SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University volleyball team is set to open up their 2024 home slate with a quartet of matches inside A2 Arena in the Donald E. Young Center, as they host the second annual Yellow Jacket Classic. The Yellow Jackets look to continue riding a hot start to the season as they welcome teams from four different states to the Black Hills. The weekend gets started with a familiar challenger thus far early in the season as they play Montana State Billings for the third time in less than a week on Thursday evening, then on Friday BHSU will get a double dose of action as they face first-time opponent Eastern New Mexico and Minnesota Crookston. The weekend will come to a close on Saturday as they play their second NSIC opponent, and east river foe, Sioux Falls.
 
GAME 1 DETAILS VS. MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
Date & Time: Thursday, September 12 at 7 p.m.
Location: Spearfish, S.D. – A2 Arena
 
GAME 2 DETAILS VS. EASTERN NEW MEXICO
Date & Time: Friday, September 13 at 2 p.m.
Location: Spearfish, S.D. – A2 Arena
 
GAME 3 DETAILS VS. MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
Date & Time: Friday, September 13 at 6 a.m.
Location: Spearfish, S.D. – A2 Arena
 
GAME 4 DETAILS VS. SIOUX FALLS
Date & Time: Saturday, September 14 at 5:30 p.m.
Location: Spearfish, S.D. – A2 Arena
 
BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• Black Hills State enters the tournament with a 3-1 record after posting a pair of 3-0 wins over Minot State and a 3-0 win over Montana State Billings at the Yellowjacket Classic last weekend.
• The Yellow Jacket's 3-1 mark match the best start in their NCAA Division II era, which they also accomplished during the 2023 season.
• BHSU's three opening weekend sweeps already mark the most in a single season since they had four during the 2021 season.
• Black Hills State snapped a 4-game losing streak in season openers with their 3-0 victory over Minot State last Friday, September 6, and they look to snap a 2-game losing streak in home openers. The Yellow Jackets last win in a home opener occurred in 2021 when they defeated South Dakota Mines 3-0.
• This weekend will be the second season of Black Hills State hosting the Yellow Jacket Classic. BHSU has posted a 1-3 record in those games, which included a 3-2 victory over MSU Billings last year.
• In 2024 BHSU has hit .221 while averaging 12.9 kills, 11.7 assists, 2.5 aces, 17.2 digs, and 1.8 blocks per set.
• Black Hills State currently leads the RMAC in aces per set (2.54) and digs per set (17.23) while ranking 23^rd and 32^nd nationally.
• Brooke Miller and Abigail Renner lead the Yellow Jackets attack with 49 and 34 kills respectively and average 3.77 and 2.62 kills per set.
• Sydnie Tuioti-Mariner leads BHSU with 99 assists (7.62 assists per set). She opened the season with three consecutive double-doubles, becoming the first Yellow Jacket to do so since the 2015 season.
• Ellie Thomas leads the team with 52 digs (4.00 digs per set) to go along with 11 service aces (0.85 aces per set). Last weekend she reached the career milestone of 1,000 career digs between her time at Northwest College and Black Hills State in last Saturday's 3-0 victory over Minot State. She leads the RMAC in both aces per set and total aces, while ranking 20^th and 24^th respectively in DII.
• Leading the Yellow Jackets at the net is Randi Wellhoefer who has tallied 10.0 blocks through four matches and is averaging 0.77 blocks per set.
• Bree Davis is in her third season as the head coach of the Yellow Jackets.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS STORYLINES

• Montana State Billings enters the tournament with a 3-1 record after posting a pair of 3-0 wins over Minot State and a 3-1 win over Black Hills State at the Yellowjacket Classic last weekend.
• Following a 3-25 (1-17 GNAC) record in 2023 that resulted in a tenth place finish in the league, the Yellowjackets were tabbed tenth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll.
• The top returners for Montana State Billings include All-GNAC Honorable Mention selection, Christine Funk, at the libero position and experience outside hitter Jahsita Fa'ali'i.
• This weekend will be the second consecutive year that MSUB will travel to Spearfish for the Yellow Jacket Classic, and they continue to seek their first win in the tournament after going 0-4 last year.
• In 2024 MSUB has hit .195 while averaging 13.2 kills, 11.5 assists, 3.0 aces, 17.3 digs, and 1.7 blocks per set.
• Montana State Billings currently leads the GNAC in aces per set (3.00) and digs per set (17.31) while ranking fifth and 31^st nationally.
• Jordin Taulua and Fa'ali'i lead the Yellowjacket offense as they posted 47 and 46 kills to go along with averages of 3.62 and 3.54 kills per set in the opening weekend. Additionally, Taulua is tied for a team-best nine service aces (0.69 aces per set), and Fa'ali'i is second on the team with 44 digs (3.38 digs per set).
• Pacing the MSUB offense will be Addie Allen who has collected 117 assists (9.00 assists per set) through four matches.
• A defensive specialist/libero, Christine Funk has led MSU Billings with both 63 digs (4.85 digs per set) and nine service aces (0.69 aces per set).
• The player to watch at the net for Montana State Billings will be Kenzie Nealon who has recorded 10.0 blocks (0.77 blocks per set).
• Casey Williams enters her ninth season as the head coach of the Yellowjackets. 

SERIES HISTORY

• Black Hills State and Montana State Billings will meet on the court for the 12^th time in series history and the third time on the young season on Thursday, as MSUB holds a 9-2 advantage all-time.
• With the split last weekend at the Yellowjacket Invitational in Billings, Montana, BHSU has now won two of the last three meetings in the series. MSUB won last Friday's match 3-1, before Black Hills State responded with a 3-0 win on Saturday. 

EASTERN NEW MEXICO STORYLINES

• Eastern New Mexico enters the tournament with a 0-4 record this season after losing to Minnesota Crookston (3-1), Lake Superior State (3-0), Cal State East Bay (3-0), and CSU Pueblo (3-0) at the Steel City Showcase last weekend.
• Following an 11-20 (2-14 LSC) record in 2023 that resulted in a tie for 15^th in the league, the Greyhounds were tabbed 14^th in the Lone Star Conference (LSC) Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll.
• In 2024 ENMU has hit .136 while averaging 8.9 kills, 7.4 assists, 1.3 aces, 10.5 digs, and 1.0 blocks per set.
• Offensively, Darcy Dodd is the top player to watch for Eastern New Mexico as she leads the team with 35 kills (2.69 kills per set) and six service aces (0.46 aces per set). Additionally, she is second on the team with 29 digs (2.23 digs per set).
• Helping pace the offense is a pair of setters as Cayla Reyes and Abigayle Falefia have totaled 56 and 27 total assists to average 4.31 and 2.08 assists per set respectively.
• At defensive specialist/libero is Imahni Brown who leads the Greyhounds with 31 digs (2.58 digs per set) through four matches this season.
• There are a pair of players to watch for at the net as Sophia Valdez and Teryn Foote lead ENMU with 8.0 and 7.0 total blocks and averages of 0.62 and 0.54 blocks per set respectively.
• Sia Poyer is in his 11^th season as the head coach of the Greyhounds.

SERIES HISTORY

• Friday will mark the first-ever all-time meeting between Black Hills State and Eastern New Mexico in the sport of volleyball.

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON STORYLINES

• Minnesota Crookston enters the tournament with a 2-2 record this season after defeating Cal State East Bay (3-0) and Eastern New Mexico (3-1) and falling to CSU Pueblo (3-0) and Lubbock Christian (3-2) at the Steel City Showcase last weekend.
• Following a 4-22 (2-16 NSIC) record in 2023 that resulted in a 14^th place finish in the league, the Golden Eagles were tabbed 14^th in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Volleyball Coaches' Poll.
• In 2024 UMC has hit .208 while averaging 11.3 kills, 9.6 assists, 1.9 aces, 14.9 digs, and 1.2 blocks per set.
• A pair of players to watch in the Golden Eagle offense is Maya Jones and Madison Carsten who have totaled 45 and 40 kills to go along with averages of 3.00 and 2.67 kills per set.
• Pacing the offense for Minnesota Crookston is setter, Baily Teveldal who has totaled 122 assists (8.13 assists per set) through four matches. Additionally, she leads the team at the service line with seven service aces (0.47 aces per set) and is second on the team with 42 digs (2.80 digs per set).
• Leading the defense is defensive specialist/libero, Kailee Waasdorp, who has notched a team-best 61 digs (4.07 digs per set) this year.
• The player to watch for at the net for Minnesota Crookston will be Emma Malek who has recorded 10.0 blocks (0.67 blocks per set).
• Nick Meseck is in his fourth season as the head coach of the Golden Eagles.

SERIES HISTORY

• Friday will mark just the second all-time meeting between Black Hills State and Minnesota Crookston in volleyball, with the Yellow Jackets holding the 1-0 advantage.
• The lone meeting between the two teams was a September 11, 2015, match that was played in the Elmen Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. BHSU secured a 5-set win in the contest, winning by set scores of 26-24, 25-22, 23-25, 21-25, and 15-11.

SIOUX FALLS STORYLINES

• Sioux Falls enters the tournament with a 1-3 record this season after defeating William Jewell (3-1), and falling to Washburn (3-2), Emporia State (3-1), and Rockhurst (3-0) at the Kansas City Classic last weekend.
• Following a 13-15 (9-9 NSIC) record in 2023 that resulted in a tie for an eighth place finish in the league, the Cougars were tabbed eighth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Volleyball Coaches' Poll.
• Jordan Kuper and Sadie Voss are the top returners for The Coo this season after being named All-NSIC First Team and All-NSIC Second Team respectively a year ago.
• In 2024 USF has hit .270 while averaging 12.8 kills, 12.3 assists, 1.4 aces, 14.6 digs, and 1.8 blocks per set.
• Sioux Falls currently ranks 30^th nationally in hitting percentage (.270) and total assists (197) while also ranking 35^th in total kills (205) in NCAA Division II.
• Leading the Cougar offense will be Voss and Kuper who have put down 54 and 42 kills for averages of 3.38 and 2.63 kills per set respectively. Additionally, Voss is tied for second on the team with 42 digs (2.63 digs per set) and Kuper leads The Coo at the net with 17.0 blocks (1.06 blocks per set).
• There will be a pair of setters pacing the offense for Sioux Falls as Elise Gillen and Liz Kopp have recorded 118 and 54 assists through four matches, averaging 7.38 and 3.38 assists per set respectively. Additionally, Gillen has posted a team-best 47 digs (2.94 digs per set) while Kopp has added five service aces (0.31 aces per set).
• USF is led at the service line by Jordyn Hamm who has tallied nine aces (0.56 aces per set).
• Dan Mathews is in his fourth season as the head coach of the Cougars.

SERIES HISTORY

• Saturday will mark just the seventh meeting between the in-state foes of Black Hills State and Sioux Falls since the 2004 season, and the Cougars hold the 4-2 advantage.
• The Yellow Jackets fell in the most recent match-up between the teams on September 1, 2017, in the Stewart Center at USF by a score of 3-0. The Coo clinched the match victory with set scores of 25-10, 25-13, and 25-14.