THIS WEEK

The No. 14 ranked SMSU volleyball team opens the 2026 regular season on the road this weekend with four matches at the SpringHill Suites Invitational in Pensacola, Fla.

SMSU opens play with a pair of matches on Friday, Aug. 28, against Wheeling (W. Va.) at 3 p.m., and Spring Hill (Ala.)following at 7 p.m.

The Mustangs round out the weekend with two more matches on Saturday, Aug. 29, playing tournament hosts West Florida in an exhibition at 11 a.m., and Wheeling (W. Va.) for a second time at 3 p.m.

All games are listed in central time.

MATCH COVERAGE

Live stats and video for all matches will be available at SMSUmustangs.com

NOTE: SMSU's matches against Wheeling and Spring Hill will NOT be streamed live.

More information on the tournament can be found at goargos.com

Stay up to date on the Mustangs throughout the weekend by downloading the official SMSU Athletics app.

SERIES HISTORY

SMSU will play Wheeling for the seventh and eighth time this weekend, with the Mustangs holding a 5-1 advantage in the series. SMSU have won five in a row against the Cardinals, with the only Wheeling win occurring in 2014.

The Mustangs will face the Badgers of Spring Hill for the fourth time in team history Friday evening, with SMSU holding a 2-1 lead in the series.

Last year's meeting between the two resulted in a reverse sweep by the Mustangs in the first match of the 2025 season.

West Florida and SMSU will meet for the 11th time, with the Mustangs holding an 8-2 advantage.

With the Argonauts making the transition to the D1 level, Saturday's match will be taking place as an exhibition.

More information on each individual opponent can be found on page three.

LAST SEASON

The Mustangs started the season on a hot streak, winning each of their first eight games, with five sweeps.

SMSU finished the regular season with a record of 21-6 and a 14-6 NSIC record, finishing tied for fifth in the conference standings.

SMSU lost in the NSIC Tournament Quarterfinals to St. Cloud State in three sets, ending the season with a 21-7 record overall.

2026 OUTLOOK

SMSU returns 11 letter winners from the 2025 team that won 21 games last season. The 2026 team features three seniors, four juniors, three sophomores, two redshirt freshman, and five true freshmen.

SMSU senior outside hitter, Leah Jones, was named an NSIC 'Player to Watch'. Jones earned All-NSIC and AVCA All-Central Region first team honors last season earning 401 kills and 3.89 kills per set, both ranking second in the NSIC. Jones currently ranks 16th all-time in kills for SMSU volleyball, and is one of 18 players with 1,000 kills in her career.

Seniors Ashley Peltier and Mya Krystosek begin their final collegiate seasons at SMSU. Peltier, an All-NSIC second team selection in 2025, finished second on the team in kills (278) and total blocks (75). Krystosek tallied 231 kills and 239 digs, both third highest on the team.

Junior setter Sydney Thein returns after receiving second team All-NSIC honors last season. Thein had 1209 assists, which ranked third in the NSIC, as well as being named 'Setter of the Week' by the conference twice.

Natalie Pilney, Kennedy Drake, and Paige Steinmetz all return after successful sophomore campaigns last season. Pilney, one of three players to start every match in 2025, hit .325 while leading the team in blocks with 103. Drake was one of three players to appear in all 104 sets last season, finishing with 235 digs, averaging 2.26 per set. Steinmentz played in all 28 matches, leading the team in service aces (37).

Sophomore Ashlynn Schroeder, after appearing in 25 of 28 matches as a true freshman, looks to make a larger impact defensively for the Mustangs.

SMSU VOTED FOURTH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL

SMSU was picked to finish fourth in the annual 16-team Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.

Regular season co-champions Concordia St. Paul were selected as the preseason favorite earning 220 point and eleven first place finishes (coaches cannot vote for their own school). Wayne State received 207 points and three first place votes finishing in second place, while St. Cloud State earned third place, receiving the last two first place votes and 199 points. The Mustangs received 177 points in fourth place, and Sioux Falls rounded out the top five with 158 points.

SMSU AND THE NSIC IN THE POLLS

SMSU opens the 2026 season ranked No. 14 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Preseason Poll released on Aug. 17.

SMSU is one of four NSIC schools ranked in the Top 25 with Concordia-St. Paul leading the way at No. 1. St. Cloud State is ranked at No. 5, and Wayne State begins the season at No. 9, with the Mustangs in the 14th spot. Minnesota State, Sioux Falls, Northern State, and Minnesota Duluth are all receiving votes.

Following the AVCA poll released on Aug. 17, the Mustangs have now been ranked in the Top 25 for 254 of the last 255 rankings, dating back to Sept. 5, 2006.

SMSU IN THE NATIONAL RANKS  

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

SMSU ranked No. 18 in hitting percentage (.255) and T-No. 41 in W-L percentage (.750).

The Mustangs also finished ninth in assists per set (13.47) and No. 12 in kills per set (14.3). 

Sydney Thein ended the year fifth in assists per set (11.62) and No. 17 in total assists (1209).

Leah Jones finished No. 30 in kills per set (3.89) and T-No. 45 in total kills (401).

NEWCOMERS

The 2026 fall will see the arrival of five true freshmen and a transfer player for Tyler Boddy's Mustangs

Reese Drake, an outside hitter from Marshall, Minn.

Avery Fahl, a middle blocker from Marshall, Minn.

Lindsay Kruse, a middle blocker from St. Ansgar, Iowa

Mollie Rupp, an outside hitter from Bemidji, Minn., and spring transfer from Minnesota Duluth.

Tatem Schmidt, a setter/right side from Huxley, Iowa

Makenzie Walsh, a right side from Sioux Falls, S.D.

HEAD COACH TYLER BODDY  

Tyler Boddy is in his fifth season as head coach in 2026 and has a career record of 90-26 overall, including 57-20 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.

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. 

In that time, the program has appeared in nine NCAA tournaments, including finishing as NCAA national runners-up in 2014. SMSU has a combined record of 338-96 during his tenure 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.

PREVIEWING SPRING HILL (ALA.)

2025 Record: 26-6, 19-0 SIAC

Conference: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)

Head Coach: Peggy Martin, 17th season

SIAC Preseason Rank: 1

Spring Hill (Ala.) Notes

The Badgers finished the 2025 season with a 26-6 overall record and a perfect 19-0 mark in SIAC play, winning their seventh consecutive SIAC championship. Spring Hill advanced to the NCAA Division II South Regional as the No. 8 seed, falling to top-seeded Tampa in the opening round.

Spring Hill is lead by their senior leadership of libero Ashlyn Whiteside and outside hitter Claire Hayes. Whiteside was selected to the SIAC Preseason first team as well as being named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year after leading the conference in digs (475) in 2025. Hayes earned Preseason second team honors after being selected to the second team All-SIAC last season, leading the Badgers with 377 kills and 3.7 kills per set.

PREVIEWING WEST FLORIDA

2025 Record: 28-6, 18-2 GSC

Conference: ASUN (D1)

Head Coach: Melissa Wolter, 24th season

ASUN Preseason Rank: Not released (as of Aug. 24)

West Florida Notes

West Florida finished the 2025 season 28-6 overall and 18-2 in Gulf South Conference play, claiming its eighth straight GSC tournament championship. The Argos advanced to the NCAA Division II South Regional, where they fell to Tampa in the regional semifinal match.

The Argos return several key pieces from their 2025 GSC championship team, including senior setter Gabi Moulton, senior outside hitter Emily Breazeale and senior libero Maddie Mire. Moulton earned GSC Player of the Year  honors in 2025 after recording 1,327 assists, 177 kills, 374 digs and 61 blocks. Breazeale earned All-GSC recognition after producing 282 kills and 212 digs. Mire set a West Florida single-season record with 643 digs, earning first team All-GSC honors.

PREVIEWING WHEELING (W. VA.)

2025 Record: 16-14, 10-4 MEC

Conference: Mountain East Conference (MEC)

Head Coach: Christy Benner, 25th season

MEC Preseason Rank: 1

Wheeling (W. Va.) Notes

Wheeling finished last season 16-14 overall and 10-4 in conference play before earning the No. 3 seed from the MEC North for the conference tournament.

The Cardinals return a young core led by a pair of award winners in sophomore outside hitter Camryn Matus and senior middle blocker Katie Wilking. Matus earned MEC Freshman of the Year honors in 2025 after leading Wheeling with 297 kills, averaging 2.75 kills per set, and adding a team-high 24 service aces. Wilking earned first team All-MEC honors in 2025 after recording 265 kills and leading the Cardinals in hitting percentage (.321) and total blocks (82).

ON THE HORIZON

SMSU heads to St. Joseph, Mo. to play four matches in the Fairfield Inn Griffon Volleyball Classic from Sept. 4-6.

The Mustangs begin NSIC play on the road at Concordia-St. Paul on Friday, Sept. 11, before facing off with Winona State on Saturday, Sept. 12.

SMSU's home debut falls on Friday, Sept. 18 against St. Cloud State.