MANKATO, Minn. — The Minnesota State volleyball team (12-1, 4-1 NSIC) returns to the Taylor Center this weekend for a pair of key conference match ups. On Friday, Oct. 3, the Mavericks are set to host Sioux Falls (9-4, 4-1 NSIC) at 6 p.m. before taking on No. 12-ranked Southwest Minnesota State (10-2, 3-2 NSIC) on Saturday, Oct. 4, for Alumni Night, the first serve set for 2 p.m.

About the Mavericks
Minnesota State (RV) enters the weekend slate with a strong 12-1 overall record and a 4-1 mark in NSIC play. MSU, who are receiving votes in the latest AVCA Division II poll with 111 total, sit just outside the Top 25. The team's only loss of the season came in a tightly contested 3-1 decision to then-No. 15 St. Cloud State at home. Minnesota State bounced back quickly, earning their first win over a ranked opponent this season by defeating then-No. 18 Northern State, and also picked up a 3-1 victory in their first-ever meeting against Jamestown while on the road.

Within the NSIC, the Mavericks lead in earned points per set with 18.74.. They also limit opponent service aces better than any team in the conference, allowing just 0.81 per set. Offensively, MSU leads the league in total service aces with 111 with an average of 2.64 aces per set, and they rank fourth in kills per set at 14.14. On the defensive side, the Mavericks are second in total digs with 711, trailing only this week's opponent Southwest Minnesota State by 66 digs.

Defensive specialist Ellie Kline continues to make history, ranking sixth on the program's all time digs list with 1225. Kline has already totaled 209 digs this year and sits third in the NSIC with 4.98 digs per set. Last week, Kline posted 66 digs against three opponents including two ranked teams.

Setter Jadyn Lester has been another critical piece, ranking second in the NSIC in service aces with 33 and fourth in assists with 473. Her average of 11.26 assists per set has helped fuel an MSU offense that leads the league in points. Lester set a new career high with 45 assists against then-No. 15 St. Cloud State, while also adding five kills. Over three matches last week she tallied 129 assists with zero setting errors.

Junior outside hitter Mary Satori has been one of the Mavericks' most reliable offensive threats. She leads the team with 132 kills which averages to 3.14 per set and sits at the top of the NSIC in service aces with 37, averaging 0.88 per set. Satori also ranks fifth in the league in total points with 175.5. Her biggest outing came against the Huskies where she tallied a season high 17 kills and finished with 19.5 points.

Middle blocker Emily Kern has anchored the Mavericks' net defense, recording a team high 32 blocks while averaging 1.07 per set, which ranks third in the NSIC. She added eight blocks and 33 kills across last week's matches, including five blocks in the battle against St. Cloud.

Freshman Addison Foor made an impact in her fifth and sixth matches of the season, notching 12 kills, four digs, and two block assists. She set a career high with seven kills against Jamestown. Meanwhile, right side hitter Avery Klein has contributed 128 kills this season, ranking second on the team, while also adding 20 service aces, which places her sixth in the NSIC.

Defensive specialist Madisen Miller has provided depth in the back row, ranking third on the team in digs with 113 which averages to 2.69 per set while adding five service aces.

Guiding the Mavericks is head coach Corey Phelps, now in his fifth season at the helm. 

About the Cougars
The Sioux Falls Cougars have opened the 2025 campaign with a 9-4 record overall, including a 4-1 start in NSIC competition. The squad's biggest victory came early in conference play when they upset then-No. 8 Southwest Minnesota State in a five set battle on their home court. While three of their four defeats have come against nationally ranked teams, two of those losses were to programs positioned inside the top ten at the time. Last weekend, the Cougars built more momentum by sweeping both Minnesota Crookston and MSU Moorhead.

In the NSIC, the Cougars are averaging 12.29 assists and 13.04 kills per set, while also contributing 2.16 blocks, 1.49 aces, and 13.37 digs per set.
The roster features several players who have stepped into the spotlight. Middle blocker Ella Walker, a redshirt freshman from Duluth, has impressed early by hitting .428 on the year, which places her third in the NSIC. Walker has produced 94 kills while also ranking sixth in the league in blocks per set at 0.98, with five solo blocks and 43 block assists. 

Alongside her, redshirt sophomore Haley Wolfe has been another presence in the middle. She ranks seventh in the NSIC in hitting percentage at .376 with 84 kills and sits fourth in the conference in blocks per set at 1.02. Her numbers include seven solo blocks and 42 block assists. Wolfe continues a family tradition in volleyball, with her sister Abigail Wolfe competing for Minnesota State for four seasons between 2021 and 2024.

At the setter position, senior Elise Gillen has provided stability and veteran leadership. Her best performance came against then-No. 24 Minnesota Duluth when she handed out 29 assists, added three kills, and chipped in five digs. Gillen currently ranks tenth in the NSIC with 5.78 assists per set and has totaled 283 assists this season.

The Cougars are guided by head coach Dan Mathews, who is in his fifth year leading the program. During his tenure, Mathews has compiled a record of 72 wins and 52 losses, including a 43-32 mark in conference play.

Historically, Sioux Falls has had the upper hand against Minnesota State. The Mavericks trail the all time series 6-10 and have dropped the last five meetings. The last MSU win came back in Oct. 2019 at the Taylor Center, when they swept the Cougars.

About the Mustangs
This season, SMSU holds a 10-2 overall record and a 3-2 mark in NSIC play. Last weekend, the team continued its strong momentum by straight-set sweeping both MSU Moorhead and Minnesota Crookston. Their only setbacks this season came on the road, falling in four sets to then-No. 24 Minnesota Duluth and in a close five-set match against Sioux Falls.

As a unit, the Mustangs average 13.69 assists, 14.36 kills, 2.16 blocks, 17.27 digs, and 1.58 service aces per set.

Junior Leah Jones, a hometown talent from Marshall, Minn., ranks fifth in the NSIC for kills with an average of 3.64 per set. Jones, a 2024 All-NSIC second team selection, delivered a 19-kill outing against Pittsburgh State. 

Setter Sydney Thein, a sophomore from Clara City, Minn., has also made her mark so far this season. She currently ranks third in the NSIC in assists per set with 11.58, totaling 521 assists so far this season. Thein was honored as the NSIC Setter of the Week on Sept. 15, 2025, and posted a season-high 66 assists against Spring Hill.

Guiding the Mustangs is head coach Tyler Boddy, now in his fourth season at the helm. Boddy has built a strong program with a 79-21 overall record, including a 46-15 mark in NSIC play. Under his leadership, SMSU has made two NCAA tournament appearances in his first three years. A familiar face within the program, Boddy spent a decade as an assistant before being named the program's fifth head coach in its 50-year history.

Historically, SMSU holds a winning record against Minnesota State. However, the last meeting between the two squads went to the Mavericks, who won in five sets at home.