Friday, September 6
Fargo, N.D.
7 p.m.
North Dakota State
vs
West Virginia
Photo by: Ben Cohen
NDSU Volleyball Opens Home Schedule with West Virginia and SIUE
9/5/2024 11:54:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
THIS WEEK
The North Dakota State (0-3) volleyball team opens up its home schedule with the NDSU/UND Tournament hosting West Virginia (2-1) on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. The Bison conclude the week against Southern Illinois Edwardsville (1-2) on Saturday at 11:00 a.m., at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.
MATCH COVERAGE
Both matches will feature live statistics and be available on the Summit League Network for subscribers. The Friday night contest against West Virginia will also broadcast on Bison 1660.
PROMOTIONS
The Friday night match against West Virginia will be a whiteout with fans encouraged to wear white. The first 300 fans will also receive a light-up rally towel.
LAST TIME OUT
NDSU finished out play at the Fort Myers Classic dropping a 3-2 decision against Illinois Chicago after dropping the first two sets. Ali Hinze paced the Bison with a team-best 12 kills, while Emily Bruss handed out a team-high 23 assists.
THE SERIES VS. WEST VIRGINIA
This will mark the second straight season NDSU has faced West Virginia with the Mountaineers leading the all-time series, 1-0. In their only meeting last season, NDSU fell short against West Virginia, 3-0, in Morgantown, W. Va. Ali Hinze led the Bison with nine kills and a .533 hitting percentage.
THE SERIES VS. SIUE
This will be the first all-time meeting between NDSU and Southern Illinois Edwardsville.
POWER FOUR MATCHUP
The Bison will host a power four opponent for the first time since 2019 when NDSU came up short against California, 3-1, at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. NDSU also picked up its first win over a power four opponent since 2010 after the Bison upended California, 3-1, on the road in 2021.
IN HOME OPENERS
Dating back to 2017, NDSU is 5-2 in home openers. Last season, the Bison cruised past Portland State, 3-0. Ali Hinze posted a double-double with 11 kills and 14 digs, while Morgan Middleton added in 10 kills of her own.
FORT MYERS CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Logan O'Brien earned a spot on the Fort Myers Classic All-Tournament Team last week after leading the Bison with a team-high 50 digs. The Fort Myers, Fla., native averaged 3.85 digs per set and reached double figures in all three matches.
MILESTONE WATCH
Logan O'Brien is closing in on the 1,000 career digs mark with 941 over five seasons. She has totaled 740 digs over three seasons at NDSU before starting her career at North Florida for two seasons with 201 digs.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Senior outside hitter Ali Hinze and senior middle blocker Alexis Boling were selected to the Summit League Players to Watch list. Hinze, who has earned All-Summit League First Team honors each of the last two seasons, led the Bison and ranked second in the Summit League with 393 kills. Boling posted a career-best 299 kills last season and averaged 2.77 per set. She also added a career-high 63.0 total blocks on the defensive side.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
The Bison were picked fourth in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll and garnered 44 total points. Omaha took the top spot with 64 total points and eight first place votes.
STILL HIGH-POWERED ON OFFENSE
The Bison ranked second in the Summit League in 2023 in total kills with 1,492. NDSU brings back five players this season that contributed at least 120 kills last season, including Ali Hinze (393), Alexis Boling (299), Ally Barth (190), Lauren Jansen (188) and Arianna Blohm (179). NDSU has ranked inside the top two in total kills in the Summit League each of the last two seasons.
SHE CAN DO IT ALL
Ali Hinze enters the season with most kills in the NDSU Division I era with 1,480, which ranks eighth on all-time Bison kills list. Janet Cobbs (1985-88) is the NDSU all-time leader with 2,091 career kills. Hinze has also reached the 1,000 career digs mark and has tallied 1,207 over four seasons. She's only the second player in the NDSU Division I era to record at least 1,000 career digs and 1,000 career kills, joining Brynn Joki (2009-12).
LOOKING BACK AT THE 2023 SEASON
The Bison posted an 18-11 (9-7 Summit) overall record last season and advanced to the Summit League Tournament semifinal round for the second straight season. NDSU has won at least 18 matches back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
GRUNWALD JOINS COACHING STAFF
Kris Grunwald joined the coaching staff in March and brings 33 years of Division I experience, including two head coaching stints at UConn (2014-19) and Auburn (1998-00). He comes to NDSU after spending the last three seasons as the associate head coach at Virginia.
EXPERIENCE IN THE LINEUP
NDSU returns five starters this season and the roster also features five seniors: Eke Denessen, Ali Hinze, Alexis Boling, Logan O'Brien and Morgan Middleton. O'Brien, who played in 49 career matches at North Florida prior to NDSU, has the most experience on the roster having appeared in 111 career matches. Hinze has also surpassed the 100 career matches mark with 108 over four seasons.
YOUNG BISON
The Bison welcome five newcomers to the roster this season: Tanith Roush, Maddy Dombeck, Layla Haritatos, Sadie Johnson and Emily Bruss. Arianna Blohm, Emma Tallman and Lauren Jansen are also underclassman on the roster and will each be entering their sophomore seasons. Blohm and Jansen were named to the All-Summit League Freshmen Team last season.
THIS IS OUR HOUSE
The Bison have called Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse home since 1978 and have notched a 410-107 overall record at home during that span. NDSU picked up its 400th win at the BBF after sweeping Kansas City, 3-0, on Oct. 1, 2022.
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS IN THE CLASSROOM
NDSU earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 12th straight year in 2023-24. 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 for the fifth straight season. NDSU boasted a 3.74 cumulative GPA last season.
The North Dakota State (0-3) volleyball team opens up its home schedule with the NDSU/UND Tournament hosting West Virginia (2-1) on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. The Bison conclude the week against Southern Illinois Edwardsville (1-2) on Saturday at 11:00 a.m., at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.
MATCH COVERAGE
Both matches will feature live statistics and be available on the Summit League Network for subscribers. The Friday night contest against West Virginia will also broadcast on Bison 1660.
PROMOTIONS
The Friday night match against West Virginia will be a whiteout with fans encouraged to wear white. The first 300 fans will also receive a light-up rally towel.
LAST TIME OUT
NDSU finished out play at the Fort Myers Classic dropping a 3-2 decision against Illinois Chicago after dropping the first two sets. Ali Hinze paced the Bison with a team-best 12 kills, while Emily Bruss handed out a team-high 23 assists.
THE SERIES VS. WEST VIRGINIA
This will mark the second straight season NDSU has faced West Virginia with the Mountaineers leading the all-time series, 1-0. In their only meeting last season, NDSU fell short against West Virginia, 3-0, in Morgantown, W. Va. Ali Hinze led the Bison with nine kills and a .533 hitting percentage.
THE SERIES VS. SIUE
This will be the first all-time meeting between NDSU and Southern Illinois Edwardsville.
POWER FOUR MATCHUP
The Bison will host a power four opponent for the first time since 2019 when NDSU came up short against California, 3-1, at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. NDSU also picked up its first win over a power four opponent since 2010 after the Bison upended California, 3-1, on the road in 2021.
IN HOME OPENERS
Dating back to 2017, NDSU is 5-2 in home openers. Last season, the Bison cruised past Portland State, 3-0. Ali Hinze posted a double-double with 11 kills and 14 digs, while Morgan Middleton added in 10 kills of her own.
FORT MYERS CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Logan O'Brien earned a spot on the Fort Myers Classic All-Tournament Team last week after leading the Bison with a team-high 50 digs. The Fort Myers, Fla., native averaged 3.85 digs per set and reached double figures in all three matches.
MILESTONE WATCH
Logan O'Brien is closing in on the 1,000 career digs mark with 941 over five seasons. She has totaled 740 digs over three seasons at NDSU before starting her career at North Florida for two seasons with 201 digs.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Senior outside hitter Ali Hinze and senior middle blocker Alexis Boling were selected to the Summit League Players to Watch list. Hinze, who has earned All-Summit League First Team honors each of the last two seasons, led the Bison and ranked second in the Summit League with 393 kills. Boling posted a career-best 299 kills last season and averaged 2.77 per set. She also added a career-high 63.0 total blocks on the defensive side.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
The Bison were picked fourth in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll and garnered 44 total points. Omaha took the top spot with 64 total points and eight first place votes.
STILL HIGH-POWERED ON OFFENSE
The Bison ranked second in the Summit League in 2023 in total kills with 1,492. NDSU brings back five players this season that contributed at least 120 kills last season, including Ali Hinze (393), Alexis Boling (299), Ally Barth (190), Lauren Jansen (188) and Arianna Blohm (179). NDSU has ranked inside the top two in total kills in the Summit League each of the last two seasons.
SHE CAN DO IT ALL
Ali Hinze enters the season with most kills in the NDSU Division I era with 1,480, which ranks eighth on all-time Bison kills list. Janet Cobbs (1985-88) is the NDSU all-time leader with 2,091 career kills. Hinze has also reached the 1,000 career digs mark and has tallied 1,207 over four seasons. She's only the second player in the NDSU Division I era to record at least 1,000 career digs and 1,000 career kills, joining Brynn Joki (2009-12).
LOOKING BACK AT THE 2023 SEASON
The Bison posted an 18-11 (9-7 Summit) overall record last season and advanced to the Summit League Tournament semifinal round for the second straight season. NDSU has won at least 18 matches back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
GRUNWALD JOINS COACHING STAFF
Kris Grunwald joined the coaching staff in March and brings 33 years of Division I experience, including two head coaching stints at UConn (2014-19) and Auburn (1998-00). He comes to NDSU after spending the last three seasons as the associate head coach at Virginia.
EXPERIENCE IN THE LINEUP
NDSU returns five starters this season and the roster also features five seniors: Eke Denessen, Ali Hinze, Alexis Boling, Logan O'Brien and Morgan Middleton. O'Brien, who played in 49 career matches at North Florida prior to NDSU, has the most experience on the roster having appeared in 111 career matches. Hinze has also surpassed the 100 career matches mark with 108 over four seasons.
YOUNG BISON
The Bison welcome five newcomers to the roster this season: Tanith Roush, Maddy Dombeck, Layla Haritatos, Sadie Johnson and Emily Bruss. Arianna Blohm, Emma Tallman and Lauren Jansen are also underclassman on the roster and will each be entering their sophomore seasons. Blohm and Jansen were named to the All-Summit League Freshmen Team last season.
THIS IS OUR HOUSE
The Bison have called Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse home since 1978 and have notched a 410-107 overall record at home during that span. NDSU picked up its 400th win at the BBF after sweeping Kansas City, 3-0, on Oct. 1, 2022.
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS IN THE CLASSROOM
NDSU earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 12th straight year in 2023-24. 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 for the fifth straight season. NDSU boasted a 3.74 cumulative GPA last season.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
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