The University of Northern Colorado volleyball team didn’t wait long Wednesday evening to win the Big Sky Conference Tournament title on its home court. The Bears’ three-set sweep over tournament Cinderella, No. 8-seed Idaho State, took root in the first set at Bank of Colorado Arena. UNC led 7-0 before the Bengals touched the ball to serve. The Bears used a seven-point run to come from behind in the second set, and UNC went ahead 5-1 in the third set. Idaho State closed the lead to two points a couple of times, but the Bears went on another run winning seven of the last 10 points. “It’s crazy,” said Brynn Reines’, UNC’s senior outside hitter and the tournament most valuable player. “Winning this tournament freshman year (in 2022) and working our way back to now, I’m so grateful for this team. The best feeling ever.” PHOTOS: UNC volleyball sweep Idaho State to win Big Sky tournament The tournament title was the Bears’ eighth in 13 tournament championship match appearances under long-time head coach Lyndsey Oates. The tournament win also gives UNC the Big Sky’s automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. Oates took over the UNC program days before the start of the 2005 season. She’s guided the Bears not only into the Division I level, but to status as one of the best Division I mid-major programs in the country. The Bears reached the final last year, but lost to Sacramento State in five sets on the Hornets’ home floor. “It’s great for the athletic department, the university and community,” UNC athletic director Darren Dunn said. “I think this team took time to build together and work together and they never lost belief. They believed in each other.” The volleyball team is the second Bears team to reach a Big Sky Conference tournament final this calendar year. In March, the men’s basketball team played for the conference tournament title as the No. 1 seed in Boise, Idaho. Montana beat UNC in the final. Bella Van Lannen, who joined Reines, Isabel Bennett and Bella LePore on the volleyball all-tournament team, said “chills” was the best word she could find to describe winning the title. “Chills through that whole match, this tournament,” Van Lannen said. “We fought our way here. Idaho State fought their way here. We just have respect for each other in this game and we just came out on top.” NCAA first-round matches begin in early December at sites to be determined. The NCAA selection show is Sunday to announce team pairings and match locations. The Bears are going to take a couple of days off from volleyball for the holiday before resuming practice Saturday, Oates said. They’ll practice Sunday and gather as a team to watch the selection show. “We will enjoy these next two days, they need some rest,” Oates said. “We don’t want to lose our edge.” UNC showed few signs, if any, of losing its edge against the Bengals (13-17, 7-9 Big Sky), the tournament’s lowest seed who arrived at the final after beating top-seeded Northern Arizona in the quarterfinals and No. 4 Weber State in the semifinals. The Bengals are the first eighth seed to reach the conference tournament title match, according to Idaho State athletic communications. Oates said the Bears’ strong start in the first set was important. The Bears went on the attack right away, riding Nerea Alvarez-Jorge’s command of serve to open the match and leaving Idaho State off balance. “That was super important, especially with how they were playing as the eighth seed,” Oates said. “The Cinderella team of the tournament and we needed to come out with a statement and we did. Nerea’s serving was aggressive. Everything was clicking for a few points there.” Idaho State took a time out to regroup down 5-0 in the first set. The Bears came out of the time out strong, as they did all night, with middle blocker Gibbs scoring the next two points. Idaho State coach Sean Carter said the Bengals started the match slowly and Alvarez-Jorge’s serve was “great.” Carter said UNC middle blockers Gibbs and Bennett are two of the best in the conference, and they were a problem for Idaho State. Bennett had team bests with 11 kills and five blocks. Alayna Tessena added nine kills, Gibbs and Van Lannen each had eight and Reines seven kills with 10 digs, two blocks and a service ace. Alvarez-Jorge, the setter, had 39 assists, three blocks and an ace. “UNC has been the benchmark of our league for forever,” Carter added. “We’re just excited to get the opportunity to play in this awesome environment. It gives us more fuel for building the program and next year.” Idaho State settled into the first set and made things interesting late. The Bengals cut the Bears’ lead to 24-17, staved off three set points and forced UNC into a time out. Gibbs closed out the set with a kill. UNC’s sweep was its second of the season against the Bengals and third of the year. All three of those sweeps came at home. UNC beat Idaho State in three sets Nov. 13 and also defeated Montana State in three sets in late October. Senior Bella Van Lannen, who joined Reines, Bennett and Bella LePore on the all-tournament team for UNC, said “chills” was the best word she could find to describe winning the title. “Chills through that whole match, this tournament,” Van Lannen said. “We fought our way here. Idaho State fought their way here. We just have respect for each other in this game and we just came out on top.” UNC started the season winning two of their first three matches, beating the University of Washington and Colorado State in five sets. The Bears then went on the road for 10 matches in September and they had a hard time with a challenging schedule. The Bears lost nine of 10 on the trip, but they focused on improving and being ready for the Big Sky schedule. “I’m just so proud of this team,” said LePore, a defensive specialist who had 18 digs and two service aces. “Adversity has helped us get to where we are now. We’ve had to work through so many different things, so many different lineups that we didn’t have to do last year. I think that’s been something that’s great and made us closer too.”.
https://www.greeleytribune.com/2025/11/27/unc-volleyball-wins-big-sky-conference-tournament-title/
UNC volleyball’s Thanksgiving: Dining on Big Sky Conference Tournament title
