The UNM volleyball team will rack up some frequent-flyer miles this month.
Gearing up for a 12-game road trip, the Lobos will stop in Virginia, Nebraska, Texas, California and Nevada.
"We're all excited to pack our bags," senior outside hitter Jeanne Fairchild said. "This is the first time in my career here at UNM that we're going to be away from Johnson Gym for that long."
Last year, the Lobos were 6-8 on the road. But head coach Jeff Nelson said he is not worried about repeating that record.
"There is no better preparation for road games than what we did this summer in Argentina," he said.
"... I've said it all along: We're a whole new team this year."
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UNM's journey begins with a 3,744-mile trip to Fairfax, Va., for the George Mason Patriot Invitational, where the Lobos will face Rutgers, La Salle, Saint Francis and George Mason.
"The tournament in Washington, D.C., is one that we expect to go out and win," Nelson said. "We'll be able to get more players some playing time, and it will be a good tournament for us in preparation for the rest of the trip."
The next stop will be Lincoln, Neb., for the Nebraska Ameritas Players Challenge, where opponents include national powerhouses Nebraska, LSU and St. John's.
"I'm most excited for that tournament," senior setter Sarah Kwasigroch said. "Those are three of the top schools in the nation, and we'll be playing in front of crowds of over 10,000 people. Playing in that type of atmosphere is going to be amazing."
Nelson said the tournament will give UNM a good indication of where it stands compared to some of the nation's elite.
"We expect to go to Nebraska and win," Nelson said. "I'm not going to dance around it. And I've told the girls we're at the point where we need to be talking about top-10 programs and how we can beat them, not just comparing ourselves to the teams in our conference."
The Lobos will also make a pit-stop in Arlington, Texas, for a
tournament before opening Mountain West Conference play at TCU, San Diego State and UNLV.
"It's really important that we open our conference schedule with three wins," Fairchild said. "We were picked to finish fourth this year, and we want to prove that we are better than that. There is no better feeling than being underestimated and proving our naysayers wrong."
UNM's homecoming is Oct. 2 against BYU, who dashed the Lobos' tournament hopes last year.
"We're definitely looking for revenge against BYU," senior libero Gayle Tripp said. "And watch out, MWC. Here we come."
