MOSCOW, Idaho - Just two more days separate Idaho Volleyball from the first taste of live action.

Last year's season finale vs. Northern Arizona feels like a lifetime ago, and the Vandals have put in months of work to build a team ready to compete on the court and build those crucial relationships off it. Head coach Romana Redondo Kriskova has been oft-credited by the newcomers as someone who wants to build a high-effort, high-character team, and the work that everyone has put in in the weight room and during fall camp has produced those building blocks. 

The next step in preparing Idaho for live competition with another team is live competition with each other. On Saturday, the Vandals will face the Vandals in the annual Black and Gold Scrimmage.

More specifically, the team will take the court in Memorial Gym for an intrasquad scrimmage that will feature players rotating in and out on both sides of the net. Vandal fans can expect to see many, if not every player, getting reps on one end before going over to the other.

In terms of who you will see on Saturday, every returner from 2024's team saw valuable time on the court. Natalia Wielgus, Chiara Gennari, Madu Fontes, Ada Isik, and Zuzanna Whitman each had prominent roles last year and bring that familiarity and stability to 2025.

Conversely, five freshmen and six transfers highlight the new faces on the team, each having the potential to make an impact early in their Vandal careers. Gabi Smith, Kiana Greer, Csenge Krakoczki, Chloe Sanders, and Aleina Manaois come to Moscow from the high school and prep ranks, each beginning their inaugural seasons in black and gold with high regards from the coaching staff.

Kailee Wakatake, Kyriah Trefren, Sara Hiebert, Sarah Sullivan, Koen Makaula, and Cayton White each made waves at previous institutions across all levels of college volleyball and add instant depth to Idaho's roster.

The scrimmage tips off at 2:00pm PST. It will not be streamed and live stats will not be tracked, so fans are encouraged to pack into Memorial Gym early to see the 2025 Vandals in action.

FREE KIDS CLINIC
Immediately following the scrimmage, the team will be hosting a free kids clinic available to K-4th grade. Those who wish to participate can go to govandals.com or click HERE for a waiver form to be filled out and returned to assistant coach Ben Kasun at bkasun@uidaho.edu 

FOLLOW THE VANDALS
To stay up to date with Vandal Volleyball, follow the team on Instagram(vandalvolleyball), X(IdahoVolleyball) and visit govandals.com