THIS WEEK
The North Dakota State (6-3) volleyball team will wrap up non-conference action at the Stacheville Challenge this weekend in Clarksville, Tenn. The Bison will take on Austin Peay (4-4) on Friday at noon, before finishing the day against UT Martin (6-4) at 4 p.m. NDSU will conclude the trip against East Tennessee State (4-5) on Saturday at 11 a.m.
 
TOURNAMENT COVERAGE
All three matches will be available on ESPN+ for subscribers and feature live statistics.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Bison rolled past Montana State, 3-0, at the NDSU Tournament last week. Kelley Johnson handed out a match-best 33 assists with 11 digs and five kills. Michelle Glover added 11 kills with a match-best five blocks, while Ali Hinze recorded a match-high 16 digs with a match-best 12 kills.
 
NDSU ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Ali Hinze and Michelle Glover helped the Bison to a 2-1 record at the NDSU Tournament last week and both earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Hinze paced the Bison with a team-high 49 kills, including a season-high 21 against Central Michigan. Glover added a team-best 15 total blocks and averaged 1.15 blocks per set.
 
HEAT CHECK
Through the first nine matches of the season, NDSU leads the Summit League and is positioned 20th in the nation in total kills with 485. The Bison have connected on 60 or more kills in four matches, including a season-high 70 against Chicago State and Central Michigan.
 
DIRECTING TRAFFIC
Kelley Johnson has handed out a team-high 363 assists this season, including a career-high 58 against Chicago State and Central Michigan. She has distributed 40 or more in four matches this season and ranks second in the Summit League and 15th in the nation in total assists.
 
O'BRIEN RISES UP
Logan O'Brien totaled a career-best 33 digs against Central Michigan. It marked the most digs by a Bison player in a single match since Abbi Klos registered 38 against Oral Roberts on Nov. 9, 2018.
 
WORKING ON DEFENSE
The Bison posted a season-high 98 digs in the 3-2 win over Southeast Missouri State with five players reaching double digits. Ali Hinze led the Bison with a team-high 21 digs, while Syra Tanchin contributed a career-high 20 digs. Ava Schmoll also posted a career-high 17 digs.
 
THE DYNAMIC DUO
Syra Tanchin and Ali Hinze have each surpassed the 100-kill mark for the season. Tanchin paces the Bison with a team-high 120 kills and is positioned third in the Summit League. Hinze is slotted sixth in the conference with 106 kills and is averaging 3.31 per set.
 
A FACTOR ON BOTH ENDS
Michelle Glover paces the Bison with a team-high 36.0 total blocks, which ranks seventh in the Summit League. She has also made an impact on the offensive side notching a team-best .383 hitting percentage, which ranks second in the Summit League.

SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Senior outside hitter Syra Tanchin and junior outside hitter Ali Hinze were named to the Summit League Players to Watch List on Wednesday. Hinze ranked fifth in the Summit League in kills with a career-high 370 and kills per set with 3.43 last season. On the defensive end, Hinze contributed a career-best 291 digs and averaged 2.67 digs per set. Tanchin also posted a career-high 370 kills last season and averaged 3.36 kills per set, which ranked seventh in the Summit League. The St. Michael, Minn., native added in a career-best 30 total blocks with 83 digs on the defensive side.
 
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
NDSU was picked to finish seventh in the Summit League Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll. Denver earned the top spot with 75 total points and six first place votes. South Dakota was picked second with 74 total points and Omaha rounded out the top three with 68 total points in third place.
 
THIS IS OUR HOUSE
The Bison have called Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse home since 1978 and have notched a 397-99 overall record at home during that span. NDSU enters 2022 five wins away from the 400-win mark at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.
 
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS IN THE CLASSROOM
NDSU earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 10th straight year in 2021-22. The Bison also earned a spot on the AVCA Team Academic Honor Roll with a team GPA in the top 20 percent of NCAA Division I. NDSU notched a 3.56 GPA in the spring semester and a 3.63 cumulative GPA last year.
 
NEW TO THE SQUAD
The Bison added five newcomers to the roster in 2022, including three freshman: Baily Randall, Nora Raasch and Ally Barth.
 
NDSU also added transfers Eke Denessen and Logan O'Brien. Denessen spent the last two seasons at South Florida and appeared in 24 matches with 13 starts in 2021. O'Brien appeared in 49 matches and totaled 201 digs over two seasons at North Florida.
 
PLENTY OF DEPTH IN THE LINEUP
NDSU enters 2022 with 10 players returning from last season, including four seniors: Syra Tanchin, Michelle Glover, Ava Schmoll and Kelley Johnson. The Bison also boast plenty of experience with four players having appeared in 60 or more career matches. Glover has played in the most career matches among active Bison players with 72, including two seasons (46 matches) at Illinois-Chicago.
 
THE SERIES VS. AUSTIN PEAY
This will be the first all-time meeting between NDSU and Austin Peay.
 
THE SERIES VS. UT MARTIN
This will be the first all-time meeting between NDSU and UT Martin.
 
THE SERIES VS. EAST TENNESSEE STATE
This will be the second all-time meeting between NDSU and East Tennessee State. In the only meeting in 2019, the Bucs edged the Bison, 3-1, at the Tennessee Classic in Knoxville, Tenn. Kelley Johnson paced the Bison with a team-high 28 assists, while Syra Tanchin added 11 kills and two aces.
 
NEXT UP
NDSU will open Summit League play at St. Thomas on Thursday, Sept. 22. First serve is set for 7 p.m.