Tonight, SDSU has the chance to win a Summit League volleyball championship—a feat they have not accomplished since 2007.
Since then, there have been quite a few down years.
However, success has been seen recently. The program finished with a record of 19-12 in 2021 and 18-15 in 2022, its first back-to-back winning seasons since 2006 and 2007.
“It feels great,” head coach Dan Georgalas said. “I think people forget we turned it around quick and had winning records in back-to-back seasons.”
But between 2007 and 2023, there was more losing than winning. In eight seasons between 2013 and 2020, 221 matches were played. The Jackrabbit’s record in that time was a less-than-stellar 43-178, winning just 19.46% of the time.
In the 16 seasons from 2008 to 2023, the Jacks recorded 154 wins and 306 losses, reaching a slightly better 33.48% winning percentage.
After the 2023 season, the Jackrabbits held a 9-20 record after being swept by Denver in the first round of the Summit League Volleyball Tournament.
The 2024 season has been a different story.
The Jacks have a record well above .500 and have only lost one of 28 matches this season, holding onto a winning percentage of 96.43%. They will compete against a dominant Coyote team in the conference championship.
This Jackrabbit team features the 2024 Summit League coach of the year in Georgalas, and the 2024 Summit League player of the year, Sylvie Zgonc.
Georgalas and the team have overcome incredible obstacles to earn this spot.
“This has been a miraculous season and it started in June when we took this team to Brazil and I think our focus on culture and winning in the locker room first is really what makes a difference for us,” Georgalas said.
Now, hopping down a different path, the future at SDSU looks bright, with multiple underclassmen helping to lead the charge.
Zgonc and Rylee Martin are two young stars on this roster and have helped the Jacks excel this season.
Martin, a sophomore setter, has played in 105 sets this season and holds the Jackrabbits’ single-season record with 38 aces while boasting 6.57 assists per set.
Zgonc, a sophomore, leads the Jacks in both kills (466) and digs (288).
The Jackrabbits play the third-seeded USD Coyotes in an in-state rivalry on the conference’s biggest stage tonight at 7 p.m. The match can be seen on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus or heard on Collegian Sports and KSDJ Radio.
