strong performance of her own on Friday, tallying 15 kills (5.00 K/S) alongside an assist and a service ace for a total of 16 points (5.3 P/S). Lukes set forth four kills in the first, five kills and a service ace in the second, and another five kills in the third set in the sweep.

• She has totaled 247 kills and an average of 3.80 kills per set so far this season, marks that lead San Diego and rank fifth and fourth in the West Coast Conference, respectively.

• Lukes has also added 10 service aces, seven assists, 32 blocks (two solo), and 103 digs in 2022, which ranks fourth on the USD roster and is the most of any non-setter/libero/defensive specialist.

• She has now either led or been tied for the team lead in kills in 10 of the Toreros' last 11 matches. The lone match in which she did not lead USD in kills she was just one point shy of teammate Grace Frohling (October 8 vs. Santa Clara), and she has led nine of USD's last 11 matches in kills.

• This week's selection is Lukes' second WCC Offensive Player of the Week honor after also earning the nod on September 19.

• Benbow and Lukes are the fifth and sixth Toreros to earn WCC Player of the Week honors this season, the most of any West Coast Conference team. They are the second USD duo to sweep the awards in a single week after Leyla Blackwell and Grace Frohling did so on August 29.

OFFENSIVE PRECISION
• Led by four players hitting .280 or better, San Diego volleyball has posted a strong .280 team hitting percentage through 19 games so far in 2022, a mark that ranks 15th nationally.

• Sophomore middle blocker Haylee Stoner leads all USD hitters with a .364 average, followed by senior opposite/setter Grace Frohling (.320), junior middle blocker Leyla Blackwell (.292), and redshirt senior Katie Lukes (.281).

•That group has combined for 648 of the Toreros' 880 total kills so far this season.

BLACKWELL AND STONER HEADLINE DYNAMIC USD DEFENSE
• Led by junior outside hitter Leyla Blackwell and sophomore middle blocker Haylee Stoner, San Diego has ranked among the country's leaders in overall defense, limiting opponents to a minuscule .155 hitting percentage that leads the WCC and ranks 9th nationally.

• Blackwell has been at the center of USD's dominant defense this season, leading San Diego with 1.42 blocks per set, which ranks 16th nationally.

• After adding three last Friday in USD sweep of BYU (including a solo effort on match point) she now has 94 total blocks (16 solo) so far in 2022, which rank second in the WCC and 49th nationally.

• The San Diego, California native (La Jolla High School)'s dominance hasn't been limited to defense — she's totaled 104 kills through 19 matches so far in 2022 and is averaging 1.58 kills per set.

•An All-WCC First Team selection in 2021, Blackwell was one of three Toreros named to the 2022 WCC Preseason Team on August 24 and earned her fourth career WCC Defensive Player of the Week honor on August 29.

• Stoner has also played a key role in San Diego's defensive dominance, totaling 55 blocks (six solo) through 18 matches for a 0.92 blocks per set average in 60 frames that ranks second on the USD roster behind only Blackwell.

She too has provided well-rounded play. Her .364 hitting percentage leads USD and her 102 total kills rank fifth.

• A native of nearby San Marcos, California (Mission Hills High School), Stoner earned her first WCC Defensive Player of the Week honor on September 26 and was a member of the All-WCC Freshman Team in 2021.

BLOSSOM SETS THE TONE
• Graduate transfer setter Gabby Blossom has made an immediate impact for USD since arriving in San Diego over the summer from Penn State, racking up a team-best 719 assists, 172 digs, and a conference-high 10.89 assists per set through all 19 of the Toreros' matches thus far, which also ranks 15th nationally.

• Blossom was once again at the center of San Diego's success last Friday, directing the Torero offense to a sweep of rival BYU as she racked up a match-high 36 assists, seven digs, two kills, and a block assist.

• With her at setter across three sets opposite the Cougars, USD hit .288 as a group and recorded 49 kills to just 13 errors.

• Blossom, who has tallied 30 assists or more in 17 of San Diego's 19 matches in 2022, also ranks second on the USD roster with 20 service aces.

BLOSSOM'S ACCOLADES IN 2022
August 28..............................................................Texas A&M Invitational MVP
September 4...........................................Cardinal Classic All-Tournament Team
September 12..................................................................USD Invitational MVP

FROHLING FLOURISHING 
• Senior opposite/setter Grace Frohling has complemented Blackwell and Stoner's lights-out defense, Blossom's veteran presence at setter, and Lukes' high-octane offense with superb all-around play of her own so far this season.

• The Los Angeles, California native leads her team with 22 service aces and ranks third on the USD roster with 195 kills (2.95 kills per set) while hitting .320, racking up 10 or more kills in nine of San Diego's 19 matches so far.

• On the defensive side of things, she's chipped in 52 blocks (four solo), which rank third amongst her teammates, and 56 digs, which rank sixth.

• She set forth a characteristically well-rounded performance last Friday against No. 17 BYU, posting eight kills (.222), two service aces, two digs, and three block assists for a total of 11.5 points in San Diego's 3-0 sweep.

• Frohling is a three-time All-WCC First Team selection (2019, 2020-21, 2021), was named to the AVCA Pacific South All-Region Team in 2021, and was selected to the 2022 Women's College National Team this past offseason.

• She is one of a conference-high six Toreros to earn a WCC Player of the Week honor this season (August 29, Offensive).

FROHLING'S ACCOLADES IN 2022
August 24.........................................................................WCC Preseason Team

August 28......................................................Texas A&M All-Tournament Team

August 29......................................................WCC Offensive Player of the Week

August 30......................................................AVCA National Player of the Week

September 4...........................................Cardinal Classic All-Tournament Team

September 12....................................... USD Invitational All-Tournament Team

EDWARDS EXCELLING IN SAN DIEGO 
• Graduate transfer outside hitter Breana Edwards has gotten out to a hot start as a Torero, racking up 198 kills through 19 matches (64 sets) so far at USD after joining the team from Indiana in the offseason. Her kill total (198) and kills per set average (3.09) both rank second on the San Diego roster, behind only reigning WCC Offensive Player of the Week Katie Lukes

• The Rainier, Oregon native continued her strong season on Friday against No. 17 BYU, hitting a robust .429 while racking up 13 kills, a dig, and a block assist in San Diego's sweep.

BENBOW CLIMBS ALL-TIME DIGS LEADERBOARD
• Amid a flurry of offseason additions for the Toreros, redshirt senior libero Annie Benbow has continued to shine as part of a dominant San Diego defense, entering this weekend's action with 1,403 career digs, which stands alone as the third-most in USD volleyball history.

• Benbow's six digs on September 29 at Gonzaga pushed her past LaManda Mounts' mark of 1,334 (1994-1997) and tied the graduate student with C'era Olivera's fourth-place total of 1,337 (2010-2013).

• On October 1 at Portland, she moved up another spot on San Diego's all-time digs list, passing 2005 USD Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Petia Yanchulova's total of 1,341 to move into sole possession of the third-most digs in program history with 1,344.

• With 61 more she will pass Jackie Bernardin's second-place total of 1,464, and with 86 more she will pass Hunter Jennings' San Diego-record total of 1,489 (2013-2016) to become USD's all-time digs leader.

BENBOW'S DIGS OVER THE YEARS
As a freshman (2018)............................................................................156 digs

As a sophomore (2019).....................................................397 digs (team-high)

As a junior (2020-2021)...................................................................... 179 digs

As a senior: (2021)............................................................ 433 digs (team-high)

Through 18 matches as a RS senior in 2022………238 digs (team-high)

Total................................................................................................... 1,403 digs

SAN DIEGO VOLLEYBALL - CAREER DIGS
1. Hunter Jennings....................................................................1489 (2013-16)
2. Jackie Bernardin....................................................................1464 (2003-05)
3. Annie Benbow……………………………….1403 (2018-pres.)
4. Petia Yanchulova....................................................................1341 (1996-99)
5. C'era Oliveira..........................................................................1337 (2010-13)
6. LaManda Mounts...................................................................1334 (1994-97)
7. Kristen Hurst .........................................................................1226 (2001-04)
8. Andrea Csaszi ........................................................................1202 (2006-08)
9. Devon Forster ........................................................................1189 (2001-04)
10. Lindsey Sherburne...............................................................1179 (2002-05)

OTHER MILESTONES TO WATCH
• Both Katie Lukes (September 9 vs. SMU) and Grace Frohling (October 1 at Portland) hit 1,000 career kills earlier this season and could finish 2022 among San Diego's top 10 all-time kill leaders.

• Lukes (1,180 career kills) needs 48 more to move into the top 10, while Frohling (1,044) needs 184.

• Blossom, who transferred to USD from Penn State with 3,271 career assists, now has 3,990 after notching 719 so far this season and needs just 10 more to reach 4,000, something just two players have done while wearing a San Diego uniform.

• Katie Lindquist (1996-1999) finished her USD career with 4,402, which ranks second all-time in Torero history, and Lindsey Sherburne (2002-2005), San Diego's all-time assists leader, finished with 5,961.

• Edwards, who joined USD from Indiana with 1,266 kills, now has 1,464 after recording 198 so far this season and needs just 36 more to reach 1,500, something just three players have done while wearing a San Diego uniform.

• LaManda Mounts (1994-1997) ranks third in USD history with 1,503, Devon Forster (2001-2004) is second with 1,886) and Petia Yanchulova (1996-1999), a USD Athletics Hall of Famer and the Toreros' all-time kills leader, finished with 1,892.

• Head coach Jennifer Petrie reached 450 wins on August 28 versus Hawaii, and now has 468, leaving her 32 away from the 500-win mark.

ACES FOR ALLEN
• Junior libero Madi Allen has tallied the third-most aces on the San Diego roster thus far in 2022 with 18, ranking behind only Blossom (20), and Frohling (22).

• Allen, a native of nearby Temecula, California who attended Great Oak High School, has also tallied 120 digs, which rank third amongst her teammates, as well as 19 assists and two kills.

• She joined USD in the offseason from conference rival BYU, where she totaled 570 digs, 211 assists, 53 points, 47 service aces, and six kills across 163 total sets with the Cougars, earned three WCC Defensive Player of the Week honors and was selected to the All-WCC Second Team as a freshman in 2021, and played in six NCAA Tournament matches, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2021.

Last Friday she matched up with her former team for the first time and set forth a dynamic performance, totaling a season-high 12 digs and a pair of assists in San Diego's sweep of No. 17 BYU.

HOLDING THE STANDARD
• San Diego won 20 games in 2021 and reached the NCAA Tournament for the 12th straight year, marking the 25th postseason appearance in USD volleyball history.

LAST TIME OUT
SAN DIEGO — (Jenny Craig Pavilion) - No. 4 USD 3, No. 17 BYU 0
• First Set - No. 4 San Diego, 25-20

• Second Set - No. 4 San Diego, 25-21

• Third Set - No. 4 San Diego, 25-18

Notable:
• Lukes paced the match with 15 kills while hitting .205, also adding an assist, a service ace, and nine digs, which ranked second for USD.

• Edwards was just behind with 13 kills of her own while hitting a team-high .429 alongside a dig and a block assist.

• Frohling put together eight kills (.222), a match-high two service aces, two digs, and three block assists.

• Stoner hit .385 while recording seven kills, two digs, and a block assist.

• Blackwell had four kills (.250), a tied-for-match-high two solo blocks, and three block assists.

• She has racked up 30 assists or more in all but two of the Toreros' 19 matches so far in 2022, including a season-high 53 in USD's 3-2 win over No. 6 Pitt on August 26.

• Blossom compiled 36 assists, two kills, seven digs, and a block assist.

• Benbow set forth 14 digs and four assists

• Allen, who transferred to USD from BYU over the summer, notched 12 digs and two assists against her former team.

• Freshman libero/defensive specialist Olivia Bennett had four digs and two assists.

• San Diego has now won 15 consecutive matches, a streak that dates back to September 3rd's sweep of No. 8 Ohio State in the Cardinal Classic.

• USD has now won each of its last seven matches in straight sets, including seven of its nine WCC contests so far.

• The Toreros have now won 21 sets in a row, and last dropped a frame on September 24 as part of their 3-2 win over Loyola Marymount.

• Friday night's win over BYU marked No. 4 San Diego's fourth win of 2022 over an AVCA Top 25 opponent.

• USD is now 4-1 against ranked teams and remains 2-1 against the AVCA's Top 5.

• The Toreros' Friday night victory snapped a four-game losing streak to the Cougars and was USD's first win over BYU since November 11th, 2019, when San Diego took down the then-tenth-ranked Cougars at the JCP in five sets.

• USD's win on Friday was the team's first sweep of BYU since September 30, 2016, when the Toreros beat the Cougars 3-0 at the JCP.