Thursday, September 24
Fargo, N.D.
7 p.m.
North Dakota State
vs
St. Thomas
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Photo by: Zachary Lucy
NDSU Volleyball Opens Home Schedule Against St. Thomas and Omaha
9/23/2026 10:08:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
THIS WEEK
The North Dakota State (8-2) volleyball team is set to begin Summit League play hosting St. Thomas (2-7) on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. The Bison close the week against Omaha (6-4) on Saturday. First serve is set for 1:00 p.m., at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.
MATCH COVERAGE
GoBison.com: Both contests will feature live statistics. The matches will also stream on the Summit League Network and WDAY Xtra for subscribers. Links to live stats, live video and audio can be found at GoBison.com/coverage.
PROMOTIONS
Fans will receive a free poster for the season-opener against St. Thomas on Thursday, while the Saturday match will be alumni day. The full 2026 promotional schedule can be viewed here.
TICKETS
General admission tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for youth ages 3-17, and reserved tickets are $15. Match day tickets are sold at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse and are also available at GoBison.com/tickets. Doors open one (1) hour prior to the match. Free parking is available in Visitors Lot E.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bison extended their win streak to four matches after sweeping Seattle, 3-0, to wrap up non-conference play. Lauren Jansen led the way with a match-high 12 kills to go along with nine digs and three blocks. NDSU closed non-conference play with an 8-2 record, which marks the most wins to start a season since 2023.
SUMMIT LEAGUE OPENER
NDSU has won each of its last four Summit League openers after sweeping North Dakota, 3-0, last season in Fargo. Under head coach Jennifer Lopez, the Bison 5-4 in Summit League opening matches. Additionally, the Bison are 6-3 under Lopez in home openers.
THE SERIES VS. ST. THOMAS
This will be the 13th all-time meeting between NDSU and St. Thomas dating back to 1983. The Bison lead the all-time series, 10-2, including a 7-0 mark in Fargo. In their most recent meeting last season, Lauren Jansen powered NDSU to a 3-1 win with 21 kills.
THE SERIES VS. OMAHA
This will be the 104th all-time meeting between NDSU and Omaha dating back to 1978 with the Mavericks leading the series, 57-46. NDSU has won each of the last two meetings in the series, including a 3-2 win in Fargo last season after the Bison won the final three sets. Arianna Blohm totaled 13 kills with four blocks, while Zoe John added 10 kills of her own.
ROAD BISON
NDSU played all 10 of its non-conference matches on the road this season and notched an 8-2 record over that stretch. It marked the longest road stretch to begin a season since 2021 when the Bison played 12 straight non-conference matches on the road, which included a 3-1 win over Cal.
ANY PLACE, ANY TIME
NDSU opened the season with 10 straight matches away from home, including six at neutral sites. The Bison join Middle Tennessee State as the only teams in country to boast a 6-0 mark in neutral site matches. It's also tied for the second-most neutral site wins behind Idaho (7-1).
ALL-TOURNAMENT ACCOLADES
Arianna Blohm is the only player to be named to an All-Tournament Team in each of the first four weeks of the season. She also garnered Summit League Defensive Peak Performer of the Week honors for the second time of her career this week. Blohm leads the Bison in both kills (111) and blocks (33.0) through 10 matches.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Outside hitters Lauren Jansen and Zoe John were named to the Summit League Players to Watch list. Jansen has totaled a team-high 699 kills over three seasons, including a career-high 328 kills last season. John appeared in 23 matches in her first season with the Bison last year. The Queen Creek, Ariz., native reached double digits in kills in five matches and posted 146 kills.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
The Bison were picked fourth in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll with 29 points. South Dakota and St. Thomas were tied for second place with 41 points and one first place vote each. South Dakota State earned the top spot with 47 points and six first place votes.
RETURNING ALL-LEAGUE BISON
NDSU returns all three of its Summit League All-League selections from last season. Lauren Jansen was tabbed to the All-League First Team for the first time in her career, while Arianna Blohm was named to the All-League Second Team. Rya Borer was also selected to the All-Freshman Team.
EXPERIENCE IN THE LINEUP
NDSU returns seven starters from last season: Arianna Blohm, Maddy Dombeck, Cathy Porter, Emma Tallman, Lauren Jansen, Zoe John and Rya Borer. Blohm is the most experienced player on the roster having appeared in 93 matches over four seasons.
PORTAL ADDITIONS
Sarah Pfiffner was the only transfer portal addition over the offseason. She played one season at West Virginia in 2025 and appeared in 25 matches. The Frisco, Texas native ranked second on the team with 309 total assists. Pfiffner joins Cathy Porter (Hillsborough Community College), Abi Banitt (SIUE) and Zoe John (Pacific) as the only players added through the portal.
YOUNG BISON
The Bison have seven total newcomers on the roster this season, including six first-year players: Malayna Syverson, Kendall Worwa, Morgan Engel, Aryn Heeke, Allie Collins and Courtney Peters. The roster is constructed of 50 percent first or second-year players. Natasha Kidd, Sarah Pfiffner and Rya Borer each enter their second season.
FROM HIGH SCHOOL TEAMMATES TO BISON
Malayna Syverson and Morgan Engel were high school teammates at Ada-Borup-West High School in Ada, Minn. Engel is also following in the footsteps of her mother, Janna Ruebke Engel, who played for NDSU volleyball from 1996-99 and was recently inducted into the Bison Athletic Hall of Fame in 2025.
LOPEZ CLIMBING THE RECORD BOOK
Head coach Jennifer Lopez is entering her 10th season and has amassed 139 wins over that span. Her 139 wins are the most in the NDSU Division I era and rank third all-time in Bison history. Her 10 seasons are also the second-most in program history behind Jolyn Montgomery (11 seasons, 1989-92).
THE BBF ADVANTAGE
The Bison posted an 11-2 record at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse last season, which marked the most home wins in the NDSU Divsion I era and most since 2003. The Bison have called Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse home since 1978 and have notched a 428-114 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.
GOING THE DISTANCE
The Bison posted a 5-0 mark in five-set matches last season and have earned two five-set wins this season. Dating back to the 2024 season, NDSU is 9-1 in its last 10 five-set matches.
LOOKING BACK AT THE 2025 SEASON
The Bison notched a 17-11 (10-6 Summit) overall record last season. NDSU made its fourth straight appearance in the Summit League Championship before falling short against South Dakota State in the semifinal round. It marked the third time in the last four seasons that NDSU has advanced to the semifinal round.
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS IN THE CLASSROOM
NDSU earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 14th straight year in 2025-26. The award recognizes collegiate and high school programs across the country that maintained a year-long grade-point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale. The Bison also earned Academic Honor Roll recognition, which celebrates programs in the top 20 percent of their division. NDSU boasted a 3.74 cumulative GPA last season.
NEXT UP
NDSU will travel to Oral Roberts on Thursday, Oct. 1. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m.
The North Dakota State (8-2) volleyball team is set to begin Summit League play hosting St. Thomas (2-7) on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. The Bison close the week against Omaha (6-4) on Saturday. First serve is set for 1:00 p.m., at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.
MATCH COVERAGE
GoBison.com: Both contests will feature live statistics. The matches will also stream on the Summit League Network and WDAY Xtra for subscribers. Links to live stats, live video and audio can be found at GoBison.com/coverage.
PROMOTIONS
Fans will receive a free poster for the season-opener against St. Thomas on Thursday, while the Saturday match will be alumni day. The full 2026 promotional schedule can be viewed here.
TICKETS
General admission tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for youth ages 3-17, and reserved tickets are $15. Match day tickets are sold at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse and are also available at GoBison.com/tickets. Doors open one (1) hour prior to the match. Free parking is available in Visitors Lot E.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bison extended their win streak to four matches after sweeping Seattle, 3-0, to wrap up non-conference play. Lauren Jansen led the way with a match-high 12 kills to go along with nine digs and three blocks. NDSU closed non-conference play with an 8-2 record, which marks the most wins to start a season since 2023.
SUMMIT LEAGUE OPENER
NDSU has won each of its last four Summit League openers after sweeping North Dakota, 3-0, last season in Fargo. Under head coach Jennifer Lopez, the Bison 5-4 in Summit League opening matches. Additionally, the Bison are 6-3 under Lopez in home openers.
THE SERIES VS. ST. THOMAS
This will be the 13th all-time meeting between NDSU and St. Thomas dating back to 1983. The Bison lead the all-time series, 10-2, including a 7-0 mark in Fargo. In their most recent meeting last season, Lauren Jansen powered NDSU to a 3-1 win with 21 kills.
THE SERIES VS. OMAHA
This will be the 104th all-time meeting between NDSU and Omaha dating back to 1978 with the Mavericks leading the series, 57-46. NDSU has won each of the last two meetings in the series, including a 3-2 win in Fargo last season after the Bison won the final three sets. Arianna Blohm totaled 13 kills with four blocks, while Zoe John added 10 kills of her own.
ROAD BISON
NDSU played all 10 of its non-conference matches on the road this season and notched an 8-2 record over that stretch. It marked the longest road stretch to begin a season since 2021 when the Bison played 12 straight non-conference matches on the road, which included a 3-1 win over Cal.
ANY PLACE, ANY TIME
NDSU opened the season with 10 straight matches away from home, including six at neutral sites. The Bison join Middle Tennessee State as the only teams in country to boast a 6-0 mark in neutral site matches. It's also tied for the second-most neutral site wins behind Idaho (7-1).
ALL-TOURNAMENT ACCOLADES
Arianna Blohm is the only player to be named to an All-Tournament Team in each of the first four weeks of the season. She also garnered Summit League Defensive Peak Performer of the Week honors for the second time of her career this week. Blohm leads the Bison in both kills (111) and blocks (33.0) through 10 matches.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Outside hitters Lauren Jansen and Zoe John were named to the Summit League Players to Watch list. Jansen has totaled a team-high 699 kills over three seasons, including a career-high 328 kills last season. John appeared in 23 matches in her first season with the Bison last year. The Queen Creek, Ariz., native reached double digits in kills in five matches and posted 146 kills.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
The Bison were picked fourth in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll with 29 points. South Dakota and St. Thomas were tied for second place with 41 points and one first place vote each. South Dakota State earned the top spot with 47 points and six first place votes.
RETURNING ALL-LEAGUE BISON
NDSU returns all three of its Summit League All-League selections from last season. Lauren Jansen was tabbed to the All-League First Team for the first time in her career, while Arianna Blohm was named to the All-League Second Team. Rya Borer was also selected to the All-Freshman Team.
EXPERIENCE IN THE LINEUP
NDSU returns seven starters from last season: Arianna Blohm, Maddy Dombeck, Cathy Porter, Emma Tallman, Lauren Jansen, Zoe John and Rya Borer. Blohm is the most experienced player on the roster having appeared in 93 matches over four seasons.
PORTAL ADDITIONS
Sarah Pfiffner was the only transfer portal addition over the offseason. She played one season at West Virginia in 2025 and appeared in 25 matches. The Frisco, Texas native ranked second on the team with 309 total assists. Pfiffner joins Cathy Porter (Hillsborough Community College), Abi Banitt (SIUE) and Zoe John (Pacific) as the only players added through the portal.
YOUNG BISON
The Bison have seven total newcomers on the roster this season, including six first-year players: Malayna Syverson, Kendall Worwa, Morgan Engel, Aryn Heeke, Allie Collins and Courtney Peters. The roster is constructed of 50 percent first or second-year players. Natasha Kidd, Sarah Pfiffner and Rya Borer each enter their second season.
FROM HIGH SCHOOL TEAMMATES TO BISON
Malayna Syverson and Morgan Engel were high school teammates at Ada-Borup-West High School in Ada, Minn. Engel is also following in the footsteps of her mother, Janna Ruebke Engel, who played for NDSU volleyball from 1996-99 and was recently inducted into the Bison Athletic Hall of Fame in 2025.
LOPEZ CLIMBING THE RECORD BOOK
Head coach Jennifer Lopez is entering her 10th season and has amassed 139 wins over that span. Her 139 wins are the most in the NDSU Division I era and rank third all-time in Bison history. Her 10 seasons are also the second-most in program history behind Jolyn Montgomery (11 seasons, 1989-92).
THE BBF ADVANTAGE
The Bison posted an 11-2 record at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse last season, which marked the most home wins in the NDSU Divsion I era and most since 2003. The Bison have called Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse home since 1978 and have notched a 428-114 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.
GOING THE DISTANCE
The Bison posted a 5-0 mark in five-set matches last season and have earned two five-set wins this season. Dating back to the 2024 season, NDSU is 9-1 in its last 10 five-set matches.
LOOKING BACK AT THE 2025 SEASON
The Bison notched a 17-11 (10-6 Summit) overall record last season. NDSU made its fourth straight appearance in the Summit League Championship before falling short against South Dakota State in the semifinal round. It marked the third time in the last four seasons that NDSU has advanced to the semifinal round.
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS IN THE CLASSROOM
NDSU earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 14th straight year in 2025-26. The award recognizes collegiate and high school programs across the country that maintained a year-long grade-point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale. The Bison also earned Academic Honor Roll recognition, which celebrates programs in the top 20 percent of their division. NDSU boasted a 3.74 cumulative GPA last season.
NEXT UP
NDSU will travel to Oral Roberts on Thursday, Oct. 1. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
MB
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S/DS
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OH
/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballFriday, September 11
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