Get our free mobile app

Women's volleyball will be exciting to watch this season as a top-caliber lineup will face off at the net between South Dakota and South Dakota State.

2023 Summit League Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll

1. South Dakota
2. North Dakota State
3. Omaha
4. South Dakota State
5. North Dakota
6. Denver
7. Kansas City
8. St. Thomas
9. Oral Roberts

COYOTE VOLLEYBALL

The University of South Dakota is coming off a 29-4 season and its fourth NCAA tournament berth in five seasons. The Coyotes have been picked to finish first in the Summit League Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll announced Wednesday.

Fifth-year senior Madison Harms and fourth-year senior Evelyn Diederich were named Players to Watch.

Harms, a three-time first-team All-Summit middle blocker, is just the second Coyote in program history to record 500 career blocks. A native of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, Harms holds the program records in the rally-scoring era for assisted blocks, solo blocks, and total blocks. Harms appeared in all 33 matches last season totaling 309 kills on 667 swings for a .355 hitting percentage, the third-best percentage in the league.

Diederich earns the preseason player-to-watch honor for the first time in her four-year career as a Coyote. The Overland Park, Kansas, native appeared in 29 matches last season totaling 205 kills, 49 digs, and 25 block assists.

South Dakota opens the season against the Big 12's Iowa State on Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Ames, Iowa. The first time on their home court will be during the South Dakota Classic beginning September 7.

JACKRABBIT VOLLEYBALL

For the Jackrabbits, the Summit League has tabbed Masa Scheierman and Sydni Schetnan as players to watch.

Scheierman is entering her second season as an outside hitter for the Jackrabbits. The sophomore ranked third on the team in total kills and second in kills per set as a freshman, earning her a spot on the 2022 Summit League All-Freshman Team.

Schetnan enters her first season in a Jackrabbit uniform after spending two seasons at Louisville. The redshirt sophomore was a member of the 2022 Cardinal volleyball team that advanced to the national championship game. Prior to her time at Louisville, Schetnan was a standout athlete at Washington High School in Sioux Falls.

The Jacks finished with 11 wins in the Summit League last year, the most conference victories since 2010.

SDSU will travel to Laramie, Wyoming Friday for the Rumble in the Rockies. Their home-opener will be against Denver on September 28.