THIS WEEK

-No. 16 Southwest Minnesota State (4-0) takes the court for a tournament for the second straight weekend, this time in Hays, Kan., for the Fort Hays State Classic on Sept. 10-11.

-The Mustangs face Black Hills State (2-2) at 10 a.m. on Friday, and will also face Fort Hays State (2-2)on Friday at 1:30 p.m.

-SMSU closes the classic with Emporia State (0-3) at 10 a.m., and Adams State (2-3) at 1:30 p.m., on Saturday.

    LAST WEEK  

-The Mustangs went 4-0 at the Colorado School of Mines Classic, including wins against two teams ranked in the top 12.

-SMSU began their season Sept. 3, upsetting No. 10 Colorado Mesa 25-27, 25-18, 25-23, 25-21 on Friday, Sept 3. 

-SMSU's offensive onslaught was too much for Grand Valley State in the Mustangs' 25-20, 25-23, 25-23 victory in their second match on Friday, Sept 3.

-SMSU kicked off day two with a 25-15, 25-19, 25-22 victory over Colorado College to begin the Colorado School of Mines Classic with a 3-0 record

-SMSU continued their dominance, upsetting No. 12 Colorado School of Mines 25-23, 25-15, 25-19 to finish the Colorado School of Mines Classic

-Angela Young was named tournament MVP after recording 56 kills and 22 digs in the four games, while Meg Schmidt was named to the all-tournament team with 41 kills, 13 blocks, and seven aces.

    SMSU AND THE NSIC IN THE POLLS  

Fresh off a perfect 4-0 weekend to the start the 2021 season, SMSU is ranked No. 16 in the first regular season American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Division II weekly poll released on Monday afternoon.

SMSU is one of seven NSIC schools ranked in this week's Top 25 with Concordia-St. Paul leading the way at No. 1, followed by Minnesota Duluth at No. 11, St. Cloud State at No. 12, Winona State at No. 14, SMSU at No. 16, Wayne State at No. 17 and Northern State at No. 19.

    ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE   

-The Mustangs are riding a 12 set winning streak, their longest since 2018. A win in the first set on Friday will give them their most consecutive set wins since 2017, when they won 17 consecutive.

-SMSU returns 2019 All-NSIC first team Angela Young and second team All-NSIC Meg Schmidt, as well as three-time Academic All-NSIC Payton Hjerleid.

-SMSU was voted seventh in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll

-Meg Schmidt was named NSIC Player to Watch. Schmidt was second on the team with 328 kills, while also finishing second on the team with 62 blocks.

    RECORD BREAKER  

-Payton Hjerleid etched her name into the record books after tying the SMSU single match record for service aces with an eight ace performance against Colorado School of Mines on Saturday, Sept. 4.

-Hjerleid currently slots in at No. 2 in the conference in service aces and service aces per set. 

    FRESHMEN FOCUS

-The first weekend saw five freshmen take the court for the Mustangs, with all five appearing in the stat sheet.

-True freshman Emma VanHeel led the way for the young guns, tallying 32 kills and a pair of aces to help the Mustangs

-Redshirt Katelyn Nichols helped anchor the defense, leading the team with 20 blocks, including a team-high four solo blocks. Nichols also pitched in offensively, delivering 19 kills.

-Halle Jansen, Sophie Johnson, and Saari Kuehl all saw action as well, playing in 12, 12, and eight sets respectively.

    SERIES HISTORY

-Black Hills State and SMSU will meet for the second time, with SMSU winning the lone matchup.

-The only meeting was in 1985, when the Mustangs won in four sets.

-Fort Hays State and SMSU will meet for the ninth time, with SMSU leading the series 5-3

-The first meeting was in 1991 and the last meeting occurred in 2006 with SMSU claiming victory in a sweep

-Emporia State and SMSU will meet for the sixth time, with SMSU dominating the season series, leading 4-1.

-The first meeting was in 1991 and the last meeting occurred in 2012 with SMSU claiming a sweep 

-Adams State and SMSU will meet for the third time, with the Mustangs holding a 2-0 advantage.

-The first meeting was in 2008 and the last meeting occurred in 2013 with SMSU claiming victory in four sets.

    2021 OUTLOOK

-The Mustangs look to reach the NSIC tournament for the first time since 2018 after being narrowly edged out by strength of schedule points index in 2019.

-Senior outside hitter Angela Young, who earned All-NSIC first team honors in 2019, returns this season after leading the team with 420 kills in 2019. Young also garnered CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.

-Junior right-side hitter Meg Schmidt is back after amassing 328 kills and 62 blocks en route to All-NSIC second team honors.

-Junior setter Alisa Bengen also returns after ranking second on the squad two seasons ago with 538 assists. 

-Senior Payton Hjerleid will help anchor the defense after recording a team-high 426 digs in 2019, while junior outside hitter Rachel Fink amassed 256 digs and recorded 116 kills.

    THE TERRY CULHANE FILES

-Terry Culhane, the all-time wins leader in program history, is in his 18th season as head coach and has an overall record of 414-116, including 245-59 in NSIC play.

-The four-time NSIC Coach of the Year, Culhane has never led SMSU to a losing season, a resume that includes a 30-win season, and 11 other seasons with at least 25 wins.

-SMSU has won NSIC Tournament titles in 2012 and 2017 and has won a pair of NSIC regular season championships in 2012 and 2016.  

-SMSU has played in 15 NCAA Tournaments during Culhane's time with the Mustangs, including a NCAA National Championship appearance in 2014

-SMSU's fourth head coach, Culhane spent 23 seasons (1979-2003) as a high school basketball and volleyball coach around the state of Minnesota, including his final four seasons coaching volleyball at Marshall High School, appearing in three state tournaments.

-Culhane ranks 16th among active DII coaches in win percentage, while ranking 26th in wins

-Culhane's complete bio is found on page 11.

    BLACK HILLS STATE PREVIEW

2021 Record: 2-2

Head Coach: Kristin Carmichael, 8th season

Mascot: Yellow Jackets

Black Hills State Notes

-Kristin Carmichael became head coach for Yellow Jackets volleyball in 2014, having been with Black Hills State as a player or coach since 2006.    

-The Yellow Jackets were picked to finish 10th in the RMAC.

-Black Hills State returns after finishing 5-9 in the spring of 2021  

-Yellow Jackets are lead by junior outside hitter Madison Hoopman, who has tallied 44 kills in the first four games of the season, and Haedyn Rhoades, who leads the team with 97 digs.

    FORT HAYS STATE PREVIEW

2021 Record: 2-2

Head Coach: Jessica Wood-Atkins, 3rd season

Mascot: Tigers

Fort Hays State Notes

-Jessica Wood-Atkins enters her third year as head coach in 2021   

-The Tigers were picked to finish ninth in the MIAA.

-Fort Hays State returns after finishing 3-10 in the spring of 2021  

-Tigers are lead by senior outside hitter Isabelle Reynolds, who has tallied 28 kills in the first four games of the season, and Jaden Daffer, who leads the team with 36 digs.

    EMPORIA STATE PREVIEW

2021 Record: 0-3

Head Coach: Bing Xu, 17th season

Mascot: Hornets

Emporia State Notes

-Head Coach Bing Xu begins his 17th season leading the Hornets, with a record of 288-193.

-The Hornets were picked to finish 10th in the MIAA.

-Emporia State returns after finishing 2-14 in the spring of 2021  

-Emporia State is lead by sophomore outside hitter Megan Stretton, who has tallied 29 kills in the first three games of the season, and Rylie Fornelli, who leads the team with 46 digs.

    ADAMS STATE PREVIEW

2021 Record: 2-3

Head Coach: Lindy Mortensen, 16th season

Mascot: Grizzlies

Adams State Notes

-Adams State University alumna Lindy Mortensen enters her 16th season at the helm of the Grizzly volleyball program.

-The Grizzlies were selected to finish 14th in RMAC

-Adams State returns after finishing 2-12 in the spring of 2021  

-Grizzlies are lead by senior middle hitter Shannon Mulkey, who has tallied 36 kills in the first four games of the season, and Sierra Leone Sanchez, who has collected 41 digs.

    ON THE HORIZON

-The Mustangs compete in the Fort Hays State Classic in Hays, Kansas on Sept 10-11. They will face Black Hills State, Fort Hays State, Emporia State, and Adams State. -

-SMSU will open its conference schedule at Bemidji State on Friday, Sept. 17, and will host Augustana on Tuesday, Sept. 21 to open their home slate.

    ALL OR NOTHING 

-SMSU is 54-28 in five-set matches during the Culhane era, including a five-set victory over Northern State in Aberdeen, S.D., on Nov. 8, 2019

-The Mustangs finished 3-2 in five-set matches in 2019

    SMSU IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT 

-SMSU has made 16 NCAA Tournament appearances (2001, 2004-2018) in program history since moving to Division II in 1995-96. 

-SMSU is 17-16 all-time in NCAA?Tournament matches, appearing in three region championship matches, and was NCAA National runner-up in 2014

    SEASON OPENERS 

-SMSU is 30-20 all-time in openers following this season's 3-1 win against No. 10 Colorado Mesa.

-SMSU has opened the season 15-2 since Culhane took the helm in 2004.

    SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC 

-The 2021 campaign marks the 42nd season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. 

-SMSU has an all-time record of 420-190 in 610 conference matches, finishing in the top five of the final standings 15 of the last 16 season.

-SMSU has two regular season championships (2012 and 2016) and two tournament championships (2012 and 2017). 

    MUSTANG HISTORY 

-Southwest Minnesota State is in its 51st season of volleyball and 50th season of competition in 2021.

-SMSU has played 1,693 matches compiling an all-time record of 1,002-683-12. 

-SMSU has won two NSIC regular season championships (2012 & 2016), two NSIC?tournament championships (2012, 2017), a NCAA region championship and NCAA DII National Championship appearance in 2014, and has appeared in 16 NCAA?tournaments (2001, 2004-18).

-SMSU has recorded 32 winning seasons in program history with 17 straight.