October 7, 2024

MADISON, S.D. – Two (RV) Dakota State (S.D.) athletes were selected to the eighth edition of the North Star Athletic Association Volleyball Players-of-the-Week Monday.  Madalyn Groft was chosen as the Setter-of-the-Week, while her teammate Kate VanRooyan was named as the Defender-of-the-Week.

Groft, 5-foot-7 graduate student setter from Mellette, S.D., propelled the Trojans to a pair of home victories at DSU Fieldhouse to wrap up the first half portion of the NSAA conference schedule.  She averaged 7.7 set assists and 2.7 digs per set. 

Groft produced 21 set assists (7.0 assists per set) and nine digs (3.0 digs per set) in DSU's 3-0 sweep over (RV) Valley City State (N.D.) on Oct. 2.  She followed up with 25 assists (8.3 assists per set) and seven digs (3.5 digs per set) in another Trojans' 3-0 sweep over Mayville State (N.D.) on Oct. 5.

For the week, Groft accumulated 46 set assists, a service ace in 27 serves, and 16 digs for Dakota State.

She had amassed 2,806 set assists during her career Dakota State before their matches on Saturday in Bellevue, Neb. Groft is fourth all-time set assists in school history.  She also collected 1,370 digs during her career.

Groft is sixth in the North Star conference with 6.6 set assists per set during league play for DSU.

VanRooyan, 5-foot-5 sophomore defensive specialist from Dakota Dunes, S.D., collected her fourth NSAA Volleyball Defender-of-the-Week award this season for the Trojans.  She averaged 7.2 digs per set during the week.

VanRooyan collected 28 digs (9.3 digs per set) in DSU's victory over VCSU on Oct. 2.  She also had four service aces in the match.  She followed up with 15 digs (5.0 digs) per set) in another 3-0 sweep over the Comets on Oct. 5.

For the week, VanRooyan amassed 43 digs and did not commit a reception error in 25 total receptions.  She had accumulated 987 digs during her career at Dakota State.

VanRooyan leads the North Star conference in overall digs with 380 digs.  She is also second in the league with 5.3 digs per set. 

Dakota State, 13-7 overall record and 3-2 NSAA conference record, steps aside their North Star Athletic Association play with their final two non-conference matches on Saturday afternoon.  The Trojans travel to Gordon Lozier Athletic Center in Bellevue, Neb., for the Marvel Bruin Classic.

DSU takes on (RV) Columbia (Mo.) at 2 p.m., followed by another match versus Grand View (Iowa) at 4:30 p.m.