This Week:
The North Dakota State volleyball team (0-0 overall, 0-0 Summit) opens the 2021 season at the Green Bay Invite in Green Bay, Wis. The Bison will begin play with a doubleheader on Friday against Northern Iowa at 1:30 p.m. before wrapping up the day against Green Bay at 7:00 p.m. North Dakota State will close the weekend trip against Ball State on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.
Match Coverage:
Both matches against Northern Iowa and Ball State will feature live statistics, while the match against Green Bay will have live statistics and be streamed on ESPN+.
In Season Openers:
Under head coach
Jennifer Lopez, the Bison have won their last two season openers and are 2-2 overall dating back to 2017. Last season, North Dakota State topped North Dakota, 3-1, in a non-conference showdown at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. It marked the first match for the Bison in 14 months after the season was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Life On The Road:
North Dakota State will open the season playing its first 12 matches on the road, the most since the 2012 season. The Bison will travel over 4,400 miles during the four week stretch in four different states.
We Weren't Gone Long
Following a quick five months off, the Bison will return to action this August after playing an 18-game spring season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NDSU posted a 10-8 overall record (8-8 Summit).
Takin' Care Of Business In The Classroom
North Dakota State earned the 2020-21 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the ninth straight year. The Bison grabbed a spot on the AVCA Team Academic Honor Roll after recording a 3.73 GPA in the 2021 spring semester to push the team cumulative GPA to nearly 3.70.
New To The Squad:
The Bison added seven newcomers to the roster in 2021, including five freshman:
Raegen Reilly,
Abby Stark,
Alexis Boling,
Abby Moe and
Morgan Middleton.
North Dakota State also added transfers
Michelle Glover and
Alexandria Hicks, who were teammates at Illinois-Chicago. Hicks contributed 661 kills over four seasons from 2017-21 and earned Horizon League All-Freshman honors, while Glover was a first team All-Horizon League selection in 2019 after leading the Flames with 265 kills and 145 blocks.
Plenty Of Depth In The Lineup:
North Dakota State enters 2021 returning 10 players from last season. The roster also features four seniors:
Kirstin Tidd,
Maggie Steffen,
Kaylee Hanger and
Alexandria Hicks.
Time For Year Two:
Ali Hinze is back for her sophomore season after being named the Summit League Freshman of the Year and to the All-Summit League Team last season. The Maple Grove, Minn., native led all freshman in the Summit League with 3.82 kills per set and reached double digits in kills in 15 matches.
Milestones To Watch:
Syra Tanchin is closing on the 400 career kill mark. She has totaled 392 kills over her two seasons.
Kaylee Hanger enters her senior season chasing the 800 career dig plateau. She has notched 792 digs over her three seasons.
The Series vs. Northern Iowa:
This will be the 11th all-time meeting in a series that dates back to 1979 with the Panthers holding the edge, 8-2. It will also be the first time these two programs have opened a season against each other. In their most recent meeting in 2018, NDSU fell to Northern Iowa, 3-0, at the Ball State Active Ankle Challenge in Muncie, Ind.
Kaylee Hanger reached double digits in digs with 13 to go along with five assists.
The Series vs. Green Bay:
This will mark the fifth all-time meeting with the series deadlocked, 2-2. In the most recent encounter in 2019, North Dakota State blanked Green Bay, 3-0, at the NDSU Classic.
Syra Tanchin totaled a team-best 10 digs with eight kills and three blocks.
The Series vs. Ball State:
This will be only the second all-time meeting between Ball State and North Dakota State. In their only contest in 2018, the Cardinals topped the Bison, 3-0, at the Ball State Active Ankle Challenge in Muncie, Ind.
Maggie Steffen led the way with a team-high 11 digs on the defensive end of the floor.
