The University of Sioux Falls volleyball team launches into the 2012 season at the Dakota Wesleyan Labor Day Classic this weekend, hosted by Dakota Wesleyan at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D. Play begins when USF faces Mayville State at 2 p.m. on Friday and Jamestown College at 6 p.m., followed by matches against Mount Marty and Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday.

USF finished 15-27 overall in 2011. With the departure of USF career blocks leader Alyssa Chambers and several new faces on second-year head coach Joel McCartney's roster, the Cougars were slated 14th in the 16-team NSIC preseason coaches' poll that was released earlier this month. 

SIOUX FALLS OVERVIEW

USF returns four starters and eight total veterans from the 2011 squad.

The leading attacker in kills, sophomore Emily Johnson (2.95 kps, 44 aces) is back.

The second-best defender by digs, senior Chanda Goedken returns. She also posted a second-best 417 kills in 2011 (2.74 kps).

The Cougars lost 90% of the team assists from last season.

The next highest total of “lost” stats is blocks, where 56.1 percent departed.  

Last season, the Cougars averaged 13.77 digs per set. 46 percent of those have departed.

HISTORICAL RECORDS

Sioux Falls is 160-186 (.462) all-time in volleyball (records have only been kept since the 2002 season).

USF is 6-4 in season openers since 2002. The Cougars' last season-opening victory came in 2009, a 3-1 win against Waldorf College (9/1/09).

ROSTER NOTES

Seven freshmen, all true rookies, are part of the 17-person roster.

Six players hail from each South Dakota and Nebraska.

A pair of student-athletes (Chanda Goedken and 6-4 true freshman Michelle Ritland) hail from Iowa.

Three other states are represented by the three remaining athletes. 

DAKOTA WESLEYAN LABOR DAY CLASSIC OPPONENTS INFORMATION

Mayville State

Fri., Aug. 31, 2:30 PM

Series History: Mayville leads 3-2 

Trend: USF won 3-1

Last Time: (9/4/2010)

Mayville State finished last season with an overall record of 24-19.

The Comets will arrive in Mitchell with a perfect 6-0 record after sweeping through Ashford University, WIlliam Penn, AIB, and Mount Mercy at the Ashford University tournament.

Lindsey Johnson is currently in her fifth season as head volleyball coach at MSU. In four seasons as head coach Johnson has led the Comets to a 56-71 overall record.

The Comets are a veteran group that returns five senior starters and are led by outside hitter Maggie Maroney (1.39 kps, .9 dps), middle hitter Brittany Olson (1.96 kps, team-leading 100 total blocks in 2011) and table-setter Laura Kolness (804 assists, 5.09 aps, 2.13 dps).

Jamestown College

Fri., Aug. 31, 6 PM

Series History: Jamestown leads 2-1

Trend: Jamestown won 3-0

Last Time: (10/3/2011)

The Jimmies enter the tournament with an overall record of 4-2 after splitting four matches at the Red Raider Classic. Jamestown notched wins versus 19th-ranked Bellevue and Doane but lost to Morningside and Dordt in a five-set marathon.

Jamestown posted a mark of 23-14 last year (8-1, DAC) en route to a third straight conference crown.

Head coach Jon Hegerle returns for his fourth season with the Jimmies after three very memorable seasons in which the Jimmies were back-to-back-to back DAC champions. His overall mark at Jamestown stands at 66-35.

The Jimmies lost just two contributors from last season; Jada Meiklejohn (DAC Most Valuable Senior) and Heather Brown (302 kills). 

Senior Katie Zent (All-conference 3 years, NAIA scholar) is back after racking up 358 kills and 332 digs during her junior campaign.

Junior Sarah Becker (2011 NAIA Honorable Mention All-American) tossed up 171 total blocks last year and led the Jimmies with a 1.25 bps average. 

Senior Emilee Schutta tallied 180 kills and 150 digs in 2011.

Top digger Katie Lee (640, 4.67 dps) returns for her senior season.

Mount Marty

Sat., Sept. 1, 2 PM

Series History: USF leads 9-3

Trend: USF won 3-0

Last Time: (10/10/2011)

A USF volleyball team has not lost to Mount Marty in six seasons (9/22/06, 3-0 at MMC).

Lancer Head coach Candace Climer leads the squad for the third season.

The Lancers are 1-0 in 2012 after securing a 3-1 road win versus Grace University in Omaha, Neb.

Four starters return for the Lancers, who posted a 6-26 record last year and 1-15 mark in the GPAC.

Senior middle hitter Kate Lingscheit is back for MMC (1.49 kps, .57 aps) She had 12 kills and three blocks to lead Mount Marty College past Grace University in MMC's season opener.

Classmate Amanda Dirksen averaged 1.56 kills per set and 2.68 digs per set in 2011.

Caitlyn Illg is a sophomore setter who averaged a team-high 4.82 assists per set as a rookie.

The top attacker for Mount Marty, Carlie Lambert (2.82 kps, 2.43 dps) will have to be replaced.

Dakota Wesleyan

Sat., Sept. 1, 6 PM

Series History: USF leads 10-3

Trend: USF won 3-0

Last Time: (9/29/2011)

USF has not lost to Dakota Wesleyan since dropping a five-set match in Mitchell on October 11, 2008.

The Tigers were picked tenth in the 2012 Great Plains Athletic Conference preseason poll.

DWU opened the 2012 campaign last weekend at the Northwestern College Red Raider Classic, where they posted a 1-3 record. The Tigers defeated Peru State 3-0 but fell to no. 19 (NAIA) Bellevue, Valley City State and Baker University. 

Three starters return for the Tigers, who posted an 8-26 record last year and 1-15 mark in the GPAC.

Eric Viney is in his fifth season leading DWU's volleyball team.

Top attacker Dani Bird returns for her sophomore season (2.87 kps, 2.86 dps, 85 total blocks).

Junior outside hitter Rachel Tinklenberg averaged 1.88 kps last season and posted nine kills in the Tigers' season opener victory against Peru State.