SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Santa Barbara Women's Volleyball is set to hold The Thunderdome Classic from Sept. 11 - 13 at their home venue, The Thunderdome. The tournament will feature teams from across conferences, with Kansas State, Vanderbilt, and Northern Colorado coming to compete.

LAST TIME OUT
The Gauchos attended the Trojan Invitational from Sept. 5-7, where they finished 1-2 with a win over San Diego and a pair of five-set losses to No. 13 Creighton and No. 22 USC. Eva Travis received All-Tournament Honors, and the Gauchos now lead the Big West in blocks with 55. Freshman Jordyn Johnson had a breakout weekend, making 20 kills and 11 blocks over the three matches. Santa Barbara is now looking to redeem their tournament record as well as defend their home court.

MATCH SCHEDULE
The Gauchos will first take on the Kansas State Wildcats, playing them on Thursday, Sept. 11, at 6:00 p.m. Santa Barbara will then face off against the Vanderbilt Commodores on Friday, Sept. 12, at 4:00 p.m. Following Friday's afternoon match, Kansas State will be playing Northern Colorado at 7:00 p.m.

Finally, the Gauchos will battle the Northern Colorado Bears on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 1:00 p.m. All Gaucho matches will be available to stream on ESPN+ and live stats.

OPPONENT OVERVIEW
Santa Barbara is 1-1 against the Wildcats, with their last meeting on Sept. 19, 2024, resulting in a 3-0 victory for the Gauchos. Kansas State is 4-0 on the season and has not yet lost a set. The Wildcats shut out Nevada, North Carolina State, Delaware, and UMBC, allowing the Gauchos the chance to give them their first set loss.

Vanderbilt's Women's Volleyball Team is returning to play following a 45-year hiatus, having been discontinued in 1980. The Gauchos have the privilege to take on the Commodores during their first year of play in the 21st century. Vanderbilt is currently 2-3 on the season, most recently falling to No. 14 Minnesota and will be playing California ahead of their match against the Gauchos. 

Santa Barbara is 0-1 versus Northern Colorado, with the Bears defeating the Gauchos on Aug. 26, 2022. The Bears are 2-4 for 2025 and will be taking on Cal Poly before heading down the coast to see the Gauchos.