Complete Release (PDF)

MARSHALL, Minn. - The No. 14-ranked Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team (10-4, 0-2 NSIC) will travel to No. 1 Concordia University, St. Paul (14-0, 3-0 NSIC) on Tuesday for a match-up of two nationally ranked programs.  First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Series record:  Heading into Tuesday's match, SMSU is 19-17 against CU all-time.  The last time the Mustangs recorded a win was back in 2007.  Coincidently, that was the Golden Bears' last conference loss as they are currently on a 35-match conference winning streak.  SMSU was ranked No. 6 in the nation at the time and broke a 69-conference match Golden Bear winning streak.

How they rank:  CU enters Tuesday's match-up as the top team in the latest AVCA national poll released on Sept. 21.  The Golden Bears have held the No. 1 spot every week this season, including in the 2009 preseason rankings.  For more about this week's opponent turn to page 4.

Last week: Chelsea Fogarty and Amanda Beekman each had 21 kills to lead No. 14 Minnesota State, Mankato to a 3-2 victory over SMSU Saturday afternoon in Mankato, Minn.  The Mustangs were led by Tory Brouwer's (Maynard, Minn.) 16 kills.  Sara Graf (Mount Pleasant, Iowa) dished out 44 assists, and Kenzie Niesche (Chaska, Minn.) dug up a match-high 24 balls for SMSU, which dropped its second straight conference match.

Closing in:  Senior setter Sara Graf (Mount Pleasant, Iowa) is rapidly approaching the all-time assists record at SMSU.  Graf is just 132 assists away from tying Sarah Rittenhouse's career record of 4,245.  Rittenhouse, a three-time All-NSIC selection, set for the Mustangs from 2000 to 2003.  Graf's current assists total is 4,113, so a strong week from the Mount Pleasant, Iowa, native could push her past Rittenhouse.  Her season output for 2009 is 626 (11.59/set).  No stranger to the SMSU record book, Graf already holds the single season record (1,671 in 2007) and single-match record (73 versus Minnesota State Moorhead on Oct. 3, 2008) for assists.

Dangerous duo:  Middle blockers Devin Diedrich (Braham, Minn.) and Mary Groth (West Bend, Wis.) continue to lead the Mustangs in the offensive categories.  Diedrich is tops in the kills column with 211 (3.84/set), while Groth boasts a Mustang-best .281 hitting percentage on the season.  The middle blocker duo also leads the Mustangs with 43 and 28 blocks, respectively.

National news:  SMSU fell four spots and is ranked No. 14 in the latest AVCA Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll released on Sept. 21.  The Mustangs received 360 points in the poll. NSIC neighbor Concordia University, St. Paul retained the top spot in the poll.  Four NSIC teams found their way into this week's rankings.

Senior momentum:  Three seniors will lead the Mustangs through the 2009 season, all with a wealth of experience.  Sara Graf (Mount Pleasant, Iowa) , Leah Ashburn (Hector, Minn.) and Tory Brouwer (Maynard, 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 139-45 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.