THIS WEEK

The No. 17 ranked Southwest Minnesota State University volleyball team return home this weekend with two important matches on Homecoming Weekend.

SMSU will face off against No. 8 ranked Concordia-St. Paul (11-3, 7-0 NSIC) on Friday, Oct. 10, at 6 p.m.

The Mustangs will then matchup against Winona State (10-5, 5-2 NSIC) on the following Saturday 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.

SERIES HISTORY

SMSU will play Concordia-St. Paul for the 73rd time, with the Golden Bears holding a 44-28 advantage all time.

The Mustangs last won against the Golden Bears in 2021, winning in four sets.

The Mustangs will meet Winona State for the 107th time, with the Mustangs holding a 71-34-1 advantage all time.

SMSU has won 4 of the last 5 meetings against the Warriors, however Winona State won last year's matchup in four sets.

PREVIEWING NO. 8 CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL

2025 Record: 12-3, 7-0 NSIC

Current NSIC Ranking: 2nd (as of Sept. Oct. 7)

Head Coach: Brady Starkey, 23rd season

The Golden Bears started their season 5-3, losing to Indianapolis, Missouri Western State, and Ferris State in non-conference action.

Last week the Golden Bears went unbeaten at home, defeating both Augustana and No. 9 ranked Wayne State in 3-0 sweeps.

Sophomore Outside Hitter Makenna Nold currently leads the Golden Bears in kills with 201, averaging 4.19 kills per set. She is currently third in the NSIC in kills, and first in kills per set. She is also in the NCAA DII top 15 for kills per set.

PREVIEWING WINONA STATE

2025 Record: 10-5, 5-2 NSIC

Current NSIC Ranking: 6th (as of Oct. 7)

Head Coach: Kristine Pelky, 1st season

The Warriors started the season 5-3 in non-conference play, before starting NSIC action with two four set victories against then No. 15 Northern State and Jamestown.

The Warriors went 1-1 last week, first losing in four sets against No. 9 Wayne State, before sweeping Augustana on Saturday.

Junior Outside Hitter Kenna Kornely leads the Warriors in kills with 220 and averages 4.00 kills per set. She currently leads the NSIC in kills, and is second in kills per set. She is also in the top 25 in DII for kills per set and total kills.

LAST WEEK

The Mustangs played two of the best teams in the NSIC last week away from home, playing No. 10 ranked St. Cloud State on Friday, and No. 22 ranked Minnesota State on Saturday.

In Friday's five set match against St. Cloud State, Leah Jones led the Mustangs with 20 kills . Ashley Peltier and Mya Krystosek both had 14 kills. Karli Arkell had 11 kills and hit .409

McKenzie Tolk had 19 digs, and Sydney Thein had 55 assists.

In a five set match against Minnesota State the next day, Leah Jones had her career high in kills with 26, hitting .350 in the match. Ashley Peltier had 12 kills, and Karli Arkell and Mya Krystosek each had 11 kills.

McKenzie Tolk had 29 digs, and Sydney Thein had 49 assists and 12 digs.

SMSU IN THE AVCA POLL

SMSU moves down five spots, from No. 12 to No. 17 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Week 5 Poll released on Oct. 6.

SMSU is one of seven NSIC schools represented in the recent poll, with Concordia-St. Paul leading the conference at No. 8. St. Cloud State jumps to No. 10 followed by Wayne State dropping to No. 11. Minnesota Duluth moves up two places to No. 13 with the Mustangs at No. 17. Minnesota State joins the top 25 for the first time this season at No. 22, and Northern State is at No. 23.

Following the AVCA poll released on Sept. 15, the Mustangs have now been ranked in the Top 25 for 246 of the last 247 rankings, dating back to Sept. 5, 2006.

SMSU IN THE NATIONAL RANKS  

The Mustangs have started the 2025 season with team and individual placements amongst the NCAA statistical leader boards.

SMSU rank in the top 15 in DII in kills per set (14.13), No. 35 in digs per set (17.20), and No. 24 in hitting percentage as a team (.254)

The Mustangs are currently ninth in assists per set (13.36) and are T-No. 15 in total assists (735)

Leah Jones is No. 31 in kills per set with 3.89, and is currently T-No. 19 in total kills (210).

Sydney Thein is currently fifth in DII with 625 assists and seventh with 11.36 assists per set.

MUSTANGS LEADING THE CONFERENCE  

The Mustangs have started the 2025 season with team and individual placements amongst the NSIC statistical leader boards.

SMSU ranks first in the conference in assists with 734, and are first in both total digs (946) and digs per set (17.20).

Leah Jones is fourth in the conference with 3.82 kills per set, and is second in kills with 210.

Natalie Pilney and Karli Arkell are in the top 20 in both hitting percentage and total blocks.

Sydney Thein is currently second in the NSIC with 625 assists and third with 11.36 assists per set.

McKenzie Tolk is fifth in the NSIC in both total digs (249) and digs per set (4.53).

Paige Steinmetz is in the conference top 10 in both total service aces (24) and aces per set (0.44).

HEAD COACH TYLER BODDY  

Tyler Boddy is in his fourth season as head coach in 2025 and has a career record of 79-23 overall, including 46-18 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play with two NCAA tournament appearances (2023 & 2024). 

Boddy, who spent 10 years as an assistant coach at SMSU, became the fifth head coach in the program's 50-year history on Dec. 17, 2021. 

During his tenure at SMSU, the program has appeared in nine NCAA tournaments, including finishing as NCAA national runners-up in 2014. SMSU has a combined record of 317-89 which includes two Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular season titles and two NSIC tournament championships.

For his efforts during his coaching career, Boddy was named a recipient of the Thirty Under 30 Award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association in April of 2019. He was promoted to associate head coach in the summer of 2021.

Boddy, a native of New Ulm, Minn., came to SMSU after spending two seasons (2010-11) as an assistant coach at Wisconsin-Oshkosh and one season (2009) at Ripon College. Boddy has also had a successful coaching career in club volleyball with his Southwest Minnesota Volleyball Club teams winning national championships in 2014 and 2018.

Boddy, a 2012 graduate of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, lives in Marshall with his wife, Alex, sons, Bronx and Wilke, and daughter, Rowan.

ON THE HORIZON

The Mustangs will be back in the PE Gym on Thursday, Oct. 16, at 6 p.m. against Augustana for International Student Recognition.

SMSU then travel to Nebraska to face Wayne State on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m.

All matches are available on the NSIC Network.

Tickets for Thursday's match and more information can be found at smsumustangs.com/sports/womens-volleyball.