2021 Volleyball Season Preview

[announcerbob]

The Coyotes return a wealth of talent for this upcoming season. 

Regular Rotation Players
Sami Slaughter - all conference
Elizabeth Juhnke - all conference
Maddie Wiedenfeld
Maddison Jurgens - all conference
Maddison Harms - all conference Honorable Mention
Lolo Weideman
Brooklyn Bollweg - Server Replacement Late Game (will be battling for backrow playing time)

Other Returners
Aimee Adams - Right Side Hitter (potential replacement for Elizabeth Loschen)
Clare Gerdes 
Ally Grothusen - Red Shirted last season

Incoming Freshman
Brooklyn Schramm - Setter  - 2nd Team All state 1st Team - Nebraska  #1 Rated Setter in NE in her class
Atley Carey - MB - All State - Nebraska
Evelyn Diederich OH/DS - 5A State Player of the Year - Kansas  (will be battling for backrow playing time)
Laura Petterson - DS  - Sioux Falls Washington High School
Mattie Johnson - OH - 1st Team All State Class B - Nebraska

[announcerbob]

Expect the Yotes to put a very high level team on the court this year. In my opinion the one question that remains unanswered maybe backrow defense with the graduation of Anne Rasmussen and Mahana Fonseca. Lolo Weideman should get the bulk of the backrow minutes with Brooklyn B and Evelyn D battling for the other minutes. Aimee Adams should battle for the right side hitter spot (Elizabeth Loschen graduation).

Offense and blocking should carry this team along with agressive serving.

I would welcome any and all other's observations about this year's team.

[kiyoat]

Great rundown. I’d say we are loaded, and should be favored to repeat. Losing Anne will be a factor. Hopefully we will adjust.

How was Maddie W not all-conference last year? She was awesome.

[announcerbob]

I agree Kiyoat. She may get overshaddowed by Slaughter, Juhnke, Jurgens as people tend to look for the kill numbers and assists but she was the reason on many nights the Coyotes come out on top. She blocks, has important kills, and a very good teammate!! Go Maddie W!!!

[gopheryote]

It will be interesting to see how they replace Rasmussen's leadership. I'm also curious to see if they can pull a non-conference upset (ex - Creighton) that could put them in at-large conversations if they fall in the SLT.

[announcerbob]

Leadership is tough to measure in players. It will be interesting to see who steps in to take that role.
Creighton is a very good team but so are the Yotes. They will be breaking in a new setter but have a ton of height to compete with. Playing at home we will always have a puncher's chance. Go Yotes!!!

[kiyoat]

The first "Net Report" interview with Coach Williamson is out:

LINK

It's only on GoYotes.com, I think.

[kiyoat]

Coyotes picked first in preseason poll:

(GoYotes.com LINK)
(Summit LINK)

2020 Summit League Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll

Rank School Points (1st)

1. South Dakota ------63 (7)
2. Denver -------------57 (2)
3. Omaha -------------50
4. Kansas City --------41
5. North Dakota State 37
6. North Dakota -------25
7. Oral Roberts --------23
8. South Dakota State 20
9. Western Illinois ------8

interesting Denver got two first-place votes.  I think we will play them and Omaha in Vermillion this year, and KC on the road.  Favorable for us.

[kiyoat]

Rather than a preseason "all conference" or "POY" selections, it looks like the Summit coaches picked two "players to watch" for each team:

Players to Watch
Note: Players to Watch nominated by league’s head coaches


Elizabeth Juhnke | South Dakota | Outside Hitter | Sophomore
2019 Summit League Freshman of the Year
2019 AVCA All-Region Team honoree and All-Region Freshman of the Year
Led the league in kills (520), and kills per set (4.23)

Madison Jurgens | South Dakota | Setter | Junior
2019 Summit League Setter of the Year
2019 AVCA All-Region member
Led the league and ranked sixth nationally in assists per set (11.72)
Ranked third in the league in services aces per set (0.37)

Tina Boe | Denver | Middle Blocker | Senior
Named to the 2019 All-League First Team and All-Tournament Team
Ranked second in the league in attack percentage (.352)
Ranked second on the team in blocks (104), third in kills (208) and fourth in service aces (27)

Lydia Bartalo | Denver | Outside Hitter | Senior
2019 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention and Midwest All-Region Team
2019 Summit League Player of the Year and League Tournament MVP
Led the Pioneers in kills (374), kills per set (3.20) and service aces (48)

Anna Blaschko | Omaha | Middle Blocker | Senior
Named to the AVCA Midwest Region First Team and the All-League First Team
Led the league in hitting percentage (.390) and averaged 2.79 kills and 0.77 blocks per set last season

Claire Mountjoy | Omaha | Defensive Specialist/Libero | Senior
2019 All-League honorable mention
Ranked third in the league with 4.35 digs per set and 561 total digs

De’ Janae Arnold | Kansas City | Middle Hitter | Junior
Transferred to Kansas City from Navarro College
AVCA First-Team All-America selection as a sophomore
Ranked No. 2 in the junior college ranks with a .473 hitting percentage
Ranked sixth nationally in blocks per set (1.50), 12th in total blocks (152), and 14th in block assists (109)

Alli Schomers | Kansas City | Setter | Senior
2019 WAC Setter of the Year and Second Team All-WAC honoree
Led the conference in total assists (1,145) and assists per set (10.32)
Tied ninth in the WAC in service aces (33) and 12th in service aces per set (0.30)

Alexis Bachmeier | North Dakota State | Outside Hitter | Senior
Led the team with 17 matches with double-figure kills
Second on the team last year with 12 double-doubles
Averaged 2.77 digs and 2.73 kills per set last season

Kirstin Tidd | North Dakota State | Middle Hitter | Junior
Played in 16 matches and 33 sets last season
Had a .151 hitting percentage last year to go along with 27 kills, seven blocks and two digs

Darian Chwialkowski | North Dakota | Outside Hitter | Junior
Led the team in digs per set (3.78) and second in services aces (23)
Finished seventh in the league in total digs (397)

Lexi Ahrens | North Dakota | Middle Hitter | Junior
Finished second on the team in blocks per set (0.74), kills per set (2.11) and hitting percentage (.235)
Hit above .400 with 10 or more kills four times last season

Sakira LaCour | Oral Roberts | Middle Blocker | Sophomore
Appeared in 21 matches as a true freshman earning a starting spot seven times
Averaged 1.27 kills per set totaling 71 for a .224 average clip

Sarah Thiessen | Oral Roberts | Defensive Specialist/Libero | Junior
Led the team and ranked fourth in the league in digs (445) and digs per set (4.20)
Reached double-digit digs 22 times last season, including 20 or more in nine outings

Crystal Burk | South Dakota State | Outside Hitter | Junior
Ranked second on the team in kills (279), kills per set (2.61), digs (297) and digs per set (2.78)
Was third on the team in service aces (20), fourth in assists (27) and fifth in blocks (30)

Tatum Pickar | South Dakota State | Defensive Specialist/Libero | Junior
Led the team in digs (420) and digs per set (3.93)
Ranked fifth in the league in digs per set and sixth in digs

Mariah Mitchell | Western Illinois | Right Side | Junior
Led the team in both points scored (313.5) and kills (269)
Ranked second on the team in total blocks (81)

Gabby DePersio | Western Illinois | Defensive Specialist/Libero | Sophomore
Started as libero for the Leathernecks her freshman year
Played in all 29 games and record 361 digs and 87 assists

[announcerbob]

we play Omaha, NDSU, ORU, KC at home this year. Denver gets their chance at us at their place. Should make for a good couple of matches. It is nice that we get to play #3,4,5 projected teams at the SCSC. The Yotes can use those 2 votes as motivation, not like the need it, but they will. It is time to go 1-0 every match day!!!

[kiyoat]

I think the Summit looks very strong this year. At least the top four teams with the addition of KC. Could be a two-bid league.

[kiyoat]

Jan 21, 2021 9:33:48 GMT -6 kiyoat said:

The first "Net Report" interview with Coach Williamson is out:

LINK

It's only on GoYotes.com, I think.

Highlights of interview:

- the offense can be very good this year

- Amy Adams is starting at RS Hitter for now, some others competing.

- MB group returns a lot of experience, could be very very good.

- back row lost a lot, but also returns some experience with Brooklyn B and Lolo.

- Yotes have always had a defensive identity, and that won't change.  Confident the back row will fine.

- Jurgens has had some gaudy stats, but remember that Setter stats are team stats.  Good passing and chemistry is a big part of that.  - Brooklyn S. is fitting right in, too.