August 10, 2026
MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) enters the 2026 women's volleyball season seeking to preserve one of the NAIA's most productive attacks while working several new players into prominent roles. The Trojans returned six letterwinners from a team that finished 16-13 overall and 12-10 during their first season in the Frontier Conference.
Dakota State tied for fourth, advanced to the conference quarterfinals and secured its seventh winning season in eight years. Its 14.11 kills per set led the Frontier and ranked third nationally in 2025.
Junior outside hitter
Tristyn Maras earned second-team All-Frontier honors after collecting 328 kills and ranked third in the conference at 3.15 kills per set last season for the Trojans. Another second-team selection – senior middle hitter
Macey Wathen – produced 290 kills and 67 blocks, while an honorable mention defender – senior
Kate VanRooyan – recorded 534 digs and entered the season fifth in program history with 1,754 career digs. Sophomore middle hitter
Lauryn Kloth adds another proven option at the net after contributing 156 kills and 65 blocks in her debut at DSU last year.
The Trojans lost Frontier All-Conference First Team setter
Maddi Langerock and second team all-conference outside hitter
Sophie Tuttle on this year's squad.
Amy Veenhof, who opens her 18
th season with a program-record 264 victories and a 278-299 career mark. She has guided Dakota State to three NAIA National Tournament appearances, most recently in 2024, and
Alaina Harkins returns as assistant coach. The Frontier race again figures to be demanding after Providence edged Bellevue for the top position in the 2026 conference coaches' preseason poll.
The Trojans picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll after registering 87 points. Montana Tech was third with 97 points and Carroll (Mont.) fifth with 80 points. DSU, MT, and CC all were tied for fourth in the standings with 12-10 record last season. Montana Western finished sixth with 65 points, edging MSU-Northern by two points (63 points). Valley City State (N.D.) placed eighth with 51 points, Dickinson State (N.D.) ninth with 49 points, Bismarck State (N.D.) tenth with 33 points, Mayville State (N.D.) 11th with 20 points, and Rocky Mountain (Mont.) 12th with 16 points.
The 22-match Frontier Conference volleyball schedule starts on the first week of September. The top eight teams in the conference standings will advance to the postseason tournament held at PE Center in Helena, hosted by Carroll on Nov. 12-14.
The league will be awarded two automatic bids to the NAIA Women's Volleyball National Tournament. The regular-season champion will receive the first automatic bid. The second berth will be awarded to the Frontier Conference Tournament Champion. In the event the regular-season champion is the tournament champion, then the second berth will be awarded to the tournament's runner-up.
Dakota State opens Aug. 14 against Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) at the Paradise Volleyball Classic in Honolulu before hosting Dakota Wesleyan in its home opener Aug. 26. The Trojans will also play a pair of matches on Saturday versus Oklahoma Wesleyan and Oregon Tech before heading to Siouxland Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 22, versus the College of Saint Mary (Neb.) and Dordt (Iowa).
Below is the complete list of the 2026 Frontier Conference Women's Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Poll:
| 2026 Frontier Conference Women's Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Poll |
| RANK |
SCHOOL (FIRST PLACE VOTES) |
POINTS |
| 1 |
Providence (Mont.) (9) |
118 |
| 2 |
Bellevue (Neb.) (3) |
113 |
| 3 |
Montana Tech |
97 |
| 4 |
Dakota State (S.D.) |
87 |
| 5 |
Carroll (Mont.) |
80 |
| 6 |
Montana Western |
65 |
| 7 |
MSU-Northern |
63 |
| 8 |
Valley City State (N.D.) |
51 |
| 9 |
Dickinson State (N.D.) |
49 |
| 10 |
Bismarck State (N.D.) |
33 |
| 11 |
Mayville State (N.D.) |
20 |
| 12 |
Rocky Mountain (Mont.) |
16 |
