August 15, 2024
This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Aug. 15, 2024)—The Dakota State University Trojan volleyball team (16-15 overall record, 6-6 North Star record in 2023, receiving votes—RV—in the 2024 NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Poll) makes their 2024 debut in a preseason tournament on Friday and Saturday. The Trojans play four matches in the Keiser (Fla.) Vipers Sports Academy Classic at Student Life Center (2600 North Military Trail) on campus in West Palm Beach, Fla.
DSU opens the tournament play against Campbellsville (Ky.) (18-11 overall record in 2023) Friday at 2 p.m. (Eastern Time)/1 p.m. (Central Time), followed by a match against preseason nationally ranked No. 19 St. Thomas (Fla.) (27-3 overall record) at 6 p.m. (ET)/5 p.m. (CT). The Trojans play two more matches on Saturday versus another preseason nationally-ranked No. 11 Missouri Baptist (27-7 overall record in 2023) at 2 p.m. (ET)/1 p.m. (CT) and Taylor (Ind.) (15-19 overall record in 2023) at 6 p.m. (ET)/5 p.m. (CT).
Keiser has set up a tournament page for all of the matches held at the Student Life Center on
https://kuseahawks.com/. There is a fee to watch the volleyball matches, provided by Hudl TV.
Dakota State returns to West Palm Beach, Fla., for the second time in the past three seasons. The Trojans competed in The Chick-Fil-A Classic, finishing with a 3-1 record (defeated Columbia International, S.C., Olivet Nazarene, Ill., and Georgetown, Ky., and lost to Loyola, La.).
Up Next: Dakota State returns home to open their two-match home stand at DSU Fieldhouse. The Trojans host a pair of Great Plains Athletic Conference, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), on Saturday at 1 p.m. (junior varsity) and 3 p.m. DSU host Morningside (Iowa) on Aug. 28 at 5 p.m. (junior varsity) and 7 p.m. Dakota State then plays in another preseason tournament in Sioux City, Iowa, on Labor Day weekend.
This Week's Quick Hits
+Dakota State (S.D.) will face a team from four different conferences in the Keiser (Fla.) Sports Academy Classic this weekend. The Trojans face a team from the Mid-South Conference, the Sun Conference, the America Midwest Conference, and the Crossroad League.
+The Trojans will face Campbellsville (Ky.) for the first time in the all-time series meeting on Friday. Dakota State also plays Missouri Baptist for the first-ever meeting on Saturday afternoon.
+DSU and St. Thomas (Fla.) face each other for the second time in the series meeting, with the Bobcats winning the first meeting on Aug. 21, 2015, in the St. Thomas tournament in Miami Gardens, Fla.
+Dakota State and Taylor (Ind.) met for the first time on Sept. 10, 2022, in the Viterbo (Wis.) tournament in La Crosse, Wis. Taylor won the first-ever meeting in four sets.
+The Trojans finished their 2023 season with an overall record of 16-15, their sixth winning season in the previous seven seasons.
+Dakota State plays in three different preseason tournaments in the next four weekends, including this weekend in Florida. The Trojans play in the Siouxland Invitational during Labor Day weekend, followed by a pair of matches in the Viterbo (Wis.) Tournament on Sept. 6-7.
Trojans begin season with recognition in NAIA poll
Madison, S.D. (Aug. 14, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) kicked off the season by earning recognition in the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Poll, announced by the national office. Four of the North Star Athletic Association women's volleyball teams, including DSU, are listed in the NAIA Top 25 national poll and receiving votes section.
The Trojans also were picked to finish fourth in the NSAA conference, edging Mayville State (N.D.) by one point. Each NSAA member will be playing a total of 10 matches in the final year of the league, with Jamestown (N.D.) returning in 2023-24 for the first time since 2017-18.
Jamestown, ranked No. 9 in the preseason poll, was tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the league title. Bellevue (Neb.) was second in the conference poll and ranked No. 14 in the national preseason poll. Valley City State (N.D.) came in third in the NSAA poll and No. 22 ranked in the national poll.
This year's North Star postseason tournament will be held at the campus sites, with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds receiving the first round byes. The dates will be on Nov. 9, with the final four at No. 1 on Nov. 15-16.
2023 DSU Trojan Volleyball season in review
Madison, S.D. (Aug. 15, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) advanced to the 2023 North Star Athletic Association Women's Volleyball Postseason semifinals before falling to eventual champion and nationally ranked Viterbo (Wis.) in four sets. The Trojans finished their 2023 season with an overall record of 16-15 and 6-6 NSAA conference record (tied for fourth in the standings with Mayville State, N.D.).
Three DSU athletes collected NSAA conference awards, led by
Sydney Schell as the First Team All-Conference selection. It was the third straight year that she was on the All-Conference team, her second straight year as the First Team selection. She surpassed a pair of milestones last season, passing the 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs.
Kate VanRooyan was selected to the conference's Second Team, as well as the North Star's Freshman of the Year. She led the team with 553 digs and averaged 5.2 digs per set for the Trojans.
Madalyn Groft was named the North Star's Champions of Character recipient.
Eight Dakota State athletes earned the NAIA Women's Volleyball Scholar Athlete award. In addition, 14 Trojans athletes received the North Star Fall Sports Scholar Athlete award for their academic success in the classroom. Groft and Schell earned the College of Sports Communicators Women's Volleyball Academic All-District Team award.
Trojans in the volleyball school record book
Madison, S.D. (Aug. 15, 2024)—A pair of athletes are listed in the 'Top 5' all-time Dakota State women's volleyball school record book.
Sydney Schell ranks fifth in all-time kills with 1,174 kills at DSU. Amanda Vos holds the fourth all-time kills with 1,390 kills from 2000-04. Carly Rozell, a four-time North Star Athletic Association All-Conference recipient, holds the all-time school record of 1,481 kills from 2014-17.
Madalyn Groft also ranks fifth in the Trojan women's volleyball school record in set assists. Prior to this season, she accumulated 2,393 sets assists. Rachel Johnson holds the fourth all-time school record with 2,515 set assists from 2015-20. Stacey Westby leads the all-time record with 3,804 set assists from 2011-15.
A pair of individual DSU single match were listed last season. Groft was tied for eighth in most service aces with six on Sept. 1, 2023, versus Dordt (Iowa).
Hannah Evans registered nine blocks at Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Oct. 3, 2023, tied for ninth most blocks in a single match.
2024 Dakota State Volleyball overview
Madison, S.D. (Aug. 15, 2024)—
Amy Veenhof, who holds the most victories in women's volleyball program history, will be entering her 16th season as head coach at Dakota State. She is assisted by
Laura Babcock and graduate assistant
Ashley Hill.
The Trojans will be facing 11 different teams that qualified for the NAIA Women's Volleyball National Tournament last season. DSU is scheduled to play three different preseason tournaments in the first four weekends of the regular season.
DSU is scheduled to play 12 straight matches away from the DSU Fieldhouse from Aug. 30 through Sept. 28, and returns home on Oct. 1 for a conference match with Valley City State (N.D.). DSU's first home matches will be on Aug. 24 versus rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) and on Aug. 28 versus Morningside (Iowa).
The Trojan junior varsity squad begin their season Wednesday with a scrimmage at Minnesota West CC. They will be playing a total of 20 matches, including a preseason tournament on Labor Day weekend in Sioux City, Iowa, and hosting a triangular on Oct. 28 at DSU Fieldhouse.
2024 DSU Trojan Volleyball Returning Team Leaders
Follow DSU Athletics
· Twitter: @DSU_Trojans
· Facebook: DSUTrojans
· Instagram: trojans.athletics
· DSU Volleyball Twitter: @volleyball_dsu
· DSU Volleyball Facebook: Dakota State University Volleyball
· DSU Volleyball Instagram: volleyball_dsu
