The San Diego State volleyball team has been more determined than ever to put SDSU on the map as a tough competitor in the Mountain West Conference as well as within the entire NCAA, and most of it has to do with the leadership of sophomore starting setter Johnna Fouch.

Fouch has stood out this season. Not only does she provide the majority of assists each game, but she also ensures that her voice is heard on the court, making it clear that she is indeed one of the central leaders of the team.

Although she is still a young player, Fouch says her skills as a setter have significantly improved from last year.

“This year I feel I am a completely different setter (technique-wise),” Fouch said. “Coach Kele taught me her technique she learned professionally, and I caught on really fast, which has made me set better than ever.”

This method seems to be suiting Fouch well because she’s averaging nearly 35 assists each game.

Putting their skills to the ultimate test, Fouch and the rest of the Aztec team recently defeated TCU, a challenging MW contender. With Fouch maintaining her teammates’ spirits, they were able to pull off an unforgettable win, giving the Horned Frogs their second loss of the season.

“We fought really hard,” Fouch said. “Our team has three goals to maintain throughout the year: talking for every ball, coming together as a team after every play, and to go after every ball no matter where it is. We exceeded that goal against TCU.”

As for Fouch’s expectations of the Aztecs placing in the MW, her presumptions are simple.

“This year’s competition is really competitive, so no one really knows what to expect,” Fouch said. “But, I see our team finishing top three in conference this year, which would be a great accomplishment.”

Fouch and the rest of the team will travel to Fort Collins, Colo. to take on MW rival Colorado State at 6 p.m. on Thursday.