THIS WEEK

• The Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team (18-3, 10-2 NSIC) visits Augustana University tomorrow, Oct. 24, for a non-conference match against the Vikings at 6 p.m.
• The Mustangs then return to conference play back at home hosting Northern State (16-5, 8-4 NSIC) for its annual Red Out on Friday, Oct. 27, at 6 p.m., and MSU Moorhead (7-14, 3-9 NSIC) on Saturday, Oct. 28, at 2 p.m.

MATCH COVERAGE

• Live stats and video for all matches will be available at SMSUmustangs.com
• Stay up to date on the Mustangs throughout the weekend by downloading the official SMSU Athletics app on your smartphone.

SERIES HISTORY

• Tomorrow will be the 71st meeting between SMSU and Augustana.
• Their first meeting came in 1972, and their most recent meeting came on Oct. 3, which resulted in a four-set home victory for the Mustangs.
• The Vikings have won two of the last three meetings, with Augustana claiming victory twice in the last three matches in Sioux Falls.
• SMSU is 9-15-1 all-time on the road against Augustana.

 MORE ABOUT AUGUSTANA

• The Augustana volleyball team turned the corner last Saturday morning, defeating the Minot State Beavers 25-14, 25-11, 25-21 in the MSU Dome.
• The win marks the 100th in the career of head coach Jennifer Jacobs. She became the fifth coach in program history to reach the milestone. 
• Callie Hohenhaus pumped the offense with 14 kills on a .571 hitting percentage. Maya Wente delivered nine kills and three blocks, and Kia Kriener added nine kills and 14 digs. Erika Bute led the back line with 18 digs, while Kiylah Franke tallied nine digs. Lucy Bartee paced the offense with 39 assists.
• Kia Kriener leads the Vikings with 261 kills, while Reagan Jansen follows with 165 kills and 146 digs, and also leads the team with 30 aces. Erika Bute leads the team with 394 digs, including 5.32 digs per set.
• Excelling on the Vikings front line are Callie Hohenhaus (155 kills, 58 blocks) and Maya Wente (161 kills, 67 blocks).
• Lucy Bartee has put together an all-around contribution, adding 760 assists, 156 digs, 28 blocks, and 22 aces. Kiylah Franke and Ellie Walker have each produced on the back line, as Franke has tallied 158 digs and 23 aces, while Walker has collected 113 digs and 20 aces.

VANHEEL EARNS NSIC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

• Southwest Minnesota State University junior middle blocker Emma VanHeel was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Defensive Player of the Week following her performances in SMSU's undefeated three-match home stand in the sixth week of the regular season, including two big four-set wins over No. 6 St. Cloud State and No. 11 Minn. Duluth.
• VanHeel, a native of Otsego, Minn., dazzled over the week, recording 15 total blocks, including a season-high eight block performance against the No. 11-ranked Bulldogs. She would finish the match with nine kills and a service ace.
• She also led the way against No. 6 St. Cloud State on Friday, leading a ferocious offensive onslaught with 13 kills to go along with two blocks and three digs.
• She would end the weekend with 1.33 blocks per set while hitting .250 and recording eight digs.
• She is the first Mustang to win an NSIC weekly honor since Oct. 25, 2021, when Angela Young earned offensive honors.

SMSU AND THE NSIC IN THE POLLS

• The Southwest Minnesota State University volleyball team, after going undefeated in three matches last week, has climbed to No. 6 in the eighth regular season American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)/TARAFLEX Top 25 Division II poll released on Monday afternoon.
• SMSU is one of five NSIC schools ranked in this week's Top 25 with Wayne State remaining at the No. 1 spot, followed by Concordia-St. Paul, which was No. 2, is now at No. 4, St. Cloud State, which was No. 13 last week, has moved up to No. 9, and Minn. Duluth, after being ranked tenth last week, has dropped four spots to No. 14

LAST TIME OUT

• The Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team added another win to its streak this past Saturday afternoon with a 3-1 victory over the University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles, winning by scores of 25-14, 24-26, 25-12, 25-15.
• Four SMSU attackers recorded double digit kills in the win. Brooklyn Kusler led all Mustang attackers with 16 kills on .536 hitting (16-1-28), while adding a team-high three service aces, four digs, and one solo block in her effort. Leah Jones shined again in the win, picking up 13 kills on .324 hitting (13-2-24). Jones dished out 17 digs and recorded two block assists in addition. Karli Arkell found her rhythm this afternoon, hitting 11 kills with only one error for .476 hitting.
• Halle Jansen had a season-best performance in today's match. Jansen posted a season-high 10 kills in the affair on .321 hitting, adding one assist and five digs to the team totals, which are also season-high marks.
• Alisa Bengen had another impressive performance this afternoon. Bengen dished out 46 assists and tallied seven kills on offense. Additionally, Bengen recorded one service ace and 17 digs on the back line for the Mustangs.
• McKenzie Tolk anchored the SMSU back line, snagging 19 digs and one service ace, while adding six assists on offense. Karli Arkell would post a team-high five total blocks in the contest, followed by Bengen with three, and Emma VanHeel and Leah Jones with two apiece.

AUGUSTANA PREVIEW

• 2023 Record: 8-12, 5-7 NSIC
• Head Coach: Jennifer Jacobs, 7th season
• Mascot: Vikings

Augustana Notes

• The Augustana volleyball team turned the corner last Saturday morning, defeating the Minot State Beavers 25-14, 25-11, 25-21 in the MSU Dome.
• The win marks the 100th in the career of head coach Jennifer Jacobs. She became the fifth coach in program history to reach the milestone.
• Kia Kriener leads the Vikings with 261 kills, while Reagan Jansen follows with 165 kills and 146 digs, and also leads the team with 30 aces. Erika Bute leads the team with 394 digs, including 5.32 digs per set.

UP NEXT

• The Mustangs return to conference play back at home hosting Northern State (16-5, 8-4 NSIC) for its annual Red Out on Friday, Oct. 27, at 6 p.m., and MSU Moorhead (7-14, 3-9 NSIC) on Saturday, Oct. 28, at 2 p.m.