2019 Big Sky Challenge: The Battlin' Bears return to Montana this week to play in the familiar Big Sky Challenge. The event is hosted by Montana Tech at the Butte Civic Center in Butte, Montana. Beyond an array of familiar Frontier Conference rivals, the event will also host teams from Idaho, California, North Dakota, and Indiana. Tickets for the event are $10 each day with free admission for children 12 and under.

A Look Behind: Rocky Mountain College opened their season last week at the 2019 Summer Slam Tournament in Fullerton, California. Rocky went 3-0 against Benedictine at Mesa in addition to a 3-2 win against Hope International while losing 0-3 to Saint Francis and 2-3 to The Masters. Both losses came against two top 30 ranked teams in the NAIA. The Master's are ranked No. 15 in the NAIA's Coaches' Preseason Poll while University of Saint Francis was in the receiving votes category with 23 votes. The loss to St. Francis was the first loss for the Battlin' Bears against an un-ranked top 25 opponent since a 2-3 loss to Providence in October of 2017. 

Battlin' Bears So Far: After the first week of play, Daniella Russell leads the Battlin' Bears in kills and kills per set. Third on the team in kills last year and a second team all-conference outside hitter, Russell steps into the shoes of departing seniors Olivia L'Ami and Hailey Copinga who both scored over 350 kills last year. Natalie Hilderman shows no signs of slowing down in her junior year. Hilderman who was the 2017 Frontier Conference Freshman of the Year and the 2018 Frontier Conference Setter of the Year has already tallied 132 total assists which ranks No. 10 in the NAIA. In her collegiate debut, freshman Ayla Embry averaged 5.69 digs per set for a total of 91 digs. Naomi Bad Bear has 19 kills of her own and leads the Frontier in total blocks with 20.

Game 1 – Northwest University: The Battlin' Bears begin the tournament Friday afternoon with a match against the Northwest University Eagles. Both teams played each other last year at the Big Sky Challenge where the Battlin' Bears won 3-1. The Eagles received 18 votes in the NAIA's Coaches Preseason Top 25 Poll. Key Eagles returning from last year include Keaan White (266 kills and 2.31 kills per set) and Hannah Lord (196 kills and 2.13 kills per set). Christina Hegarty also returns after averaging 4.31 digs per set on 504 total digs in 2018. The Eagles will begin the season Thursday with a game against the Montana Western Bulldogs.

Game 2 – Evergreen State College: The Evergreen State College Geoducks will face off against the Battlin' Bears Friday Night. The last time these two teams met, the Battlin' Bears won in a 3-0 sweep. The Geoducks return setter Sierra Wolff who earned the Cascade Collegiate Conference Freshman of the Year honor after averaging 8.88 assists per game with 932 total assists. Other key returners are Chloe Hunt who led the team in blocks last year with 108 and Renita Gray who was third on the team last year with 252 kills.

Game 3 – College of Idaho: No. 12 ranked College of Idaho presents a highly ranked target for Rocky at the tourna-ment. One of only six teams to defeat the Battlin' Bears in 2018, the 'Yotes defeated the Battlin' Bears 3-2 in their last match-up. College of Idaho returns Drew Dobney who was the Cascade Conference Libero of the Year in 2018. Dobney led the Cascade with 571 total digs and averaged 4.46 digs per set. Ashley Pagan, a second team NAIA All-American outside hitter, returns after leading the Cascade with 462 kills last year on an average of 3.70 kills per set. 

Game 4 – Bethel College: Rocky will conclude the tournament with a match against the Bethel College Pilots (1-0). The Battlin' Bears have not played the Pilots since at least the start of the 2006 season. The Pilots return Madyson Beaver whose 264 kills as a freshman ranked second on the team in 2018. Libero Bridget Downs returns for her senior season after totaling 561 digs last year on an average of 4.84 digs per set.

Frontier Player of the Week Sweep: After finishing the first week of the 2019 volleyball season, Rocky Mountain Col-lege earned all three of the Frontier Conference Player of the Week awards. 
•    Daniella Russell earned the Volleyball Attacker of the Week honor after averaging four kills per set with a .216 hitting percentage. She finished the week with 64 kills in 16 sets and four matches. 
•    Ayla Embry earned the Volleyball Defender of the Week honor for the Frontier Conference. In her collegiate debut, the freshman libero averaged 5.69 digs per set to finish the week with a total of 91 digs. 
•    Natalie Hilderman earned the Volleyball Setter of the Week honor for the Frontier Conference after averaging 8.25 assists and 3.19 digs per set. Over the course of 16 sets in four matches, Hilderman totaled 132 assists, 51 digs, and 17 kills. During her sophomore season, Hilderman led the Battlin' Bears for 2018 Frontier Conference Player of the Week honors with six separate selections. 

NAIA Team Rankings: Rocky is currently ranked No. 3 in total digs (329) and No. 6 in digs per game (20.56). The team also ranks No. 9 in total blocks with 34.

NAIA Player Rankings: One week down and four Battlin' Bears are ranked top ten in the NAIA's individual rankings. Freshman Ayla Embry ranks No. 4 in total digs (91) and No. 11 in digs per set (5.69). Daniella Russell ranks No. 10 in total kills (64) and No. 8 in kills per game (4). Naomi Bad Bear ranks No. 7 in total blocks (20) and Natalie Hilderman ranks No. 10 in total assists (132).