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USD third, SDSU sixth in preseason volleyball poll
By Grant Sweeter,
20 hours ago
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (SUMMIT LEAGUE) — Omaha was selected to take home the Summit League volleyball regular season title, garnering 64 points and eight first-place votes in the preseason coaches’ poll released Tuesday by league officials. The Mavericks have won at least a share of the regular season crown two times since joining the league, including being part of a four-way tie for that distinction a season ago.
Omaha held a thirteen-point advantage over Denver to claim the top spot in the poll voted on by the league’s nine head coaches. The Pioneers, who received the remaining first-place vote, edged South Dakota for the runner-up spot, finishing with 51 points.
The Coyotes tallied 49 points to secure third. North Dakota State claimed fourth with 44 points, while Kansas City accumulated 39 points to place fifth. The Roos, who will host the 2024 Volleyball Championship Nov. 24-26, were part of the quartet of teams earning a share of the regular season title. They were joined by the Mavericks, Coyotes, and Pioneers.
South Dakota State (31) was predicted to finish sixth, while North Dakota (20) and St. Thomas (17) were projected to finish seventh and eighth, respectively. Oral Roberts rounded out the poll in ninth with nine points.
2024 Summit League Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Rank
School
Points (1st)
2023 Record (SL)
1.
Omaha
64 (8)
15-14 (12-4)
2.
Denver
51 (1)
14-12 (12-4)
3.
South Dakota
49
18-11 (12-4)
4.
North Dakota State
44
18-11 (9-7)
5.
Kansas City
39
22-9 (12-4)
6.
South Dakota State
31
9-20 (7-9)
7.
North Dakota
20
7-21 (4-12)
8.
St. Thomas
17
7-20 (3-13)
9.
Oral Roberts
9
3-25 (1-15)
Players to Watch
McKenna Ruch | Omaha | Middle Blocker | Graduate
2023 All-League First Team member and Summit League Championship MVP after totaling a team leading 299 kills, a .281 hitting percentage and 132 blocks, all of which ranked in the top 10 among league players
Had 19 matches with double-digit kills and seven matches with at least seven blocks
Named Summit League Offensive Peak Performer of the Week on Oct. 17 after recording 25 kills and five blocks in two wins
Named Summit League Peak Performer of the Month for November after producing 81 kills and 45 blocks in seven matches including 14 blocks in the championship match against Kansas City (Nov. 21)
Kali Jurgensmeier | Omaha | Outside Hitter | Junior
Appeared in 12 matches with seven starts and 39 sets played after dealing with an injury
Garnered 95 kills, 30 digs, and 21 total blocks
Notched double-digit kills in four matches with the title clinching kill against Kansas City (Nov. 21) in the Summit League Championship
Cassie Davis | Denver | Outside Hitter | Graduate
Earned All Summit-League First Team honors
Led the Pioneers with 346 kills, averaging a league best 3.60 kills/set, and 36 aces
Notched double-figure kills in 20 of 26 matches and recorded double-doubles in points and digs on three separate occasions
Earned a career-high 29 kills at Kansas City (11/04)
Started in all 26 matches for the Pioneers while being named All-Summit League Honorable Mention
Recorded double-digit kills on five separate occasions including a career high 14 against Colorado (9/17) and Kansas City (11/04)
Earned her first career double-double with 11 kills and 10 blocks in a win over South Dakota (11/28)
Finished second on her team with 108 blocks, averaging 1.14 blocks/set
Kylen Sealock | South Dakota | Outside Hitter | Senior
Named a member of the All-Summit League First Team after posting 363 kills, 250 digs, and 59 total blocks
Led the Coyotes and Summit League with 46 service aces
Earned Summit League Offensive Peak Performer of the Week honors on Nov. 16
Kamryn Farris | South Dakota | Defensive Specialist | Junior
Named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District team
Appeared in all 29 matches for the Coyotes playing in 115 sets and accumulating 409 digs (3.56/set), 96 assists, and 32 service aces
Recorded a career-best 30 digs and three service aces against South Dakota State (Oct. 17)
Earned Summit League Peak Defensive Performer of the Week honors on Oct. 24
Ali Hinze | North Dakota State | Outside Hitter | Graduate
Named an All-Summit League First Team honoree after finishing the season positioned second in the league with 393 kills
Averaged a team-best 3.54 kills per set, which ranked second best in the league
Reached double-figure kills in 26 of 29 matches, including a streak of 15 straight from September 15 to October 9
Tabbed the Summit League Peak Performer of the Month for October
Earned a spot on the Vandal Volleyball Invitational All-Tournament Team and Mountaineer Invitational All-Tournament Team as well as the Summit League All-Tournament Team
Alexis Boling | North Dakota State | Middle Blocker | Senior
Appeared in all 29 matches while recording 299 kills
Recorded double figures in kills in 17 matches while posting 63 total blocks
Earned a spot on the Vandal Volleyball Invitational All-Tournament Team, Dayton Flyer Classic All-Tournament Team, and NDSU Tournament All-Tournament Team
Named Summit League Defensive Peak Performer of the Week (Oct. 31)
Kaia Dunford | Kansas City | Outside Hitter | Graduate
Averaged 2.96 kills/set and 9.95 attacks per set which ranked third in the Summit League and 94th in the NCAA
Appeared and started in all 31 matches and 125 sets
Received Honorable Mention All-Summit League and Peak Performer of the Week (9/5)
Ranked second on the team and eighth in the Summit League with an average of 3.24 digs per set
Logged 18 double-doubles on the season achieving double-digit kills 24 times and double-digit digs in 22 matches
Leah Green | Kansas City | Defensive Specialist/ Libero | Senior
Earned All-Summit League Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading the Summit League and ranking 36thin the nation with 4.77 digs per set
Named First Team All-Summit League and Academic All-Summit League
Summit League Female Athlete of the Month for September
Appeared in 111 sets across 28 matches while ranking sixth in the Summit League with 0.36 aces per set
Sydni Schetnan | South Dakota State | Rightside/ Middle Blocker | Redshirt Junior
Played 107 sets across 29 matches while recording 203 kills, placing her third on the Jackrabbit squad
Led the Jackrabbits with a .251 attack percentage and 83 total blocks
Recorded a season high 11 blocks against South Dakota (10/17)
Named to the Summit League Academic Honor Roll
Sylvie Zgonc | South Dakota State | Outside Hitter | Sophomore
Voted a member of the All-Summit League First Team as well as winning Summit League Freshman of the Year honors
Played 107 sets across 29 matches while tallying 374 kills throughout the season
Recorded 207 digs which ranked second on the Jackrabbit team
Posted a career-high 26 kills and 28.5 points at South Dakota (10/17)
Elizabeth Norris | North Dakota | Setter/ Right Side | Graduate
Started in all 28 matches with a team-high 105 sets played
One of eight players in the country with four or more triple-doubles
Led the team in assists (533) and assists/set (5.08) which was ninth best in the Summit League
Set a new career high with 32 assists and four aces against Denver (10/19)
Finished second on the team in aces (28), kills (199) and third in digs (234)
Paige Barber | North Dakota | Outside Hitter | Junior
Led the team with 263 kills and 285.5 points
Played in all 28 matches and 102 sets which was second most on the team
Reached double-digit kills in 12 matches with a career high 18 against Denver (10/19)
Finished the season with 38 total blocks and 48 digs
Lauren Galvin | St. Thomas | Outside Hitter | Senior
Played in the first three matches before suffering a season-ending injury
Averaged 2.83 kills, 1.5 digs and 3.0 points per set
Finished with a season-best 13 kills, two blocks, and 13.5 points at UIC (Aug. 25)
Named to the Summit League Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence
Named to the Summit League Academic Honor Roll
Ella Voegele | St. Thomas | Libero | Junior
Played in 27 matches for a total of 99 sets
Set a Tommie single-season record in digs (432) and digs per set (4.36)
Recorded 33 digs in four sets at Oral Roberts (Nov. 12)
Received Summit League Defensive Peak Performer of the Week honors (Nov. 16)
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