SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University volleyball team will open up the 2024 season with a quartet of games at the Yellowjacket Invitational this weekend in hopes of replicating the early season success at the Montana State Billings hosted invite that they did a year ago. The Yellow Jackets will play two neutral site matches against Minot State in addition to a pair against the host Yellowjackets, playing each team once a day on Friday, September 6, and Saturday, September 7, in Alterowitz Gymnasium in Billings, Montana.
 
GAME 1 DETAILS VS. MINOT STATE
Date & Time: Friday, September 6 at 3:30 p.m.
Location: Billings, Mont. – Alterowitz Gymnasium
 
GAME 2 DETAILS VS. MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
Date & Time: Friday, September 6 at 6 p.m.
Location: Billings, Mont. – Alterowitz Gymnasium
 
GAME 3 DETAILS VS. MINOT STATE
Date & Time: Saturday, September 7 at 9 a.m.
Location: Billings, Mont. – Alterowitz Gymnasium
 
GAME 4 DETAILS VS. MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
Date & Time: Saturday, September 7 at 2 p.m.
Location: Billings, Mont. – Alterowitz Gymnasium
 
BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• Black Hills State posted a 5-21 (0-14 RMAC) record in 2023, finishing 15^th in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
• With a 3-1 mark in 2023, the Yellow Jackets achieved their best start to a season in their NCAA Division II era and since 2007.
• BHSU looks to snap a 4-game losing streak in season openers, dating back to the 2019 season when they started the year with a 3-1 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State in Joplin, Missouri.
• Announced on Wednesday, August 28, the Yellow Jackets were voted 14^th in the 2024 RMAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• This weekend will be the third appearance in four seasons for Black Hills State in the Yellowjacket Invitational, hosted by MSU Billings. BHSU has posted a 5-3 record in those games, which included a 3-1 mark on opening weekend a year ago.
• Last year BHSU hit .146 while averaging 11.1 kills, 9.9 assists, 1.4 aces, 14.4 digs, and 1.5 blocks per set.
• The Yellow Jackets return one All-RMAC selection from a year ago as Abigail Renner earned All-RMAC Honorable Mention in 2023.
• Renner is joined by Emily Freeland as one of just two duos in the league to return after posting 250+ kills apiece a year ago.
• Renner ranked fifth in the conference in total kills (318) and seventh in kills per set (3.24) last season.
• Renner tacked on ten double-doubles in 2023 as she recorded 235 digs (2.40 digs per set), while Freeland notched 142 digs (1.45 digs per set) which led to four double-doubles.
• Among returners, Renner and Freeland are first and second at the service line with 28 and 14 aces respectively a year ago, along with blocks with 35.0 and 32.0 respectively.
• Looking to make an impact immediately on the court in the Green & Gold, Ellie Thomas enters the program after setting both single season (516) and career (967) digs records at Northwest College.
• A second player that will seek to make an impact as a newcomer will be Brooke Miller, who spent last season at NCAA Division I Northern Arizona, after tallying 321 kills and 281 digs during her career at Grossmont College as she led the Griffins to the CCCAA Tournament Quarterfinals in 2021 and 2022.
• Bree Davis enters her third season as the head coach of the Yellow Jackets.

MINOT STATE STORYLINES

• Minot State posted a 2-26 (1-17 NSIC) record in 2023, finishing 15^th in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
• MSU looks to snap a 6-game losing streak in season openers, dating back to the 2017 season when they started the year with a 3-2 victory over South Dakota Mines at home in the Minot State Dome.
• Announced on August 8, the Beavers were voted 15^th in the 2024 NSIC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• This weekend will be the second consecutive appearance for Minot State in the Yellowjacket Invitational, hosted by MSU Billings. In 2023 MSU went 0-4 in the invite.
• Last year MSU hit .105 while averaging 9.3 kills, 8.6 assists, 1.2 aces, 13.4 digs, and 1.0 blocks per set.
• The top returner for Minot State is Bailee Brommenschenkel who recorded 135 kills and a team-high 55.0 blocks.
• Jaina Macaulay is also back for the Beavers after tallying a team-best 442 assists a year ago and her 18 service aces are the most among returnees.
• Alex Courtney enters her first season as the head coach of the Beavers. 

SERIES HISTORY

• Former Dakota Athletic Conference foes Black Hills State and Minot State will square off for the 44^th and 45^th meetings all-time on Friday and Saturday, with the Yellow Jackets holding the series lead 26-17.
• BHSU won 3-1 by set scores of 25-12, 23-25, 25-19, and 25-14, on September 2, 2023, in the Yellowjacket Invitational in Billings, Montana, when the teams met for the first time in nearly a decade.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS STORYLINES

• Montana State Billings posted a 3-25 (1-17 GNAC) record in 2023, finishing tenth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
• MSUB looks to get back into the win column in season openers after dropping their first contest of the 2023 season by a 3-1 score to UMary, however they are 2-1 in their last three season openers and 5-5 in their last ten.
• Announced on August 21, the Yellowjackets were voted tenth in the 2024 GNAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• This weekend will be the fourth consecutive year of hosting the Yellowjacket Invitational, and they hold a 9-3 record in the invite during that time frame.
• Last year MSUB hit .095 while averaging 9.6 kills, 8.8 assists, 1.5 aces, 15.8 digs, and 1.8 blocks per set.
• 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.
• Funk enters the season third all-time in MSUB history with 1,294 career digs and ranked 22^nd nationally in NCAA Division II with 541 digs in the 2023 season.
• Fa'ali'I makes her return to the court this season after having to sit out in 2023 due to an injury, however in 2022 she led the Yellowjackets with 29 aces, ranked second with 198 kills, third with 210 digs, and was fourth with 23.0 blocks.
• Montana State Billings adds NCAA Division I transfer Jordin Taulua from Georgia State where she appeared in nine matches and notched 25 kills to go along with 33 digs.
• Another impact newcomer for MSUB includes Addie Allen who was the 2023 Montana Gatorade Player of the Year and AA Player of the Year. Additionally, she was a 3-time First Team All-State selection in 2022, 2023, and 2024 while she set the all-time career assist record at Billings West High School with 3,285 during her prep career.
• 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 tenth and 11^th time in series history on Friday and Saturday, as MSUB holds an 8-1 advantage all-time.
• BHSU secured their first victory in series history a year ago in the Yellowjacket Invitational in Billings, Montana, by way of a 3-2 reverse sweep and set scores of 16-25, 17-25, 25-11, 25-15, and 15-13.