VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota volleyball will be featured at the Sanford Pentagon for the third time in as many seasons when the defending Summit League Tournament champion Coyotes host league-newcomer St. Thomas in a 7 p.m. bout on Oct. 7.
 
It will mark the fourth time Coyote volleyball has played at the facility since its debut there in 2019 when South Dakota defeated Purdue Fort Wayne. The Sanford Pentagon hosted the Summit League Tournament this past spring and the Coyotes beat Kansas City and Denver in five-set classics that sent South Dakota back to the NCAA tournament.
 
"We are very excited that we are able to return to Sioux Falls and play a match at the Pentagon," said USD head coach Leanne Williamson. "The last time we played up there in the regular season, we had a great turnout for the match. The fans blew our expectations out of the water! In addition, after the Pentagon hosted the Summit League championships, I am anxious to get back up there to continue to show what South Dakota volleyball has to offer."
 
The match will be South Dakota's fifth of its 2021 fall conference slate following home matches with South Dakota State and North Dakota State and a road trip to Oral Roberts and Kansas City. The Thursday night match against the Tommies will be followed by a home match with Western Illinois Saturday in Vermillion.
 
St. Thomas hasn't lost a conference game since 2018. The Tommies were 30-5 during their last full season in 2019 and played just five matches this past spring. St. Thomas made four consecutive NCAA Division III tournaments from 2016-19. The Tommies are the first program to begin a transition from Division III to Division I.
 
The Pentagon match is part of the Coyotes' season ticket package. You can get your season tickets today by going online here, or by calling the Coyote ticket office at 605-677-5959.