BROOKINGS, S.D. - The Jackrabbits start Summit League play with a bang this weekend as they head down I-29 to take on the South Dakota Coyotes in Vermillion on Friday. The Jacks took both meetings between the two squads last year, winning in four sets on the road. SDSU is 4-1 in the last five meetings between the squads, with the lone loss coming in the 2024 Summit League Championship game, where they lost in five sets to the Coyotes.
KEY STORYLINES
- South Dakota State Volleyball is coming off back-to-back 20+ win seasons for the first time since 2006-2007.
- SDSU was picked to win the Summit League in the preseason poll following a 16-0 conference record in 2025.
- Sylvie Zgonc returns for her fourth year in the yellow and blue. Zgonc is a two-time Summit League Player of the Year and is one of two Division I volleyball players chasing a third consecutive conference Player of the Year award (Olivia Babcock).
- Hannah Klein broke the program's record for solo blocks in a three-match set in her game against Bradley with five. The sophomore is second on the team in kills per set with 2.76, after besting her career high in kills with 18 against Villanova.
- Brooke Larsen recorded the first triple-double for the Jacks since 2013 when she tallied 11 kills, 23 assists and 11 digs against Tulsa. She is one of 14 players in Division 1 to record one this season.
- SDSU has played the 30th toughest schedule in the nation to this point according to NCAA Stats. Their opponents are 65-39 on the year and feature three top-25 teams and three teams that were or are currently receiving votes.
- Zgonc recently picked up her 1,500th kill, she is one of six Jackrabbits to ever eclipse the 1,500 kill mark. Currently sitting at 935 digs, if she reaches the 1,000 dig mark she will join a list of seven Jackrabbits to ever record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs.
- Hannah Klein is fifth in the Summit League in solo blocks with seven so far this season.
- Taylor Byl is seventh in the Summit League at 0.91 blocks per set. In just 23 sets she has 21 blocks, three solos and 18 block assists.
- SDSU has two players who have played all 41 sets so far this year, Sylvie Zgonc and Rylee Martin.
-GoJacks.com-