Friday, August 21
Seattle, WA
8:00 pm MT
Montana State University
at
Washington
Photo by: Brian Morse
Preseason Volleyball Slate Continues In Seattle
8/18/2026 4:43:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Montana State women's volleyball team is set to conclude preseason play with an exhibition match at the University of Washington in Seattle on Friday, Aug. 21.
Two weeks from the team's report date, fourth-year head coach Matt Houk has been pleased with the program's progress so far. Cat fans got an early idea of the year ahead at the Blue-Gold Scrimmage last Tuesday, before the Bobcats traveled to Billings on Aug. 15 for a four-set exhibition victory against South Dakota Mines.
"It's been a positive couple of weeks here," Houk said. "The team came back in a good space physically to take on a heavy workload right away. It has been nice to compete twice already, in the Blue-Gold Scrimmage and the first exhibition match. It not only breaks up the preseason a little bit but also gives us some early opportunities to make evaluations and let players see where they need to put their focus moving forward."
Saturday's SD Mines exhibition featured familiar faces, with Karli Heidemann and Joelie Spelts leading the lineup alongside sophomore setter Teagan Jaynes. The Bobcats returned 12 players from last year's roster and welcomed four newcomers to the squad. With nearly every player appearing on the court, Houk emphasized a fast start and consistent competition during the match.
"All the returners came back in better spaces than they left," Houk said. "Our two oldest returning players, Karli and Joelie, are really leading the team. Now that they've done this for a few years, they are showing what the work can add up to when you attack it efficiently. They have not only done well numerically in the preseason, but they are also great stewards of the program and are helping everyone come along."
An unexpected addition to the roster has been outside hitter Lauren Greeny. Entering her fifth year at MSU, Greeny spent the last four seasons as one of the top athletes in the women's golf program. When a knee injury sidelined her volleyball career in high school, Greeny turned to golf, but has already stood out on the court this season after making a long-awaited return to the sport.
"We knew Greeny was going to be a really good competitor, but she hadn't played volleyball in a while," Houk said. "You can see that she got after it this summer after her golf season ended and put herself in a position to come in as a fifth year and get a chance to compete."
The Bobcats are slated for an 8 p.m. MT first serve in Seattle on Friday to face off against the Big Ten team. The Huskies finished 13-17 last season, going 8-12 in conference play.
"I think it's a really unique opportunity for us to follow up the SD Mines exhibition with an exhibition at Washington," Houk said. "Mines is going to be a quality Division II program this year, but we're going to see a more physical opponent in Washington. It's always an interesting matchup when a mid-major program takes on a perennially good Power 4 school, but we're a talented mid-major team, so I hope we can take care of our side of the court and give ourselves a chance to compete down the stretch."
Montana State begins regular-season action at the Maroon and White Classic hosted by Lafayette University. The Cats will open the season with a doubleheader against Delaware and the hosting Leopards. Sunday will feature a morning matchup with Marist to conclude the two-day tournament.
Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State women's volleyball team, follow the Bobcats on X at @MSUBobcatsVB and on Instagram at @msubobcatsvb. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following the Bobcats on X at @MSUBobcats, Instagram @MontanaStateBobcats, and on Facebook at Montana State Bobcats.
Two weeks from the team's report date, fourth-year head coach Matt Houk has been pleased with the program's progress so far. Cat fans got an early idea of the year ahead at the Blue-Gold Scrimmage last Tuesday, before the Bobcats traveled to Billings on Aug. 15 for a four-set exhibition victory against South Dakota Mines.
"It's been a positive couple of weeks here," Houk said. "The team came back in a good space physically to take on a heavy workload right away. It has been nice to compete twice already, in the Blue-Gold Scrimmage and the first exhibition match. It not only breaks up the preseason a little bit but also gives us some early opportunities to make evaluations and let players see where they need to put their focus moving forward."
Saturday's SD Mines exhibition featured familiar faces, with Karli Heidemann and Joelie Spelts leading the lineup alongside sophomore setter Teagan Jaynes. The Bobcats returned 12 players from last year's roster and welcomed four newcomers to the squad. With nearly every player appearing on the court, Houk emphasized a fast start and consistent competition during the match.
"All the returners came back in better spaces than they left," Houk said. "Our two oldest returning players, Karli and Joelie, are really leading the team. Now that they've done this for a few years, they are showing what the work can add up to when you attack it efficiently. They have not only done well numerically in the preseason, but they are also great stewards of the program and are helping everyone come along."
An unexpected addition to the roster has been outside hitter Lauren Greeny. Entering her fifth year at MSU, Greeny spent the last four seasons as one of the top athletes in the women's golf program. When a knee injury sidelined her volleyball career in high school, Greeny turned to golf, but has already stood out on the court this season after making a long-awaited return to the sport.
"We knew Greeny was going to be a really good competitor, but she hadn't played volleyball in a while," Houk said. "You can see that she got after it this summer after her golf season ended and put herself in a position to come in as a fifth year and get a chance to compete."
The Bobcats are slated for an 8 p.m. MT first serve in Seattle on Friday to face off against the Big Ten team. The Huskies finished 13-17 last season, going 8-12 in conference play.
"I think it's a really unique opportunity for us to follow up the SD Mines exhibition with an exhibition at Washington," Houk said. "Mines is going to be a quality Division II program this year, but we're going to see a more physical opponent in Washington. It's always an interesting matchup when a mid-major program takes on a perennially good Power 4 school, but we're a talented mid-major team, so I hope we can take care of our side of the court and give ourselves a chance to compete down the stretch."
Montana State begins regular-season action at the Maroon and White Classic hosted by Lafayette University. The Cats will open the season with a doubleheader against Delaware and the hosting Leopards. Sunday will feature a morning matchup with Marist to conclude the two-day tournament.
Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State women's volleyball team, follow the Bobcats on X at @MSUBobcatsVB and on Instagram at @msubobcatsvb. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following the Bobcats on X at @MSUBobcats, Instagram @MontanaStateBobcats, and on Facebook at Montana State Bobcats.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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