August 22, 2024
This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Aug. 22, 2024)—The Dakota State University Trojan volleyball team (2-2 overall record, receiving votes—RV—in the 2024 NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Poll) prepares for their home opener at DSU Fieldhouse. The Trojans host a pair of Great Plains Athletic Conference foes, hosting rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) (1-3 overall record, RV in national poll) Saturday afternoon. The junior varsity match is set for 1 p.m., followed by the varsity match at 3 p.m.
DSU remains home Wednesday evening, welcoming Morningside (Iowa) (3-1 overall record, RV in national poll). There will be Swap 'Ur Swag in the lobby area, exchanging one of your old shirt/jersey in trade for DSU shirt. The junior varsity is slated for 5 p.m. and varsity match at 7 p.m.
Both Trojan junior varsity and varsity teams will be playing four matches in the Siouxland Invitational next weekend. The varsity matches are being held at the United Sports Academy (300 Centennial Drive Suite 170) in North Sioux City, S.D. The junior varsity matches will be played at The Arena Sports Academy (4501 Southern Hills Drive) in Sioux City, Iowa.
DSU made their 2024 season debut in the Keiser (Fla.) Vipers Sports Academy in West Palm Beach, Fla., with a 2-2 record on Aug. 16-17. DWU went 1-3 record in the Big Sky Tournament in Montana on Aug.
16-17. Morningside went 3-1 record in the College of Idaho tournament on the opening weekend.
Up Next: Dakota State continues their preseason tournament on the first weekend of September. The Trojans travel to La Crosse, Wis., on Sept. 6-7 for the Viterbo (Wis.) tournament. DSU takes on a pair of Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference squads, Judson (Ill.) and No. 5 ranked Viterbo (Wis.). The Trojan volleyball junior varsity team will be home on Sept. 4 versus Sisseton Wahpeton (S.D.) at 6 p.m.
This Week's Quick Hits
+Dakota State (S.D.) and Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) went to five sets in the previous four meetings, each meeting won by the Tigers. The Trojans are seeking for their first home win over DWU since Sept. 2
6, 2018, and their first win over DWU since Oct. 5, 2021.
+DSU and DWU are scheduled to meet for the second meeting this season on Sept. 10.
+Morningside (Iowa), who qualified for the NAIA national tournament last season, defeated the Trojans in five set in their last meeting in Sioux City, Iowa. DSU earned a 3-0 sweep over the Mustangs in the last home meeting at DSU Fieldhouse on Sept. 15, 2
022.
+Dakota State will be playing at the United Sports Academy on Labor Day weekend for the fourth consecutive year. This will be the first time that the junior varsity team will compete in the tournament.
+The Trojans are scheduled to face a pair of teams from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, and a team from the Heart of America Athletic Conference and the America Midwest Conference in the Siouxland Invitational in North Sioux City, S.D.
+Dakota State have two home matches this month and will not return to DSU Fieldhouse until Oct. 2 as they host Valley City State (N.D.) in the North Star Athletic Association action.
Dakota State (S.D.) in Siouxland Invitational
Madison, S.D. (Aug. 22, 2024)—Both Dakota State (S.D.) varsity and junior varsity squads will be competing in the Siouxland Invitational during Labor Day weekend.
The Trojan varsity team competes at the United Sports Academy in North Sioux City, S.D. They open the tournament play against York (Neb.) at 11 a.m. and (RV) Benedictine (Kan.) at 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 30. DSU continues their action on Aug. 31 versus Haskell (Kan.) at 9 a.m. and (RV) McPherson (Kan.) at 2 p.m.
The DSU junior varsity team play at The Arena Sports Academy in Sioux City, Iowa. They will be playing four matches (best-of-3), opening against McPherson (Kan.) at 12 p.m. and Dickinson State (N.D.) at 6 p.m. on Aug. 30. The Trojans face York at 11 a.m. and Dordt (Iowa) at 5 p.m. on Aug. 31.
Stay tuned to the DSU Athletics website on dsuathletics.com for the live coverage of the Siouxland Invitational. The Trojans will have one more preseason tournament in early September, with the varsity team in La Crosse, Wis., on Sept. 6-7 and the junior varsity team in the Jamestown (N.D.) tournament on Sept. 14.
Trojans open 2024 season with a split in Florida
West Palm Beach, Fla. (Aug. 16, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) made their 2024 season debut with a split in the Keiser (Fla.) Vipers Sports Academy Classic.
The Trojans held off Campbellsville (Ky.) in a five-set marathon by the set scores of 25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 20-25, and 15-12. Four different players posted double-doubles in the match, paced by
Madalyn Groft's 27 set assists and 11 digs.
Hailey Wathen added 12 kills and 12 digs, while
Maddi Langerock registered 18 set assists and 18 digs.
Sydney Schell posted 17 kills and 17 digs.
Kate VanRooyan led the Trojans' defense with 31 digs.
Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri added seven blocks.
Tristyn Maras had eight blocks. DSU outhit Campbellsville 68-59 in the match. The Trojans collected 104 digs compared to the Tigers 101 digs.
Dakota State fell to No. 19 ranked St. Thomas (Fla.) in the nightcap. The Bobcats swept the Trojans by the set scores of 25-21, 26-24, and 25-17.
Wathen led DSU eight kills. Schell added seven kills. Groft and Langerock each had 13 set assists. VanRooyan and Schell each collected 12 digs.
St. Thomas had 22 more kills than Dakota State (55-33). The Bobcats hit .331 to the Trojans .215.
DSU earns another split in West Palm Beach, Fla.
West Palm Beach, Fla. (Aug. 17, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) earned another split on the second day of the Keiser (Fla.) Sports Academy Classic at Student Life Center.
The Trojans fell in another five-set marathon to No. 11 ranked Missouri Baptist. The Spartans won by the set scores of 24-26, 25-22, 16-25, 25-18, and 15-9.
Sydney Schell fueled the Trojans' offense attack with a season-high 23 kills and added a double-double with 16 digs.
Madalyn Groft had 23 set assists and 12 digs.
Maddi Langerock tallied 19 set assists.
Kate VanRooyan recorded 22 digs.
Brooklyn Grage tallied 11 kills.
Dakota State closed the tournament with a 3-0 sweep over Taylor (Ind.) from the Crossroads League. The Trojans won the set scores of 25-22, 25-22, and 25-16.
Sophia Tuttle and Grage each led DSU with 10 kills. Schell and
Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri each had seven kills. VanRooyan recorded 16 digs. Langerock had 19 set assists, while Groft recorded 16 assists.
Macey Wathen registered four blocks.
Two Trojans earn NSAA weekly honors
Madison, S.D. (Aug. 19, 2024)—Two Dakota State (S.D.) athletes earned the season opening conference awards, announced by the North Star Athletic Association. The Trojans went 2-2 record in Florida.
Sydney Schell was named as the NSAA Attacker-of-the-Week. She accumulated 54 kills (3.4 kills per set) and 58 digs (3.6 digs per set) in the tournament.
Schell highlighted the tournament with a double-double of 17 kills and 17 digs in DSU's 3-2 victory over Campbellsville (Ky.). She added 23 kills and 16 digs, despite a 3-2 setback to No. 11 ranked Missouri Baptist.
Kate VanRooyan was awarded the NSAA Defender-of-the-Week after producing double digits digs in all four matches for the Trojans. She amassed 80 digs in the tournament (5.0 digs per set), contributed 16 set assists, and recorded two service aces.
VanRooyan collected 77 receptions and committed just two reception errors in the tournament for a .974 reception rate. She tallied 31 digs in the season-opening victory over Campbellsville on Aug. 16.
2024 DSU Trojan Volleyball Team Leaders
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