The South Dakota State Jackrabbits will play the University of South Dakota Coyotes today at 7 p.m. at the Swinney Center in Kansas City, Missouri, for the Summit League Championship.
The Jackrabbits are coming off a 26-1 regular season, during which they took home the Summit League championship and earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament.
The Jacks reverse swept No. 5 Denver to get the opportunity to play in the championship.
The first time the Jacks played the Yotes, they hosted them in Brookings. They came back from 2-1 down to win 3-2 and beat USD for the first time since 2015. The second time the rivals played was in Vermillion, the last match of the regular season. SDSU walked out of the match with a 3-0 sweep of the Coyotes.
Sylvie Zgonc, the Summit League player of the year, will look to continue her fantastic season against USD today. This season, she leads the Summit League in kills with 466 and points with 502. Zgonc is coming off a game against Denver in which she tallied 24 kills and 14 digs.
Sydni Schetnan, a Summit League All-First team player, is coming off a big night, recording 16 kills and five blocks in SDSU’s victory over Denver.
Madison Burr, who was named Summit League freshman of the year, had a quiet game against Denver, finishing with just three kills and seven digs. She totaled 15 kills and 7.5 blocks in the regular season finale against the Yotes.
No. 3 South Dakota
Unlike their rival Jackrabbits, the Coyotes have played two matches so far in this tournament. USD was the third seed, so they were not awarded the first-round bye.
They played the sixth-seeded tournament hosts in the Kansas City Roos in their first matchup. The Yotes were able to walk out after a 3-0 sweep.
USD then moved on to the second round, where the second-seeded Omaha Mavericks awaited the Coyotes. Once again, USD walked out with a 3-0 sweep.
USD will look to continue its streak of sweeps, get revenge on its in-state rivals and win the Summit League Championship to go to the NCAA tournament.
USD has a group of Summit League award winners that match SDSU’s list.
Headlining the Coyotes is junior defensive specialist Kamryn Farris, named to the 2024 All-Summit League Volleyball First Team and defensive player of the year. Farris had the most digs in the Summit League, with 524.
Senior Kylen Sealock also represented the Coyotes on the 2024 All-Summit League Volleyball First Team. Sealock recorded 385 kills on the season, which was good enough for fourth in the Summit League.
Sophomore setter Avery Van Hook was a 2024 All Summit League Honorable Mention. Van Hook was first in the Summit League for assists with 1141. She was also just outside the top 10 for the league in digs with 301.
Middle blocker Morgan Bode and outside hitter Lauren Medeck made the All-Summit League Freshman Team. Bode recorded 121 total blocks, which was fourth in the league. Medeck was just outside the top 10 in kills, with 302 on the season.
