Complete Release (PDF)

MARSHALL, Minn. - The No. 8-ranked Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team (4-0, 0-0 NSIC) will travel to Denver, Colo., this weekend for the Colorado Premier Challenge, playing four matches in two days at Regis (Colo.) and Metro State (Colo.).

Match times: The Mustangs open the tournament in pool play against West Florida on Friday at 12 p.m.  (MST) and play Regis later in the day at 7:30 p.m. (MST).  From there, SMSU will be placed in bracket play according to its record in pool play.  The meeting with Regis will be the second between the Mustangs and Rangers in six days.

Rocky Mountain high:  SMSU last played in the Colorado Premier Challenge in 2007, going 3-1 in that trip to the Centennial State.  Last season, the Mustangs made a similar jaunt to Colorado Springs, returning to the Land of Lakes having won all four of their matches.

Last week:  It was a weekend of perfection for the Mustangs at the Augustana/SpringHill Suites Invitational; SMSU went 4-0, picking up wins against Missouri Western State, Chadron State (Neb.), Regis (Colo.) and Northern State.

Proud Mary:  It was quite the debut for freshman middle blocker Mary Groth (West Bend, Wis.) at the Augustana/SpringHill Suites Invitational last weekend; she was a force to be reckoned with, killing 54 balls (3.86/set) in four matches.  The newcomer was extremely efficient in her eye-catching offensive campaign at the tournament, hitting a sparkling .449 on the weekend. She recorded just six errors in 107 swings and had six blocks. The middle blocker's best performance came on Friday against Chadron State when she tallied 16 kills and posted a hitting percentage of .500. For her performance, Groth landed on the all-tournament team and was named this week's NSIC Offensive Player of the Week.

No slump here:  Sophomore Devin Diedrich (Braham, Minn.) has thus far avoided the proverbial “sophomore slump” and looks to be well on her way to a solid season at her middle blocker position.  A honorable mention All-America player last season, Diedrich came on strong in SMSU's opening weekend by recording a Mustang-best 57 kills in four matches.  She, too, was named to the Augustana/SpringHill Suites Invitational All-Tournament Team.

We're all set:  Senior setter Sara Graf (Mount Pleasant, Iowa) appears to have picked up where she left off last season when she dished out 1,360 assists.  Graf opened the 2009 campaign by tallying 166 assists (11.86/set) on the weekend.  She joined Groth and Diedrich on the Augustana/SpringHill Suites Invitational All-Tournament Team.

National news:  SMSU was stationary in this week's AVCA Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll, staying at No. 8 with 570 points.  NSIC neighbor Concordia University, St. Paul retained the top spot in the poll.

Senior momentum:  Three seniors will lead the Mustangs through the 2009 season, all with a wealth of experience.  Graf, Leah Ashburn (Hector, Minn.) and Tory Brouwer (Mayanard, Minn.) hold down the posts as this year's elders.

Newbies:  While SMSU welcomes back eight returners for 2009, the Mustangs have also been introduced to just as many new faces.  Six freshmen and two junior transfers fill out this season's roster.

The coach:  Terry Culhane returns for his sixth season as the head man of Mustang volleyball, and his name might as well be synonymous with success.  The SMSU alum has yet to encounter a losing season or one that he hasn't made the NCAA Tournament.  Culhane boasts a 133-41 record at SMSU.  He is assisted by Jessica Petersen, Paul Soupir, Mike Dalager, Katie Gangelhoff and Raftyn Rignell.

According to the coaches:  The NSIC's 14 head coaches have tabbed SMSU fifth in their annual preseason poll.  The Mustangs received 125 points in the poll.  Concordia University, St. Paul, national champions for the past two seasons, was selected first for the sixth consecutive season with 169 points and 13 first-place votes.  Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State and Wayne State fell in ahead of SMSU.  MSU received one first-place vote.
        Team (first place votes)    Points
    1.    Concordia-St. Paul (13)    169
    2.     Minnesota Duluth    145
    3.     Minnesota State (1)    143
    4.     Wayne State    128
    5.     Southwest Minnesota State    125
    6.     Augustana    122
    7.     Minnesota State Moorhead    99   
    8.     Winona State    82
    9.     St. Cloud State    65
    10.     Northern State    64
    11.     Bemidji State    44
    12.     Minnesota, Crookston    43
    13.     Upper Iowa    26
    14.     Mary    23

Stay connected:  Stay connected with SMSU volleyball all season long at www.smsumustangs.com.  The Mustangs are also on Facebook and Twitter; just log onto www.facebook.com/smsumustangs and www.twitter.com/smsumustangs.  For the latest video highlights and new episodes of the Mustang minute check out SMSU's official YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/smsuathletics.

We'll do it live!:  Live statistics for all of SMSU's home games can be viewed by logging onto www.smsumustangs.com and following the live stats link on the right side of the volleyball home page.

Let's see it:  All NSIC volleyball matches are video broadcast live and free of charge on the Penn Atlantic Network.  Check out www.northernsun.tv to learn more.