September 18, 2025
MADISON, S.D. – The Dakota State University volleyball squad continues their Frontier Conference with a pair of matches this weekend at DSU Fieldhouse. After opening the four-match home stand with sweeps over (RV) Carroll (Mont.) and Rocky Mountain (Mont.) last weekend, the Trojans host another pair of Montana teams.
(RV) Dakota State takes their 7-3 overall record and 3-2 league record this weekend against Montana Western (6-6 overall record, 4-1 Frontier Conference record) Friday evening at 5:30 p.m. The match's theme is Jersey Night.
The Trojans welcome No. 19 ranked Montana Tech (9-2 overall record, 5-0 Frontier Conference), winner of seven straight matches and one of the two undefeated teams in the conference, on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. Hawaiian is the theme to the volleyball match.
Last Week's Recap
Dakota State went 2-1 record for the week last week. After a 3-0 sweep at then No. 3-ranked Bellevue (Neb.), the Trojans returned home for their first home conference matches. DSU went on to sweep both (RV) Carroll (Mont.) and Rocky Mountain (Mont.) in three straight sets last weekend.
Montana Western, who advanced to the NAIA national quarterfinals last season, also went 2-1 record in the Frontier Conference play. The Bulldogs fell to their traveling partner Montana Tech in three straight sets on Sept. 10 and returned home for their first home matches of the season. UMW went on to sweep Dickinson Sate (N.D.) and Bismarck State (N.D.) in three straight sets.
The Orediggers extended their winning streak to seven games after going 3-0 record for the week at home in Butte, Mont. Montana Tech swept UMW and Bismarck State before going to four sets with Dickinson State to wrap up the week. MT is one of the two undefeated teams in the Frontier Conference play before entering this weekend's matches.
Langerock surpasses 1,000 career digs
Senior
Maddi Langerock surpassed a career milestone last weekend at DSU Fieldhouse. She accumulated over 1,000 career digs at Dakota State.
After the matches last weekend, Langerock collected 1,022 career digs. She registered 364 digs in her freshman year in 2022-23, followed by 289 digs in her sophomore season. She also added 250 digs last season and 119 digs through last weekend.
Langerock averaged 2.64 digs per set during her career at Dakota State (387 sets played in 104 matches).
She leads the Frontier Conference with 11.26 assists per set, fueling the Trojans as the top NAIA kills per set category with 15.0 kills per set.
Trojans extend streak in NAIA national poll
- Poll Rankings: The Trojans extended their streak to 11 straight appearances in the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 national poll. After being ranked inside the NAIA's Top 25 national poll at No. 24 for the first time since the 2019 season, Dakota State returned to the receiving votes section. DSU is one spot shy of being inside the NAIA's Top 25, currently at No. 26 with 50 points in the receiving votes section.
- Frontier in the NAIA's Top 25: Six total Frontier Conference teams, including Dakota State, are listed on the NAIA's Top 25 national poll. Providence (Mont.) is ranked No. 4, followed by Bellevue (Neb.) at No. 5. Montana Tech is the third team that is ranked inside the Top 25 at No. 19. DSU, Carroll (Mont.), and Dickinson State (N.D.) are listed in the receiving votes section.
Opponent Breakdown & Context
- Montana Western: Montana Western, based in Dillon, Mont., advanced to the Frontier Conference postseason tournament's championship match last season and extended their season through the NAIA National quarterfinals with a 25-10 overall record. The Bulldogs opened the season with a 1-3 record in the Palm Beach Juniors Classic in Florida, followed by 1-2 record in the Hells Canyon Grand Invitational. Montana Western opened their Frontier Conference with a 4-1 record, defeating Valley City State (N.D.), Mayville State (N.D.), Dickinson State (N.D.), and Bismarck State (N.D.), with its only conference setback to their traveling partner Montana Tech. UMW and DSU met for the first time in the Kansas Wesleyan tournament on Sept. 14, 2019, where the Bulldogs held on to a 3-2 victory over the Trojans.
- #19 Montana Tech: After going 4-2 record in their preseason tournaments (lost to No. 24 William Carey, Miss., and Cumberlands, Ky.), the Orediggers kicked off their Frontier Conference with a 5-0 record. Montana Tech, located in Butte, Mont., is currently on a seven-match winning streak before their match at No. 5 ranked Bellevue (Neb.) Friday evening. Dakota State and MT met twice in 2023 for their first all-time meetings, splitting both meetings. The Trojans won the first all-time meeting by sweeping MT in three straight sets at the Viterbo (Wis.) tournament on Sept. 9, while the Orediggers earned the victory in the Bellevue tournament on Oct. 14.
Dakota State in the NAIA and Frontier ranks
- Trojans lead NAIA: Dakota State leads the NAIA and the Frontier Conference in kills per set with an average of 15.0 kills per set. The Trojans set a single-set high of 25 kills in the opening set versus Rocky Mountain (Mont.) on Sept. 13 at DSU Fieldhouse. The Trojans are third in the league with .245 hitting percentage. Sophie Tuttle leads the conference with 3.53 kills per set for DSU. Tristyn Maras also ranks third in the Frontier Conference with 3.28 kills per set.
- Dishing Assists: Maddi Langerock leads the Frontier Conference with 11.26 set assists per set for Dakota State. She also ranks fourth in the NAIA in that same category. Prior to the matches this weekend, Langerock accumulated 394 set assists through 35 sets.
- Defense ranks: Dakota State is second in the Frontier with 18.4 digs per set. The Trojans collected a total of 644 digs prior to this weekend's match. Kate VanRooyan leads the team with 4.84 digs per set (155 digs) this season. She is five digs away from reaching 1,400 career digs at Dakota State. Langerock also surpassed 100 digs this season, tallying 103 digs (2.94 digs per set).
Up Next
- Monday – The Dakota State University junior varsity volleyball team will be hosting a triangular with Iowa Lakes and Mount Marty (S.D.) at DSU Fieldhouse. The Trojans play Iowa Lakes at 4 p.m., followed by Mount Marty-Iowa Lakes at 5:30 p.m. DSU closes out the triangular versus Mount Marty at 7 p.m.
- Friday, Sept. 26 – Dakota State heads to Montana for a pair of matches. The Trojans make their first stop at MSU-Northern at the Armory Gymnasium. The match is set for 8 p.m. (Central Time)/7 p.m. (Mountain Time) in Havre, Mont.
- Saturday, Sept. 27 – DSU makes a trip to Great Falls, Mont., to take on the league's leading No. 4 ranked Providence (Mont.). The match is scheduled for 3 p.m. (CT)/2 p.m. (MT) at McLaughlin Center Gymnasium.
- Next Home Matches – Dakota State returns to DSU Fieldhouse as they start their five-match Frontier Conference home stand. The Trojans host Valley City State (N.D.) on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. DSU will be holding their Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night. On Thursday, Oct. 2, DSU welcomes Mayville State (N.D.) to close out the first half of the conference schedule. The junior varsity match starts at 4 p.m., followed by the varsity match at 6 p.m. The Trojan volleyball team will be holding their Parents' Night.
2025 DSU Trojan Volleyball Team Leaders
