Complete Release (PDF)

MARSHALL, Minn. - The No. 14-ranked Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team closes a three-match homestand tonight when Winona State visits Marshall for a conference contest.  First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Series record: Tuesday will be the 83rd meeting between SMSU and WSU.  The Mustangs hold the advantage in the series as they are 52-29-1 against the Warriors.  Last season's matches with WSU, both of which SMSU won, each went two five sets.  In the last meeting between the two schools on Oct. 10, 2008, in Marshall, the Mustangs scored the final two points of the fourth set and opened the fifth set on an 11-1 run to notch the victory.

How they rank:  WSU enters Tuesday's match unranked in the latest AVCA national poll.  For more about this week's opponent, turn to page 4.

Chaska connection:  Tuesday's match will feature three former Chaska High School standouts.  SMSU's Brittany Wenzel and Kenzie Niesche and WSU's Maggie Finkel all were CHS Hawks during their prep days.

Last week: SMSU picked up its first conference win of 2009 on Friday when the Mustangs swept Northern State.  Another sweep--this one over Mary on Saturday--concluded a flawless weekend for SMSU.

She's all set:  Setter Cara Carson (Omaha, Neb.) got her first starts of the year for SMSU last weekend and debuted in style.  Carson dished out 72 assists (12.00/set) in a pair of matches.  The sophomore's weekend performance was highlighted by a 38-assist outing against Northern State on Friday.  Other weekend totals for Carson included six digs and one block.

Statistically speaking:  The SMSU volleyball team and a trio of individuals ranked high in the latest national statistics released last week by the NCAA.  The Mustangs were in the top 10 in three categories as a team, while three individuals are in the top 30 in their respective categories.  As a team, SMSU was second in the nation in assists per set with 13.84, ninth in digs per set with 17.75 and fourth in kills per set with 14.55.  Individually, setter Sara Graf (Mount Pleasant, Iowa) was fifth in assists per set with 11.59.  Middle blocker Devin Diedrich (Braham, Minn.) was 29th in kills per set with 3.84.  Libero Kenzie Niesche (Chaska, Minn.) was 29th in digs per set with 4.89.  The statistics were calculated with all matches played before Sept. 20.

National news:  SMSU stayed at No. 14 in the latest AVCA Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll released on Sept. 28.  The Mustangs received 375 points in the poll. NSIC neighbor Concordia University, St. Paul retained the top spot in the poll.  Five 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 141-46 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.