ELMHURST, Ill.–South Dakota volleyball had three Coyotes named to the All-Summit League team and a single Coyote received a top individual award the league announced Thursday. Senior
Brittany Jessen, junior
Hayley Dotseth and sophomore
Anne Rasmussen earned All-Summit League honors, while Jessen captured her third-straight Setter of the Year award.
"I am happy to see these three recognized for their hard work this season," head coach
Leanne Williamson said. "Together they led our team in many difficult situations and I am proud of their continued desire to get better each day.
"The thing that makes these players special is their ability to play the game while also being a great teammate and supporting everyone around them. These awards are great for these individuals, but they truly show the success of our team."
Jessen's third Setter of the Year award makes her the first athlete to win the award three times. She recently claimed the title of USD's all-time assists leader and currently sits at 4,725 assists, which ranks her fourth in Summit League history for all-time assists. Jessen leads the league in assists per set with 10.23. This season alone she has tallied 102 kills and 982 assists and served a team-high 27 service aces. Defensively, Jessen has earned 237 digs. This is her fourth straight year being on the All-Summit League team.
"Britt has been a large reason for our success this season," Williamson said. "I am proud of her for reaching another goal of hers. She continues to impress with the plays that she makes in some of the most difficult situations. She has put our hitters in positions to be successful, regardless of the lineups that we had to use.
"She is an amazing setter, but she can also score the ball at a high rate. It is crazy to think that she is coming to the end of an incredible career, but I am proud that the league has seen the value that she has."
This is Dotseth's first time on the All-Summit League team. She is a force to be reckoned in both the offensive and the defensive efforts. She has led the Coyotes with her 3.50 kills per set which places second in the league and has hammered down 329 kills this season. Dotseth has tallied the second-most service aces (22) and digs (305) on the team this season.
"Hayley quickly proved that she was going to be one of the most consistent players," Williamson said. "Her ability to defend in the backcourt sets her apart from many outsides in our league. Her knowledge of the game allowed her to score the ball against any defense. She has grown so much from last season and her hard work does not go unnoticed. She is one of the most competitive players which gives her the drive to be the best that she can be."
Rasmussen has led the defensive pack for the Coyotes this season and has earned her first All-Summit League team honor because of it. She has tallied 529 digs and averages 5.51 per set, which sits second in both categories for the league. Rasmussen's 5.51 digs per set places her 17
th in the nation.
"Anne stepped into a very important role for us this season," Williamson said. "Looking back, the huge progress that she made into one of the best liberos in this league is incredible. It didn't always come easy, but her contributions are immeasurable to this team. She is a main reason why our team led the league in digs per set after losing two of our largest contributors from last year."
The Coyotes are the No. 3 seed in the Summit League Volleyball Championship and play their first match against No. 6 Fort Wayne 7 p.m. CT Friday. Links to the live stream can be found at GoYotes.com or thesummitleague.org/championships.
2017 #SummitVB All-League
Laura Milos, Oral Roberts
Becca Latham, Denver
Brittany Jessen, South Dakota
Brianna Rasmusson, North Dakota State
Hayley Dotseth, South Dakota
Mikaela Purnell, North Dakota State
CeCe Madison, Oral Roberts
Nicole Rightnowar, Fort Wayne
Kayla Principato, Denver
Emma Willis, Denver
Sydney O'Shaughnessy, Neb.-Omaha
Anne Rasmussen, South Dakota
2017 #SummitVB All-League Honorable Mention
Cassie Baird, Denver
Abby Bergsten, Neb.-Omaha
Bella Sade, Neb.-Omaha
Mackenzie Steckler, Western Illinois
Katie Crowe, Fort Wayne
Cassidy Rooke, Denver
2017 #SummitVB All-Freshman Team
Bella Sade, Neb.-Omaha
Tina Boe, Denver
Katie Crowe, Fort Wayne
Ellie Anderson, Denver
Morgan Blomquist, Oral Roberts
Claire Mountjoy, Neb.-Omaha
Anna Blaschko, Neb.-Omaha
2017 #SummitVB Coach of the Year
Tom Hogan, Denver
2017 #SummitVB Freshman of the Year
Bella Sade, Neb.-Omaha
2017 #SummitVB Defensive Player of the Year
Mikaela Purnell, North Dakota St.
2017 #SummitVB Setter of the Year
Brittany Jessen, South Dakota
2017 #SummitVB Player of the Year
Laura Milos, Oral Roberts
