SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University volleyball team looks to get back to the RMAC tournament in 2019, relying on a large group of returners and a strong class of newcomers.

Ten Yellow Jackets return to the squad for 2019. Leading the way will be setter Laurel Lech. The senior returns after starting every match in 2018 and finishing with 702 assists, 241 digs, and 123 kills. Also returning are defensive specialists Jessy Hibl (195 digs) and Valerie Blake (302 digs). Five sophomore hitters are back from last year led by Madison Hoopman who played in 58 sets with 2.12 kills per set.

The Green and Gold will also welcome seven newcomers to the team. Three transfers join the squad, while four come in directly from high school.

BHSU was selected to finish 10th in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The preseason poll is voted on by the conference's coaches. Colorado School of Mines was picked to finish first.

The Yellow Jackets get the season underway with a pair of tournaments on the road. They will travel to Joplin, Missouri, to play four games September 6-7, before competing in the Chap Classic hosted by Lubbock Christian University September 13-14. The Green and Gold will begin RMAC play on the road at Dixie State September 20, before returning home September 27-28 to host Colorado State University-Pueblo and New Mexico Highlands. BHSU welcomes in-state rivals South Dakota School of Mines on Tuesday, October 8, while the game between the teams in Rapid City will be on November 15 to wrap up the regular season.

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Black Hills State is located in the Northern Black Hills of South Dakota, sponsoring 13 NCAA sports with membership in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the NCAA emerging sport of women's triathlon and NIRA rodeo. For all information regarding Yellow Jacket Athletics, please visit BHSUAthletics.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @BHSUAthletics.

---BHSUAthletics.com---