Summit League Volleyball Race Heats Up as SDSU Eyes Title, Coaches Approach Records

The Summit League volleyball season is entering its final stretch with South Dakota State poised to clinch at least a share of the regular season title, while several coaches are on the verge of making history.

Currently 12-0 in league play, South Dakota State can secure a share of the championship with a win over North Dakota State tonight or against St. Thomas on Saturday. The Jackrabbits’ recent success, including a pair of five-set victories at Omaha and against South Dakota, has drawn a record 2,563 fans to their home matches this past weekend – the second-highest attendance in program history. A strong regular season finish is crucial for securing a favorable seed in the upcoming conference tournament.

South Dakota head coach Leanne Williamson is also nearing a significant milestone, needing just two more victories to become the all-time winningest coach in Summit League history, surpassing Sheera Sirola’s 248 wins. Williamson is also tied with Sirola and trails Steve Payne by one win for the most all-time Summit League victories with 145. Denver’s Izabela Molina also made waves yesterday, achieving a .900 hitting percentage against North Dakota – the second-highest single-match hitting percentage in league history. For more information on collegiate volleyball statistics, visit the NCAA Volleyball website.

Several other teams are battling for positioning, including St. Thomas, who hosts Denver tonight before facing SDSU, and North Dakota State, who will play both South Dakota State and in-state rival North Dakota this week. Omaha, South Dakota, and others will also be in action, with all games streaming live on the Summit League Network.

League officials stated that the upcoming matches will be pivotal in determining tournament seeding, and anticipate a thrilling conclusion to the regular season.