LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State Aggies open Western Athletic Conference play on Saturday by hosting The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley at 1 p.m. in the Pan American Center.
 
NM State returns home after a strong pre-conference schedule with a 9-5 record, with the losses against nationally-ranked teams in four and five sets. Most recently, NM State lost to second-ranked Texas 3-1 in the Wildcat Classic, but not by a wide margin in any of the sets.
 
"At one point in the third set against Texas we were tied," head coach Mike Jordan.

The Aggies also fell to No. 16 Arizona the day before, but also in a four-set match that was also competitive, Jordan said.
 
Going into the tournament in Arizona, the team was being reconfigured on the road because of injuries to two starters, but Jordan said the team is fortunately made up of aggressive players who are finding new depth and range of play.
 
"This probably the best team I've had in four or five years," Jordan said. "As we begin conference play, I have a real good idea of our strengths and weaknesses."
 
The team is strong offensively, led by the hard-hitting, 6-2 senior Gwen Murphy of Elfrieda, Ariz./Valley Union. In the match against Texas, she racked up 16 kills.
 
What's good about the team, Jordan said, is that every player is going after the ball, and doesn't fall back on letting the strong players such as Murphy carry the team. Players such as sophomore Kaylee Neal of Gilbert, Ariz. are "flying all over the court" to keep the ball in play, which Jordan said illustrates the team's selfless attitude.
 
"We do what's best for the team and everybody has to be into that," he said. "That's the way this team is."
 
Jordan said NM State's team this year is worthy of the kind of crowds volleyball attracted to the Pan Am nearly 10 years ago.
 
"This is an exceptionally fun team to watch play," Jordan said. "I really hope people come out to see them."
 
He said other players to watch include senior Bradley Nash of Kayenta, Ariz./Monument Valley, senior Nathalie Castellanos of Vado, N.M./Gadsden and sophomore Jordan Abalos of Safford, Ariz., in addition to promising freshman Tatyana Battle of Albuquerque, N.M./Cibola.
 
Jordan said the team also is sound defensively, but needs more discipline, especially with blocking. Sophomore Sasha-Lee Thomas of Pottsville, Pa., has become one of the Aggies better defensive players and played a key blocking roll in the close match against Texas.
 
Despite UTRGV's 6-7 record, don't look for the Aggies' aggressive style of play to let up. Jordan said the Vaqueros are greatly improved compared to last season with one of the WAC's top players in Bojana Mitrovic who leads the conference with 3.96 kills per set. The Aggies can't afford to take any team for granted, especially with each set counting toward NM State's record in the WAC.