Coyotes picked to finish first, Harms and Diederich named Players to Watch

08.23.2023

By: Mercede Odegaard, USD Sports Information

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.— South Dakota, coming off a 29-4 season and its fourth NCAA tournament berth in five seasons, has been picked to finish first in the Summit League Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll announced Wednesday. Fifth-year senior Madison Harms and fourth-year senior Evelyn Diederich were named Players to Watch.

The Coyotes, who swept the regular season and tournament crowns for the first time in the same season in 2022, garnered six of the nine available first-place votes from the league's coaches and tallied 61 points in the voting.

South Dakota is coming off its third-straight tournament title and its first ever set wins in an NCAA tournament. The Coyotes made program history when they took two sets against Houston in the five-set battle of the first-round of the NCAA tournament last season.

"This is going to be a thrilling year! This team is working really hard to be the best version of themselves every day," said head coach Leanne Williamson. "As we have gone through preseason, I believe this team has the capability to earn success throughout the year. We know every Summit League match is going to be tough and that will make for a really exciting year!"

Harms, a three-time first-team All-Summit middle blocker, is just the second Coyote in program history to record 500 career blocks. A native of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, Harms holds the program records in the rally-scoring era for assisted blocks, solo blocks, and total blocks. Harms appeared in all 33 matches last season totaling 309 kills on 667 swings for a .355 hitting percentage, the third-best percentage in the league.

Diederich earns the preseason player to watch honor for the first time in her four-year career as a Coyote. The Overland Park, Kansas, native appeared in 29 matches last season totaling 205 kills, 49 digs, and 25 block assists. Diederich had a career-high 13 kills against North Dakota State on Sept. 27, six digs in a win over Missouri on Aug. 28, and three blocks in a win over Kansas City on Oct. 15.

South Dakota opens the season against the Big 12's Iowa State on Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Ames, Iowa. It's the first of two games for the Coyotes in Ames as a part of the Cardinal and Gold Challenge hosted by Iowa State. On Saturday, South Dakota will face DePaul for just the second time in program history at 2 p.m.

2023 Summit League Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll

Rank	School	Points (1^st)	2021 Record (SL)
1.	South Dakota	61 (6)	29-4 (16-2)
2.	North Dakota State	54 (2)	21-12 (13-5)
3.	Omaha	53 (1)	20-11 (14-4)
4.	South Dakota State	39	18-15 (11-7)
5.	North Dakota	34	12-18 (9-9)
6.	Denver	30	19-12 (12-6)
7.	Kansas City	25	10-21 (7-11)
8.	St. Thomas	16	4-26 (2-16)
9.	Oral Roberts	12	9-21 (6-12)

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