First Serve
South Dakota is headed to the Tiger Invitational, hosted by the University of Missouri, for three games over three days. The Coyotes will face No. 3 Louisville at 1 p.m. on Friday as the opening match of the tournament. On Saturday, South Dakota will face tournament host Missouri at 2:30 p.m. before finishing the weekend against Northern Kentucky on Sunday at 11 a.m. The Coyotes' match against Missouri on Saturday will be streamed on SEC Network+ on the ESPN app.
 
The Coyotes
South Dakota (1-1) is coming off a split weekend at the Cardinal and Gold Challenge hosted by Iowa State (RV). The Coyotes fell to Iowa State in three sets on Aug. 25 but bounced back on Saturday to sweep DePaul. The Yotes return three-time All-Summit middle blocker Madison Harms, who was named to the Cardinal and Gold Challenge all-tournament team after combining for 14 kills and nine blocks on the weekend. Junior defensive specialist Alaina Wolff stepped into the libero role for the first-time last weekend and was also named to the all-tournament team after putting up a match-high 17 digs against DePaul and totaling 26 digs on the weekend. Senior outside hitter Evelyn Diederich, a Summit preseason player to watch selection, had 10 kills on 19 attempts with just three errors to hit .368 in the sweep of DePaul.
 
#3 Louisville
National runner-up Louisville (3-0) is heading to Missouri with three wins under its belt after hosting the Cardinal Classic. Named as the preseason favorite to win the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference, the Cardinals are returning Final Four All-Tournament Team member Anna DeBeer, who led Louisville to its first NCAA championship match in 2022. The senior outside hitter was just named ACC Offensive Player of the Week after claiming the title of MVP at the Cardinal Classic where she compiled 45 kills and 33 digs on the weekend.
 
The reigning ACC Coach of the Year Dani Busboom Kelly is entering her seventh season at the helm for the Cardinals. Busboom Kelly, who has been named the ACC Coach of the Year three years in a row, led the Cardinals to a historic season in 2022, becoming the first ACC team to play in a NCAA championship match. Friday will mark the third meeting between the Yotes and the Coyotes. Last season, South Dakota hosted a No. 4 ranked Louisville in front of a record crowd of 2,774 inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.  
 
Missouri
Missouri (3-0) is entering the weekend after sweeping its first home tournament last weekend with three straight wins. The Tigers are led by first-year head coach Dawn Sullivan who joins Missouri after five seasons leading UNLV. Under new leadership, the Tigers have added seven transfers and four freshmen to the roster with three returning juniors and two returning sophomores.
 
Junior right side hitter Jordan Iliff was named to the 2023 USA Volleyball Women's Collegiate National Team in June. Iliff was third on the team for the Tigers offensively in 2022 with 227 kills (2.39 per set). Last season, the Coyotes defeated the Tigers in five sets inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center as a part of the Coyote Invitational. Diederich had 13 kills on the day against the Tigers, including the winning kill to secure the five-set victory.
 
Northern Kentucky
Northern Kentucky (1-2) heads to Missouri after going 1-2 at their home-opening tournament. The Norse hosted No. 14 Ohio State on Aug. 25 in front of a sold-out crowd, falling in three straight sets. NKU defeated East Tennessee State on Aug. 26 in four sets before falling to Bowling Green in straight sets on Aug. 27.
 
The Norse were tabbed to finish second in the Horizon League Preseason Coaches' Poll behind Wright State. Last season, the Coyotes defeated NKU in three straight sets as a part of the Coyote Invitational. Middle blocker Abby Kanakry led the Norse with nine kills and returns for the Norse this season. That same Norse squad would go on to make it all the way to the Horizon League Championship match where they fell to Wright State.
 
Up Next
The Coyotes return to Vermillion to host the South Dakota Classic Sept. 7-8. South Dakota's home opener features Drake on Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. On Sept. 8, the Yotes will face IUPUI at 11 a.m. before taking on South Florida at 7 p.m.