The No. 13 ranked Barton Community College volleyball team opened its 2026 season with a perfect weekend, finishing 4-0 at the GECU NMMI Classic in Roswell, New Mexico.
The Cougars opened the season with a challenging Friday slate, twice battling from a set down before prevailing in five over No. 6 Odessa College (21-25, 25-13, 21-25, 25-19, 15-10). Barton returned later in the day to knock off No. 10 Eastern Arizona College in four sets (25-19, 16-25, 25-17, 25-22).
Barton carried the momentum into Saturday with a pair of sweeps, beginning with a victory over Division II No. 6 Mesa Community College (25-15, 25-20, 29-27), before dispatching Tyler Junior College (25-20, 25-23, 25-22).Barton has a week of preparation before returning to action for three matches at the Victory Electric Classic in Dodge City. The Cougars open Friday at 8:30 a.m. against Eastern Wyoming College before returning Saturday to face Lee College at 9:00 a.m. then wrapping up a long day's wait with a 4:30 p.m. tangle with Iowa Western Community College.
Weekend LeadersSophomore outside hitter Caroliny Cristiny powered the Barton attack with a team-leading 52 kills across 15 sets, averaging 3.47 per set while adding 39 digs, nine blocks and six service aces. Cristiny recorded double-doubles in both of Friday's ranked victories, highlighted by a career-high 23 kills on .404 hitting while matching her career high with 15 digs against No. 6 Odessa before adding 16 kills and 11 digs against No. 10 Eastern Arizona.
Freshman Amanda Riepe made an immediate impact in her collegiate debut, finishing with 40 kills and 40 digs across the four matches. Riepe's weekend was highlighted by 13 kills on .320 hitting against Division II No. 6 Mesa, while fellow freshman Mariam Urazbakhtina contributed 32 kills, including 11 on .348 hitting against Eastern Arizona and nine on a .400 clip against Mesa.
Sophomore transfer setter Natalia Malinowska-Nowak directed the Cougar offense in her Barton debut, distributing 114 assists while leading the team with 45 digs and adding six service aces. Malinowska-Nowak handed out 43 assists against Odessa before posting a 44-assist, 10-dig double-double with three aces against Eastern Arizona.
At the net, sophomore Brylynn Wicker put down 19 kills on a team-best .326 hitting among Barton's primary attackers while adding nine blocks. Paola Batista led the Cougars with 10 blocks, with Cristiny and Wicker each adding nine and freshman Ana Fabiely Fachi contributing seven blocks while hitting .304 for the weekend.
Match Recaps
- vs. No. 6 Odessa: Cristiny erupted for 23 kills on .404 hitting with 15 digs, while Wicker added eight kills on .375 hitting and six blocks. Malinowska-Nowak directed the offense with 43 assists as Barton twice rallied from a set down to prevail in five.
- vs. No. 10 Eastern Arizona: Cristiny produced her second straight double-double with 16 kills and 11 digs, Urazbakhtina added 11 kills on .348 hitting, and Malinowska-Nowak finished with 44 assists, 10 digs and three aces in the four-set victory.
- vs. Division II No. 6 Mesa: Riepe led the attack with 13 kills on .320 hitting, Urazbakhtina added nine kills on .400 hitting and four block assists, while Malinowska-Nowak contributed 15 assists and 15 digs as Barton opened Saturday with a sweep.
- vs. Tyler: Riepe finished with eight kills, 10 digs and four aces, Cristiny added eight kills and three aces, while Wicker put down five kills without an error on .455 hitting as Barton completed its perfect weekend with another sweep