MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota State volleyball (10-10, 5-7) hosts Minnesota Crookston (3-17, 1-11) and Bemidji State (8-12, 5-7). The Mavericks play the Golden Eagles on Friday Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. and the Beavers on Saturday Oct. 28 at 11 a.m. Both matches will be played at the Taylor Center.

The Mavericks will be sponsoring a menstrual product drive for the CADA House at the matches on Friday and Saturday. Monetary donations will go to the women's center on campus and product donations will go to the CADA House.

About the Mavericks
The Mavericks are currently eighth in the NSIC standings with a record of 5-7, with six matches to play in the regular season. The top eight teams will qualify for the conference tournament first round, which begins November 14. However, there are also three other teams with a conference record of 5-7, including Sioux Falls, Augustana and Bemidji State.

Last weekend, Minnesota State went 1-1 on the road against Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State. The Mavericks upset the No. 10 Bulldogs on their home court, 3-1, on Friday. This was the first time that Minnesota State beat the Bulldogs in Duluth since 2011. The Mavericks went on to lose their Saturday match to the No. 13 Huskies, 3-0.

Junior middle blocker Kiya Durant earned NSIC Defensive Player of the Week honors for her performance against Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State. Over the course of the weekend, Durant recorded 14 blocks, averaging two per set. The Plymouth, Minn. native leads the team in blocks with 74, averaging 1.07 blocks per set and is second on the team in kills with 138.
She ranks fifth in the NSIC in blocks and second in average blocks per set.

The Mavericks are led offensively by senior Sophie Tietz, who is first on the team in both kills (180) and service aces (29). Tietz has also recorded 68 blocks on the season. Libero Ellie Kline leads Minnesota State in digs with 276 and is second in aces with 20. Emily Kern is second on the team in blocks with 69. Brooke Bolwerk has recorded 452 assists, 140 digs and 13 aces on the season. Senior outside hitter Emma Loveall is third on the team in kills (124) and aces (17).

About the Golden Eagles
The Golden Eagles of Minnesota Crookston rank 14th in the NSIC with a 1-11 conference record. The team has lost eight straight matches.

Minnesota Crookston is led offensively by Madison Carsten, who has 166 kills, 168 digs, 15 aces and 11 blocks in 2023. Dana Melby has 547 assists, 180 digs and leads the team in aces with 20. Kailee Waasdorp leads the Golden Eagles in digs with 328. Mara Wisensel has recorded 41 blocks so far this season. Maya Jones and Audrey Carveau have combined for 186 kills.

Minnesota Crookston is coached by second-year head coach, Nick Meseck. The Mavericks are 19-5 against the Golden Eagles all-time.

About the Beavers
The Bemidji State Beavers are 11th in the NSIC standings but still well within the conversation of making a push toward the conference tournament. However, the team has a tough road ahead of them; they still have to play No. 4 Concordia-St. Paul and No. 1 Wayne State while also facing two other teams in Minnesota State and Augustana who are also making a push toward the postseason.

Ashley Crowl leads the team in both kills and aces, with 196 and 36 respectively. She is also second on the team in digs with 168. Emily Wade leads Bemidji State in assists with 621. The Beavers' blocks leader is Rylie Bjerklie, who has recorded 45 blocks this season to go along with 179 kills. Hallie Mertz also has 179 kills and 36 aces.

Kevin Ulmer is in his eighth-year head coach for the Beavers. The Mavericks have dominated the all-time series against Bemidji State, with a record of 42-17 against the Beavers.