VERMILLION, S.D. — The defending Summit League Champion South Dakota volleyball team announced its long-awaited 2017 schedule consisting of 26 matches against 11 conferences. The Coyotes host seven matches in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center along with traveling to four tournaments and early season contests against perennial nationally-ranked Utah and Hawaii.
 
The season gets underway Aug. 25 at the Wyoming Rumble in the Rockies tournament for three matches. The Coyotes then travel to Hawaii for three matches at the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic. In Hawaii, the Coyotes open against Utah followed by a match with the host Rainbow Wahine, both of which advanced to the NCAA Tournament and ended 2016 in the national rankings. Hawaii ranked as high as No. 6 in the AVCA poll.
 
South Dakota then travels to Kansas City, Missouri, for the Kangaroo Klassic beginning Sept. 8. The Coyotes close out the early season tournament portion of the schedule at a three-match tournament hosted by Northern Colorado Sept. 15 and 16.
 
The Coyotes begin their defense of the Summit League Championship with the home opener on Sept. 22 against Western Illinois followed by a home contest against North Dakota State. Other key home dates include South Dakota State on Oct. 13 and 2016 Summit League NCAA Tournament participant Denver on Nov. 10. The Denver contest also serves as senior day in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center that saw USD go 10-1 in the inaugural season in the arena.
 
The Summit League Tournament is slated for Nov. 17-19 in Denver, Colorado.
 
Season tickets for the volleyball season are available online at GoYotes.com, or by calling the USD ticket office at 605-677-5959.
 
The complete schedule is as follows:
 
Aug. 25 – at Wyoming^
Aug. 26 – vs Portland^
Aug. 26 – vs Abilene Christian^
Aug. 31 – vs Utah&
Sept. 1 – at Hawaii&
Sept. 2 – vs Western Carolina&
Sept. 8 – at Kansas City%
Sept. 8 – vs Northern Iowa%
Sept. 9 – vs Rutgers%
Sept. 15 – vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff#
Sept. 15 – at Northern Colorado#
Sept. 16 – vs Air Force Academy#
Sept. 22 – Western Illinois*
Sept. 23 – North Dakota State*
Sept. 29 – at Fort Wayne*
Oct. 3 – Oral Roberts*
Oct. 8 – at Omaha*
Oct. 13 – South Dakota State*
Oct. 15 – at Denver*
Oct. 20 – at Western Illinois*
Oct. 22 – at North Dakota State*
Oct. 27 – Fort Wayne*
Nov. 3 – Omaha*
Nov. 5 – at Oral Roberts*
Nov. 7 – at South Dakota State*
Nov. 10 – Denver*
Nov. 17-19 – Summit League Tournament
 
^ Rumble in the Rockies hosted by Wyoming
& Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic hosted by Hawaii
% Kangaroo Klassic hosted by Kansas City
# Northern Colorado Tournament
* Summit League match