Independent file photo SMSU’s Meg Schmidt follows through on a kill during their match against St. Cloud State University on Sept. 24. SMSU will face St. Cloud State today in the NSIC Tournament.

MARSHALL — The No. 16-ranked Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team (21-7 overall, 13-7 NSIC) opens up the NSIC Tournament as the eighth seed after finding themselves in a four-way tie for fifth place in the regular season.

The Mustangs will battle the top-seeded St. Cloud State Huskies at 7:30 p.m. today at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Series history

St. Cloud State and SMSU will meet for the 49th time and third time this season.

SMSU holds a 26-22 advantage all-time, and SCSU leading the season series 2-0.

Their first meeting came in 1972, and their last meeting came Friday, Nov. 6, when SCSU won in four sets at home.

Fabulous freshmen

SMSU has received a boost from its youth this season, with nine different freshmen seeing action, and six playing in at least ten sets.

The group is led by Emma VanHeel, who is third on the team with 232 kills, and is second on the team with 103 blocks, and Katelyn Nichols, who leads the team with 111 blocks, and is fourth on the team with 147 kills. Both VanHeel and Nichols have played in every set this season.

Sophie Johnson has played in 97 of 100 sets for the Mustangs, picking up 154 digs and 230 assists in 16 starts.

Halle Jansen has played in all 28 matches for SMSU, collecting 87 kills, 53 digs and 26 blocks.

About Southwest Minnesota State

The Mustangs opened the season with 11 straight victories, the second longest streak to start a season in program history.

SMSU finished the season with a 9-1 home record, their best home win percentage since 2016.

Angela Young leads the Mustangs with 422 kills and 4.22 kills per set, with Meg Schmidt contributing 336 kills on a .313 hitting percentage.

The defense is anchored by Payton Hjerleid, who leads the team with 415 digs and Katelyn Nichols, who leads the Mustangs with 113 blocks.

All around

SMSU can be found all over the top 100 in NCAA statistics.

SMSU ranks 20th in hitting percentage with a .256 average and 24th in the NCAA in kills per set with a 13.75 average.

The Mustangs also rank 35th in opponents hitting percentage, limiting the opposition to a .140 percentage.

The defense has also been a strength thanks to the 26th most blocks per set with 2.26 and 32nd in blocks with 226.

The service line has also been a strength for SMSU, ranking 44th in aces while the attack has been lifted with the 39th best assists per set total.

Mustangs on the leaderboards

Five separate players find themselves in the top 70 across the NCAA leaderboards following the conclusion of the regular season.

Angela Young slots eighth in kills, 10th in kills per set and 11th in points per set.

Meg Schmidt currently ranks 68th in points per set and 70th in kills.

She is also one of 35 players in the country and three players in the NSIC to record a triple-double.

Katelyn Nichols ranks 30th in the country in total blocks and 33rd in blocks per set.

Emma VanHeel is 53rd in blocks, while ranking 68th blocks per set.

St. Cloud State

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2021 Record: 24-4, 19-1

Head Coach: Chad Braegelmann, sixth season

Mascot: Huskies

AVCA Rank: 11

Region Ranking: 4

NSIC Seed: 1

St. Cloud State Notes

The Huskies enter the tournament as the top seed after defeating No. 15 Wayne State and Augustana in four sets on the road last weekend.

St. Cloud State is 24-4 on the season, and 5-2 against ranked teams.

SCSU was picked to finish third in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll.

The Huskies are led by All-NSIC First Teamer, NSIC Freshman of the Year, and reigning NSIC Player of the Week Kenzie Foley, who has tallied 378 kills and 303 digs in 27 matches this season, and All-NSIC First Teamer Lindsey Rachel, who leads the team with 320 digs.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications