November 15, 2024
This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Nov. 15, 2024)—The Dakota State University Trojan volleyball team (17-11 overall record, 5-5 North Star Athletic Association record, receiving votes—RV—in the 2024 NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 Final Poll) continues their postseason action Friday evening as they play in their sixth North Star Athletic Association semifinal appearance in the past seven years.
The Trojans face No. 2 seed Jamestown (N.D.) (22-1 overall record, 9-1 NSAA conference record, No. 3 in the final edition of the NAIA's Top 25 national poll) in the first NSAA semifinal match Friday evening at 5 p.m. The second NSAA semifinal action features No. 4 seed Valley City State (N.D.) (15-13 overall record) taking on the host team and No. 1 seed Bellevue (Neb.) (26-3 overall record, 9-1 NSAA conference record, No. 5 in the final edition of the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 national poll) at 7 p.m.
Friday's semifinals winners will advance to the North Star Athletic Association championship match on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. This weekend's postseason tournament final site is being hosted at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center on the campus of Bellevue (1024 Bruin Blvd).
Dakota State kicked off their postseason action with a 3-0 home sweep over sixth-seeded Mayville State (N.D.) on Nov. 9 at DSU Fieldhouse. The Trojans secured their home court winning record for the seventh consecutive season after winning by the set scores of 25-18, 31-29, and 25-21.
Jamestown wrapped up their regular-season with a 3-0 sweep over NCAA Division II Minot State (N.D.) on Nov. 7. Valley City State also started the NSAA quarterfinals round with a 3-0 home sweep over Dickinson State (N.D.) on Nov. 8. Bellevue did not play since Nov. 2 when they swept Mayville State in three straight sets on the road.
Up Next: The NAIA Women's Volleyball National Tournament is set for Saturday, Nov. 23, with 24 winners advancing to the final site at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, on Dec. 4-10.
This Week's Quick Hits
+Dakota State (S.D.) secured their seventh consecutive season with a home court winning record after their 3-0 home victory over Mayville State (N.D.) in the North Star Athletic Association quarterfinals round at DSU Fieldhouse on Nov. 9.
+DSU is meeting Jamestown (N.D.) in the NSAA postseason for the first time since Nov. 8, 2016.
+Dakota State will be making their sixth appearance in the North Star Athletic Association semifinal round for the sixth time in the past seven years. The Trojans are seeking for their return to the championship match of the first time since 2021.
+This will be the final year of NSAA Women's Volleyball Postseason Tournament before transitioning to the Frontier Conference in 2025-26 season.
+The Trojans are 8-4 record on neutral sites this season, including the most recent victory over Grand View (Iowa) in the Marvel Classic at Bellevue (Neb.) on Oct. 12.
+Four Trojans were honored at the North Star Athletic Association Women's Volleyball awards presentation at Bellevue (Neb.) on Nov. 14.
Sydney Schell and
Madalyn Groft became a 4-time NSAA conference selection for the first time since Carly Rozell from 2014-17.
A look at 2024 NSAA Postseason Tournament
Madison, S.D. (Nov. 15, 2024)—The North Star Athletic Association Women's Volleyball Postseason Tournament will be in their final year, where the postseason tournament matches are being playing on the second weekend (tournament kicked off last weekend at higher seed). No. 1 seed Bellevue (Neb.) hosts the final weekend of postseason tournament.
The quarterfinals round kicked off on Nov. 8 where No. 4 seed Valley City State (N.D.) swept No. 5 seed Dickinson State (N.D.). No. 3 seed Dakota State (S.D.) followed with a 3-0 home sweep over No. 6 seed Mayville State (N.D.).
The semifinals are set for Friday (tonight) as top 4 seeds battle, starting with Dakota State taking on No. 2 seed Jamestown (N.D.) at 5 p.m. and Valley City State taking on top-seeded Bellevue (Neb.) at 7 p.m.
The NSAA championship match is set for Saturday, Nov. 16, with the first serve at 2 p.m. The winner of the NSAA postseason tournament receive the automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round on Saturday, Nov. 23.
(RV) DSU sweeps Comets 3-0 to advance to NSAA semifinals
Madison, S.D. (Nov. 9, 2024)—No. 3 seed Dakota State (S.D.) used a balanced offense to earn a 3-0 sweep over No. 6 seed Mayville State (N.D.) at DSU Fieldhouse in the North Star Athletic Association quarterfinal match.
Dakota State hit an impressive .439 in the first set, cruising to a 25-18 victory for a 1-0 match lead. The Trojans held on to a thrilling 31-29 set two victory and secured the match victory after earning a 25-21 set three win.
Three Dakota State hitters registered double digit kills, led by
Macey Wathen with 11 kills. She hit .381 in the match.
Brooklyn Grage and
Tristyn Maras each added 10 kills. Grage produced .300 hitting percentage, while Maras hit .22.
Hailey Wathen added nine kills and hit. 308.
Sydney Schell had seven kills, surpassing Maddie Polzin for third all-time kills at Dakota State. Schell currently have 1,459 career kills at DSU, while Polzin tallied 1,456 career kills.
Madalyn Groft contributed 22 set assists and five digs for the Trojans.
Maddi Langerock added 19 set assists and nine digs.
Kate VanRooyan tallied 13 digs, five set assists, and a service ace.
Reagan VanRooyan had a service ace.
Dakota State hit .276 in the match (54 kills with 17 errors in 134 swings) compared to Mayville State .167 hitting percentage (43 kills with 21 errors in 132 attempts.) Both teams had eight blocks in the match.
Four Trojans earn NSAA All-Conference awards
Bellevue, Neb. (Nov. 15, 2024)—Four Dakota State (S.D.) athletes were honored at the 2024 North Star Athletic Association awards presentation at John Muller Building Symposium Room on the campus of Bellevue (Neb.). The awards presentation was announced on the eve of the NSAA volleyball conference postseason tournament's final site with ice cream social.
A total of 14 players are listed on the First Team All-Conference and eight players on the Second Team All-Conference.
Senior outside hitter
Sydney Schell and sophomore defensive specialist/libero
Kate VanRooyan were named to NSAA All-Conference First Team. Graduate student
Madalyn Groft and sophomore middle hitter
Macey Wathen were listed on the All-Conference Second Team. Groft was Dakota State's recipient for the NSAA Champions of Character award.
Schell and Groft became a 4-time NSAA All-Conference Volleyball recipient, the first time since Carly Rozell who was the first 4-time NSAA All-Conference athlete at Dakota State.
Dakota State in the North Star conference ranks
Madison, S.D. (Nov. 15, 2024)—According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Friday, Dakota State is third in the North Star Athletic Association with 1,343 kills this season. The Trojans are also third in the conference with 13.3 kills per set.
DSU leads the North Star Athletic Association in total digs with 1,950 digs. The Trojans also lead the league with 19.3 digs per set.
Kate VanRooyan leads the North Star conference with 548 digs and ranks second with 5.4 digs per set for the Trojans.
Brooklyn Grage is fifth in the conference with 0.78 blocks per set.
Sydney Schell ranks fifth in the North Star in total kills with 285 kills for Dakota State. She also ranks fifth in the league with 398 total digs.
Macey Wathen produces .300 hitting percentage which is ninth best hitting percentage in the North Star Athletic Association for DSU.
2024 DSU Trojan Volleyball Team Leaders
