VERMILLION, S.D. — South Dakota volleyball travels to Omaha, Neb. Thursday for a meeting with the No. 2 seeded Creighton Bluejays at D.J. Sokol Arena in the first round of the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
ABOUT THE YOTES
- ABOUT THE YOTES
- South Dakota volleyball is set to play in its fifth NCAA Tournament since the 2018 season.
- The Coyotes earned an automatic qualifying bid to the tournament as the Summit League Tournament Champion.
- The Coyotes became the first Summit League team to win three games in three days to claim the title.
- USD also avenged a pair of regular season sweeps in the tournament, with a 3-0 win over Omaha in the semifinals and a 3-2 victory over South Dakota State in the championship.
- The Coyotes and Bluejays have met before in the NCAA Tournament during the 2018 season with Creighton taking a 3-0 win.
- The last time the Yotes were at D.J. Sokol Arena was during the spring COVID season with USD earning a 3-2 win over the then No. 14 Bluejays on January 29, 2021.
- Since 2018, the Coyotes have won the Summit League Tournament Championship five times in 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024.
- Kylen Sealock has been on a tear over the second half of the season, as she’s put away double-digit kills in each of the last 15 matches.
- Sealock has averaged a team-leading 15.9 kills per match over that stretch of play and a 3.97 kills per set average.
- Avery Van Hook paced the Summit League in assists per set (10.39) and enters the NCAA Tournament ranked No. 28 across all setters. Van Hook has also tallied 19 double-doubles on the season.
- Kamryn Farris ranked No. 2 in digs per set (4.78) among Summit League players and No. 39 in the NCAA.
- During the Summit League season, Farris led all players with 347 digs and a 5.26 digs per set average. She was the only player in the conference to average over 5.0 digs per set.
- Kamryn Farris was named the Summit League Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the All-League team alongside teammate Kylen Sealock.
- Avery Van Hook was an All-League Honorable Mention, while Lauren Medeck and Morgan Bode were named to the All-Freshman team.
- During Summit League play, the Yotes were No. 1 in kills (919), assists (856), assists per set (12.97), digs (1,183) and digs per set (17.92).
- Leanne Williamson is in her 11th season as the head coach of the Coyotes and holds the record for most win by a USD head coach with a 231-100 record.
Where To Watch
- Thursday’s match against Creighton can be found on ESPN+.
- On the call for the match will be Jon Schriner (play-by-play), Shannon Smolinski (color commentator) and Ana Bellinghausen (sideline reporter).
3 Wins, 3 Days & a Trophy
- South Dakota became the first Summit League team to win three games in three days to earn its fifth Summit League Tournament Championship in the last seven seasons.
- The Yotes opened the tournament with a 3-0 sweep over Kansas City where they swung at a season-high .412 clip as a team.
- It’s hard to beat a team three times in a single season, and the Yotes proved that as they were swept by both Omaha and South Dakota State in the regular season.
- USD swept its way into the championship match with a 3-0 win over Omaha Monday night.
- Kylen Sealock recorded her second straight match with double-digit kills and a hitting percentage above .400.
- Morgan Bode added eight kills, a .636 swing rate, and four blocks (one solo).
- A pair of Coyote seniors, Kylen Sealock and Cheyenne Hlady, led the way in the Yotes 3-2 championship win over South Dakota State.
- Both Sealock and Hlady set new career-highs in kills with 23 for Sealock and 18 for Hlady.
- Lauren Medeck tallied a double-double with 13 kills and 19 digs, while Kamryn Farris notched her first double-double with 30 digs and 13 assists.
- Amanda Loschen was a brick well at the net, tallying six blocks (three solo) in the win.
She is Her!
- After impressive performances in three straight matches, Kylen Sealock was named the Summit League Tournament MVP.
- Sealock led the Yotes in kills in all three matches during the tournament.
- She put away 12 kills on a .455 clip against KC.
- 11 kills at a .409 hitting percentage in the sweep over UNO.
- Sealock had a career-high 23 kills at a .286 swing rate in the win over SDSU.
Playing Her Best VB at the End of the Year
- Kylen Sealock has been one of the go-to’s on the outside all season long and leads team in kills (408) and kills per set (3.58).
- Sealock has been on a tear over the second half of the season, as she’s put away double-digit kills in each of the last 15 matches.
- Sealock has averaged a team-leading 15.9 kills per match over that stretch of play and a 3.97 kills per set average.
- Over those 15 matches, Sealock has also tallied multiple blocks in seven of those matches.
- During the three games at the Summit League Tournament, Sealock averaged 4.18 kills per set and .350 hitting percentage.
All-Tournament Recognition
- Kamryn Farris and Avery Van Hook were also recognized on the Summit League All-Tournament Team.
- Farris tallied 61 digs in three matches and had her first career double-double with 30 digs, 13 assists in the championship match. She also had five aces, with three in the quarterfinals against KC. Farris dished out 21 assists in three matches.
- Van Hook dished out 113 across the 11 sets and tallied a pair of double-doubles with 34 assists, 11 digs against KC and 54 assists, 13 digs vs SDSU.
All-League Honors
- South Dakota had five players represented on the Summit League All-League teams, as announced Saturday morning.
- Kamryn Farris headlines the honorees for the Yotes, as she was named the
- Farris led the conference in digs (347) and digs per set (5.26) during the 16-game conference season.
- Farris was the only player in the conference to average over 5.0 digs per set.
- Across the NCAA, Farris ranks No. 46 in digs and No. 47 in digs per set
- Kylen Sealock earned her second straight All-League honor after putting away the third most kills among Summit League hitters with 241 and she held the third highest kills per set average at 3.77.
- Sealock put away double-digit kills in 13 of 16 conference matches and has hit the 10-kill mark in each of the last 12 matches.
- Sealock matched her career-high of 21 kills on a .367 swing rate in a five-set win over North Dakota on October 10.
- Avery Van Hook was an All-League Honorable Mention after pacing the conference in assists (689) and assists per set (10.44).
- Van Hook also ranks ninth in the conference in total digs with 196 and in digs per set at 2.97.
- She recorded a double-double in 12 of 16 conference matches with assists and digs.
- Lauren Medeck ranked No. 12 in the conference with 182 kills, and No. 12 in kills per set at 2.76.
- Medeck put away double-digit kills in eight of 16 conference matches, including a career-high tying 20 at South Dakota State on October 22
- She recorded seven double-doubles during the conference slate, all with kills and digs, and dug up a career-high 27 attacks to go with 16 kills against St. Thomas on November 14
- Morgan Bode was a brick wall in the middle of the Yotes lineup, tallying a conference leading 78.0 total blocks during Summit League play.
- Bode notched 14 solo blocks in conference play and her 1.18 blocks per set ranked third.
- Bode tallied multiple blocks in 14 straight matches to end the season.
AVCA Coaches 4 Coaches
- South Dakota’s Barrett Power was selected for the AVCA Coaches 4 Coaches Scholarship, as announced by the AVCA Wednesday.
- Power was one of 18 up-and-coming volleyball coaches that were selected for the scholarship, and the program’s funds will help cover registration and hotel costs at the AVCA Convention. The Convention takes places in Louisville, Kentucky, on December 18-22.
Yotes in the Rankings
- The Coyotes enter NCAA Tournament play ranked No. 28 in the NCAA in kills per set (13.77).
- The USD attack is paced by senior Kylen Sealock and freshman Lauren Medeck who are averaging 3.58 and 2.72 kills per set, respectively.
- Avery Van Hook’s 10.39 assists per set ranks No. 28 in the NCAA and No. 1 in the conference.
- Van Hook is the only Summit League setter averaging double-digit assists per set.
- Van Hook has 1,195 total assists on the season.
- The sophomore setter hit 2,000 career assists in the first set of the Summit League Tournament against Kansas City.
- Kamryn Farris ranks No. 39 in the NCAA in digs per set (4.78) and No. 19 in total digs (554).
You’ve Been Blocked
- The Coyotes blocked a season-high 16.0 blocks against the Fighting Hawks on Oct. 10.
- The Coyotes have tallied 10+ blocks in 12 matches this season.
- Freshman Morgan Bode recorded a career-high nine blocks against the Fighting Hawks.
- Bode leads the team with 109.0 blocks on the season.
- Morgan Bode has recorded multiple blocks in each of the last 14 matches and has a solo block in eight of the last 10.
Can You Dig It?
- Kamryn Farris has commanded the Coyote back row and earned Summit League Defensive Player of the Year honors.
- Farris tallied a new career high, and four-set program record with 38 digs in the Coyotes 1-3 loss to St. Thomas last week.
- Farris matched a then career-high of 30 digs in the Yotes win over Drake.
- She reached the 30-dig mark last season in a five-set win over South Dakota State.
- Farris has had double-digit digs in 28 of 30 matches this season.
- Farris reached 1,000 career digs in the Coyotes match at South Dakota State on Oct. 22.
- Farris picked up her second and third career Summit League Defensive Peak Performer of the Week honors in consecutive weeks earlyier this year.
On Deck
- Lauren Medeck ranks second on the team in kills (315) and digs (336). She is fourth in aces (16) and fourth in blocks (51.0).
- Medeck has 13 double-doubles on the season, all with kills and digs.
- Medeck had a career-high 27 digs in the Yotes match against St. Thomas on Nov. 14.
- In her first career match against South Dakota State, Medeck matched her career-high of 20 kills with a .231 swing rate and 12 digs.
- Medeck put away a team best and then career high 17 kills in the Coyotes 3-1 win over RV Missouri on Sept. 8
- Medeck also recorded her first double-double against the Tigers with 12 digs.
- Medeck led the Coyotes in kills for the first time in her career the game prior, a 3-0 loss to Northern Kentucky with 11 kills. It also marked first match with double-digit kills.
- In the match against NKU, Medeck caught fire in the second set, putting down 10 kills in the frame.
Dropping Dimes
- Avery Van Hook’s 10.39 assists per set average ranks No. 1 across Summit League setters and ranks No. 28 nationally.
- Van Hook has 16 matches this season with 40 or more assists.
- Van Hook dished out 51 assists in two straight matches to close out the Kwik Star Klassic and has hit the 50-assist mark three times this season and six times in her career.
- Van Hook has 19 double-doubles on the campaign with digs and assists.
- The sophomore setter tallied her 1,000th career assist in the Coyotes match against #4 Louisville.
- Van Hook hit the 2,000-assist mark in the Summit League Tournament against KC.
They’re Brick Walls
- The Coyotes middles Morgan Bode and Amanda Loschen have been brick walls at the net for USD.
- Bode leads the Yotes with 123 blocks on the season (23 solo), a mark that ranked No. 4 in the Summit League.
- Bode has notched multiple blocks in 27 of 30 matches this season and had multiple solo blocks five times.
- The freshman from Papillion, totaled a career-best nine blocks in the Yotes five-set win over North Dakota on Oct. 10.
- Since the match against UND, Bode has averaged 4.9 blocks per match and 1.22 per set.
- Since the start of conference play, Loschen has played a more prominent role in the Yotes rotation.
- The sophomore from Omaha, has tallied 64 blocks (15 solo) since Sept. 28, the start of Summit League play.
- Loeschen made her presence felt in a big way in the Coyotes Summit League Championship match with 10 kills and six blocks, including three solo rejections.
- Loschen has four matches this year with multiple solo blocks, including three solo denials twice, both coming against South Dakota State.
- In eight matches in the month of November, Loschen tallied 30 blocks (six solo).