CALDWELL, Idaho — The College of Idaho volleyball team continued its historic start to the 2026 season Saturday night, rallying past Dickinson State, 3-1, to close out the I-84 Classic at Northwest Nazarene's Johnson Sports Center.
The Yotes improved to 7-0 on the season with the 25-15, 22-25, 25-20, 25-11 victory, their best start since 2017 (9-0). That 2017 team advanced to the NAIA National Quarterfinals, the deepest postseason run in recent history.
College of Idaho overcame a second-set setback by controlling the final two sets, hitting .257 in the third set before closing the match with a .385 attacking percentage in the fourth. The Yotes finished the night with 53 kills and a .229 team hitting percentage, while holding Dickinson State to a .035 mark.
Jessica Stires led the Yotes with 11 kills, while Cierra Bohrn and Alexa Wheeler each added 10. Bohrn hit .364 and contributed eight block assists, while Wheeler posted nine block assists and a solo block. Cora Young added seven kills on 12 attacks without committing an error, hitting .583 for the match.
Setter Shaynee McWilliams orchestrated the offense with 44 assists and added three kills, four block assists and an ace. Keylee Wilson contributed six kills and 15 digs, while Avery Lewis paced the defensive effort with 21 digs.
The Yotes jumped out to a 25-15 win in the opening set, using a strong offensive attack and a series of blocks to build an early advantage. Dickinson State answered in the second, overcoming an early College of Idaho lead and closing the frame on a 6-1 run to even the match at one set apiece.
College of Idaho responded in the third set, turning a 15-14 deficit into a 25-20 victory. The Yotes took control late with five consecutive points to move from a 19-19 tie to a 24-19 advantage before closing out the set.
The fourth set belonged to the Yotes. After Dickinson State pulled within 6-5, College of Idaho scored 18 of the next 23 points, including a seven-point run that pushed the lead to 23-9. Three straight aces from Kadence Boyd helped seal the late surge before the Yotes finished the match, 25-11.
With the win, College of Idaho remains unbeaten at 7-0 to open the season, continuing a start that has quickly placed the program in historic territory.
