The inaugural Pac-12 volleyball conference season is set to begin Thursday, with all nine programs entering league play after a non-conference slate that provided plenty of early tests and storylines.
Colorado State enters conference play with the league's best record at 7-3 and riding the momentum of one of the biggest wins of the non-conference season. The Rams closed their pre-conference schedule by sweeping No. 17 Colorado, 3-0, on Sept. 18, which handed the Buffaloes their first loss of the season. Colorado State's three losses this season have all come against nationally ranked opponents.
Boise State heads into Pac-12 play with an 8-5 record, the most wins of any team in the league. The Broncos closed the non-conference portion of their schedule with a three-set win at Idaho State on Sept. 19 and will open their Pac-12 slate at home against Gonzaga on Thursday.
San Diego State and Washington State both enter conference play at 5-5. The Aztecs will open their Pac-12 schedule on the road at Colorado State, while Washington State travels to Fresno State for Thursday's opening night.
Fresno State enters league play at 5-6 and will welcome the Cougars to the Save Mart Center for its conference opener. The Bulldogs will then host San Diego State on Saturday before beginning a stretch of road matches in October.
Oregon State also enters conference play at 5-6 and will open its Pac-12 schedule Saturday, when Washington State visits Gill Coliseum. The Beavers faced a challenging non-conference slate that included matchups against nationally ranked opponents before turning their attention to conference play.
Texas State, meanwhile, also brings a 5-6 record into its first Pac-12 season. The Bobcats will begin conference play Thursday at home against Utah State before traveling to Colorado State on Saturday.
Gonzaga enters its first Pac-12 season at 5-7 after closing non-conference play with wins over Seattle and Montana. The Bulldogs travel to Boise State on Thursday to open their league campaign.
Utah State begins its first season in the Pac-12 after a challenging non-conference schedule at 1-9 and will open conference play on the road at Texas State. The Aggies will then return home Saturday to host Gonzaga as they begin their first Pac-12 slate.
With non-conference play now in the rearview mirror, the nine programs turn their attention to the first Pac-12 matchups of the season and will battle it out for the right to host the Pac-12 Championship in November. Thursday's four-match slate will officially usher in a new era of Pac-12 volleyball.
Thursday's Pac-12 Matchups
Utah State at Texas State
4 p.m. PT | San Marcos, Texas
San Diego State at Colorado State
5 p.m. PT | Fort Collins, Colo.
Gonzaga at Boise State
5 p.m. PT | Boise, Idaho
Washington State at Fresno State
6 p.m. PT | Fresno, Calif.
Looking back at the preseason, below is the predicted order of finish as voted on by the league's head coaches, and the league's preseason impact list can be found here.
Predicted Order of Finish
1. Colorado State
2. Oregon State
3. Texas State
4. Boise State
5. Washington State
6. Utah State
7. San Diego State
8. Gonzaga
9. Fresno State