Upcoming Event: Women's Volleyball at North Dakota on October 21, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
/
7:00 p.m.
Women's Volleyball
at North Dakota
South Dakota State University Athletics
Friday, August 25
Milwaukee, Wis.
Noon
South Dakota State University
at
Milwaukee
Photo by: Inertia Sports Media/Dave Eggen
Volleyball Opens 52nd Season on the Road
8/23/2017 9:03:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
|  MATCHES 1-3: South Dakota State (0-0) at Milwaukee (0-0); vs. Virginia Tech (0-0); vs. Idaho State (0-0) |
| Â When | Â Friday, August 25 | Noon & 5 p.m. | Â Saturday, August 26 | 11 a.m. |
| Â Where | Â Klotsche Center I Milwaukee, Wis. | Â Klotsche Center I Milwaukee, Wis. |
| Â TV | Â ESPN3Â (1st match only) I Gold & Black Network | Â Gold & Black Network |
| Â Live Stats | Â GoJacks.com | Â GoJacks.com |
| Â Game Notes | Â South Dakota State | Milwaukee | Virginia Tech I Idaho State | |
| Â Social Media | Â Twitter | Facebook | #StriveTogether | |
The South Dakota State volleyball team opens its 52nd volleyball campaign Friday when it plays host Milwaukee at noon in the first of three matches at the Pepsi Panther Invitational in the 2,500-seat Klotsche Center in Milwaukee, Wis. The Jackrabbits follow the opener with a match against Virginia Tech at 5 p.m. and play Idaho State Saturday at 11 a.m.
SDSU opens the season on the road for the 10th-straight year. The Jackrabbits went 1-2 in the 2016 season-opening Green Bay Invitational in Green Bay, Wis.
Jackrabbit Extra
- Fans of Jackrabbit Extra on GoJacks.com can watch all South Dakota State home matches and select road matches streaming live on the internet.
Setting the Scene
- South Dakota State opens its 52nd season overall and 13th in the Division I era.
- The Jackrabbits sport an 894-683-8 (.566) all-time record and 173-232 (.427) mark in Division I play. SDSU makes its second consecutive and third overall trip to the Badger State since playing in the 2009 Green Bay Classic and the 2016 Green Bay Invitational.
- The Jackrabbits play Milwaukee for just the second time. SDSU lost to the Panthers, 3-1, Sept. 22, 1989, in the Augustana-Godfather's Invitational in Sioux Falls. State and Virginia Tech meet for the first time while Idaho State leads the series 1-0 after winning, 3-0, Aug. 20, 2009, in the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic in Laramie, Wy.
Opening Success
- The Jackrabbits are 31-20 in season openers, including a 17-14 mark in neutral site openers. South Dakota State's last neutral site victory to open a season was Aug. 24, 2012, when it beat Southwest Missouri State, 3-0, in the Hawkeye Challenge.
A Quick Glance at South Dakota State
- SDSU has five letterwinners returning, including five starters.
- Third-year head coach Nicole Cirillo's probable starters are sophomores Makenzie Hennen (2.26 kps) and Ashlynn Smith (1.45 kps, .224) on the outside, junior Sierra Peterson (1.41 kps & 0.67 bps) on the right side; junior Payton Richardson and freshman Macy Smith are in the middle; junior Mattison Munger (8.99 aps) setting and senior Ellie Benson (4.54 dps) as libero.
- In the alumni match, Hennen led the Jackrabbits with 16 kills and Peterson added 13. Defensively, Benson recorded 14 digs.
- The 2017 SDSU volleyball roster features 14 players from nine states. Of the 14 players, two are from South Dakota, four from Iowa, two from Nebraska and one each from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas and Wisconsin. By class, the Jacks have one senior, three juniors, three sophomores and seven freshmen.
This Weekend's Opponents
Milwaukee (0-0)—After finishing fifth in the Horizon League Conference last year, Milwaukee was picked fourth in the preseason coaches poll, earning 60 points. The 2016 squad finished 15-13 overall and 9-7 in the conference.
- Sophomore middle blocker Bridget Wallenberger returns after being named the Horizon League Freshman of the Year and earning all-league honors last year. She led the team in hitting percentage (.259), service aces (23) and blocks per set (1.08) and was second in kills per set (2.91).
- On the outside, sophomore Kylie Wiks is back. The Horizon League All-Freshman Team pick was one of four Panthers to post over 200 kills.
- Series vs. Milwaukee—Milwaukee leads 1-0.
- Last Meeting Sept. 22, 1989—South Dakota State lost 15-12, 3-15, 16-14, 15-3 in the Augustana-Godfather's Invitational in Sioux Falls.
Virginia Tech (0-0)—After posting a 13-18 overall record, including an 8-12 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Virginia Tech was picked 12th in the coaches poll.
- The Hokies return four starters—middle blockers Cara Cunningham (106 blocks) and Jaila Tolbert (.301), setter Rhegan Mitchell (10.75 aps) and libero Carol Raffety (4.26 dps).
- Series vs. Virginia Tech—First meeting.
Idaho State (0-0)—Idaho State was picked sixth in the Big Sky Conference preseason poll, garnering 71 votes. The Bengals finished 16-15 overall and 10-6 in conference play.
- ISU returns five starters and has five newcomers.
- Bengals will be led by preseason picks senior outside hitter Chloe Hirst (3.77 kps, 2.86 dps) and middle hitter Brooke Pehrson (.242, 2.32 kps, 1.13 bps). Libero Haylie Keck (4.99 dps) also returns.
- Series vs. Idaho State—Idaho State leads, 1-0.
- Last Meeting Aug. 30, 2009—South Dakota State started with a 25-22 first-set win over Idaho State, but the Bengals bounced back to take the final three sets to secure the win in the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic in Laramie, Wyo.
- Kelli Fiegen led the Jacks with 13 kills and a .391 hitting percentage and added six block assists and a pair of solo blocks in the loss.
- Ellyce Youngren added 10 kills while Stacey Wernert led the team with 11 digs.
- Four different Bengals tallied double-digit kills in the win, led by Jaclyn Hone.
Last Outing Aug. 19, 2017—South Dakota 4, SDSU 0
- Led by Makenzie Hennen and Sierra Peterson, the Jackrabbits beat the Alumni, 4-0 (25-10, 25-22, 25-14, 25-19) in South Dakota State's 2017 Alumni Scrimmage in Frost Arena.
- Hennen and Peterson led the team with 16 and 13 kills, respectively. Payton Richardson and Ashlynn Smith each chipped in eight kills.
- Ellie Benson collected 14 digs while Erin Cutts had a pair of solo blocks and Macy Smith added four block assists. Maddie Fay finished with 30 set assists.
For more information on the South Dakota State volleyball team, follow the Jackrabbits on Twitter (@GoJacksVB) or like South Dakota State volleyball on Facebook.
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