VERMILLION, S.D. -- The University of South Dakota volleyball team is set to open its season at the Hampton University Tournament in Hampton, Virg., on Aug. 29-30. The Coyotes will play four matches in two days, taking on Delaware State University and Fairleigh Dickinson University on Aug. 29 and Wofford College and Providence College on Aug. 30.

OPPONENT INFORMATION: Delaware State- Finished the 2007 season with a 11-20 overall record...last season the Hornets were led by senior Ayana Dyette with 386 kills... DSU has been picked to finish third in the 2008 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Northern Division...the Hornets are coached by Renee Arnold...located in Dover, Del.

Fairleigh Dickinson University- Finished the 2007 season with an overall record of 15-15...FDU volleyball team was tabbed to finish fourth in the Northeast Conference...the Knights top returning player will be Lauren Boothby, who finished last season with 366 kills...Fairleigh Dickinson is coached by Stacey Recanati...located in Teaneck, NJ.

Wofford College- Finished last season with a 9-22 record... last season Stacy Byrd lead the team as a freshman with 236 kills and 781 total attacks....Wofford adds no newcomers to this year's squad and all starters will return...the Terriers are coached by Corey Helle...located in Spartanburg, S.C.

Providence College- Finished 2007 with a record of 19-12... last season Sarah Fleming led the team with 418 kills in her last season...the top returner will be senior middle blocker Elizabeth Flynn who had 398 kills...the Friars are coached by Margot Royer...located in Providence, R.I.

FIRST TIMERS: All four teams the Coyotes will meet in the Hampton University Tournament are first-time opponents.

2007 SEASON REVIEW: Coming off the most successful season in school history The University of South Dakota women's volleyball team will rely on an experienced squad to help with the transition to NCAA Division I. Last season, the Coyotes posted a school record 23-9 overall record, which included a berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

USD opened the 2007 season with 14 consecutive victories and ended the season breaking the school record for wins in a season. Overall, the Coyotes broke seven school records in 2007 including; wins in a season (23), consecutive wins (14), kills per game average (15.79), hitting percentage (.236), individual hitting percentage (.378), individual digs in a season (Amber Kobus, 616) and assists per game (14.0).

THE TEAM: The Coyotes lost just two starters from last season's squad. The 2008 squad will consist of six seniors, one redshirt junior, one redshirt sophomore, one sophomore and two freshmen.

USD KEY RETURNERS: Kathleen Hruska (Senior)- Honorable mention All-North Central Region by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)...All-North Central Conference (NCC) selection...led USD in 2007 with 4.10 kills per game and 476 kills...hit .341 and led the Coyotes with 107 blocks. Amber Kobus (Senior)- Two-time NCC Defensive Player of the Year...in 2007, Kobus broke her own school record with 616 digs...in three seasons at USD, Kobus has 1,499 career digs which ranks second all-time...recorded 50 services aces last season. Laura Slagter (Senior)- Second on the team last season in kills and digs...had 333 kills and 449 digs...in her career, she has 748 kills with 17 double-double performance and 33 double figure kill matches. Heather Hult (Senior)- led USD in 2007 with a .378 hitting percentage...had 273 kills for the second straight season...was second on the team with 77 blocks. Gabi Jarchow (Senior)- totaled 260 digs for a 2.22 dig per game average...ranks ninth on the Coyote career digs list with 797. Jenna Hatfield (Senior)- had 22 kills last season as a reserve middle hitter...will have the opportunity to be on the floor full time this season. Gina Baldwin (Redshirt Junior)- Totaled 1,452 set assists with a 12.41 assists per game...ranks fifth all-time in assists (1,832) and second all-time in assists per game in a season (12.41). Jolene Slagter (Redshirt Sophomore)- Will battle with Balwin for starting setter spot after sitting out as a redshirt last season.

HONOR ROLL: Five student-athletes at The University of South Dakota were named to the 2007 NCC Commissioner's Academic Volleyball Honor Roll. To qualify student-athletes must have a minimum 3.20 grade point average, have completed at least two semesters at their current school and have competed against outside competition. The following USD student-athletes were named to the NCC Commissioner's Volleyball Honor Roll: Gina Baldwin, Ashley Gross (graduated), Jenna Hatfield, Heather Hult, and Jamie VanderKooi (not on 2008 squad).

HEAD COACH: Matt Houk is in his first season as head coach of the Coyotes. Houk comes to South Dakota with five seasons of NCAA Division I coaching experience. From 2004-06 he was an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. During his three seasons with the Phoenix, five players were named to the All-Horizon League team and six players earned academic all-league honors.

Prior to his stint at Green Bay, Houk was an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 2002-03. In those two seasons the team combined to go 45-19 with 20-win seasons both years. In his first season with the Panthers, they went 20-14 overall and were 11-3 in the Horizon League. They earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament after winning the conference tournament. Then in 2003 the Panthers went 25-5 and 13-1 in conference play. In two seasons at Milwaukee, Houk coached one All-American, three all-region players, five all-conference players and back-to-back Horizon League Player of the Year award winners.

Houk is a 2002 graduate from UW-Milwaukee where he earned his bachelor's degree in English. He and his wife, Angie, have three kids; Jaeden (4), Cole (2) and Jorie (1).