OMAHA, Neb. - With their non-conference matches now in the rear-view mirror, the Mavericks will officially kick off Summit League play this Thursday at 7 p.m. when they head to Vermillion, South Dakota for a rematch of last year's conference championship with the University of South Dakota. Then, on Saturday, Omaha continues its South Dakota trip when the team moves on to Brookings for a 1 p.m. tilt with South Dakota State University.

Weekend Slate

• Thursday, September 22, @ South Dakota at 7 p.m.
• Saturday, September 24, @ South Dakota State at 1 p.m.

Quick Hits
• The Mavericks head to South Dakota after going 1-2 in the Jayhawk Classic in Lawrence, Kansas. Omaha dropped a close, five-set match on day one against Central Florida, before rebounding with a 3-0 sweep of Lipscomb. On the final day, they went up against the host, No. 23 Kansas, falling 1-3.
• McKenna Ruch is coming off her best week of the season so far, racking up 37 kills, a .389 attack percentage, and 20 total blocks in the Classic. She has now eclipsed 100 kills and slots in at third in the league with a .350 attack percentage. She also remains atop the leader boards in blocks with a career-high 63.
• Shayla McCormick led all Mavericks and was second in the tournament in kills with 38, while also recording the second most digs on the team at 36 and was tied for the second most blocks with 11. With 155 kills on the season, McCormick ranks fourth in the Summit League, as well as third in kills per set (3.88). She also makes the top 10 in digs with 123.
•Sami Clarkson recorded 118 assists in Kansas, good for second in the tournament. Along with this she produced four service aces and 11 blocks. She now has 430 assists in 2022, placing her third in the league, while her 10.75 assists per set are still the most of any Summit League player.
• Kali Jurgensmeier continued to excel in her rookie season, adding another 22 kills, three aces, and four blocks over the weekend. Her 105 total points place her at 20th in the league. 

Scouting South Dakota
The Coyotes are currently in first place in the Summit League at 11-1, with their lone loss coming at the hands of No. 4 Louisville. Last weekend they swept the competition at the Bulls Volleyball Invitational in Tampa, Florida, capping things off with a 3-0 win over the host South Florida on September 17. 

Junior Elizabeth Junke already has three Offensive Player of the Week honors to her name this season. The 2021 First-Team selection currently leads the entire Summit League with 235 kills, 5.00 kills per set, and 265 points. Junior Brooklyn Schram leads the league in assists at 492 and is second in assists per set at 10.47. She also breaks into the top five of the league in service aces at 16. Fifth Year Lolo Weideman is currently second in the Summit League in service aces (20), digs (199), and digs per set (4.23)

Series History
These two teams have met 84 times over the years, with Omaha taking a 61-23 all-time lead. Their last meeting was in the 2021 Summit League Championship, when the Coyotes won 3-0 to take the title.

Scouting South Dakota State
The Jackrabbits enter the weekend at 6-6 and will open Summit League play on September 22 when they host Denver. Last time out they dropped three matches in the Hawkeye Invitational in Iowa City, Iowa, falling to North Florida 2-3 on September 17. 

Fifth Year Crystal Burk is currently second in the Summit League in kills with 210, kills per set at 4.20, and points with 229. She is also fourth in the league in digs with 156. Sophomore Reilly Raegan is second in the league in assists (480) and fourth in assists per set (9.60). She also owns 12 service aces, 110 digs, and 18 blocks on the year. Fifth Year Sydney Andrews is top 10 in the league in total blocks (50) and blocks per set (1.09).
 
Series History
This will be the 71st match between these two schools. Omaha holds the series lead at 49-21, winning their last meeting 3-0 on 11/11/21.