Dustin

Totally agree with everything you said. I wrote the same thing (before I read this) over on Schlossman's blog.

Anybody know the real reason why Crown and Presentation are on our schedule? We're they scheduled before we had assured conference affiliation (i.e. before June 12)? We shouldn't have to put up with this next year (or any other year in the future), right?

Well, I was hoping ONE, really ANY ONE, of the early season games would be a nice road win for the team and get people pumped up for the Big Sky conference schedule.

Because UND has a TV contract, so the ones played in Grand Forks were televised. The Sioux-Bison men's game next week is televised from Fargo, though it wasn't part of the UND package released at the beginning of the year. MidCo must have realized it would be a good programming decision. I wonder who the announcers will be?

According to the article, she is a setter. Hardee must have her tagged as the setter of the future after Nikki Husheldt graduates (Griffin will be a freshman when Husfeldt is a senior).

Coach Muss' hometown Owatonna (MN) Huskies are playing for the state championship today. Possibly some recruiting avenues there.

I wonder if some of the girls won't be with the team next year. Hardee is already playing two freshmen every game (McKenzie Hart, and Lauren Clarke), while some sophomores are hardly played, if ever (Kim Kuechle, Kyle Evert, Emily Asche). Naomi Dahl was red-shirted, and now in her second year has hardly played. When other schools come in, their rosters are significantly shorter than ours, so it gets me wondering why we have so many girls - I guess we have enough for two teams in practice.

I knew the SDSU game would be on Midco (both USD and SDSU have Midco TV deals as well), but not about the NDSU game. How'd you find that out?

Here's my non-statistical assessment of last night's game and the upcoming season: Huff still feels that he can and should do it all - be a team player, Huff Free Throws look to be improved Alonzo Traylor appears to be a nice pick-up I've never seen Jaron Nash play, but I can bet we're gonna need him pretty badly The ability to create turnovers is there, but we didn't hold on to the ball as well as we needed to either Hopefully shooting percent was an anomoly this game - there's no way we can go the season shooting like that

According to TV guide website, the KSU-UND game is scheduled for FSNorth.

Midcontinent guide has not changed to reflect this yet.

True, but it's not exactly like we've been cellar dwellwers (well, except for soccer).

Based on those rankings, we've got some tough competition to start the season. Hopefully we can knock off one of those teams and create some buzz right away.

Why would the band go to a road game when there is a home series of games? (ok, 2, but still)

Myabe the Vikings game had something to do with attendance. But, since UND is consistently losing to these teams in the top half of the standings, I think excitement for volleyball might be waning. I know I'm dissapointed with the number of losses, especially at home. I'm surprised the girls can't defend their home court better. :/

The majority of college football games around the country are played in the afternoon (some even start before noon - when I was in college Gopher games started at 11 AM). Plus, when other teams have home games on Saturday (like hockey), they don't want them overlapping.

Not sure of established Big Sky rivalries, but I would think Idaho and Idaho St. would want to be in the same division.

Formatting didn't quite turn out the way I typed it. This may work better. North Division: UND, UM, MSU, UI, ISU, EWU South Division: UNC, WSU, SUU, PSU, Sac. SU, NAU

From the Big Sky website announcing the return of University of Idaho: "The Big Sky Conference has already begun the process of exploring a move to a two-division, six-team format starting in 2014-15 for sports such as basketball and volleyball." What are your speculations for the two divisions? Here's my theory: North Division South Division North Dakota Northern Colorado Montana Weber State Montana State Southern Utah Idaho Portland State Idaho State Sacramento State Eastern Washington Northern Arizona

Exactly. I think that by the time this year's freshmen are seniors, student attendance will be up in all sports. Can you really blame fans for being "hockey only" during the transition? The reason that USD has fared better with football, is because they didn't have a marquee sport that wasn't in the transition (like hockey). Hockey has always been, and always will be, very important to UND. And the fact that Ralph Englestad made it possible to nearly double the attendance at every home hockey game didn't help with attendance for other events (including stuff at Chester Fritz). There's so many seats in this town, and just not a big enough market to fill them all, is basically what it boils down to.

Midcontinent's website has a place to suggest new channels, and I've done this twice lobbying for Root Sports. I suggest that others do the same. Here's the link: http://www.midcocomm.com/forms/channelrequests/

I was thinking the same thing. Hopefully I'm not as disappointed.

Hard to believe that these two teams had the same Big Sky record coming into the game. The VB girls dismantled SUU with ease (game time was only 1:20 or so). Again, I think that win at NDSU really sparked them, and I foresee a good winning streak here. NAU on Saturday should be good competition, but I think they get 'em in 4. Idaho St. on 10/25 should be quite the showdown.

Robinson, Ulrich, and Krueger were unstoppable! I think this will jump start the second half for these girls.

If the O-line can protect the pocket, then Hanson is the guy. But if the pocket collapses, Hendrickson can make plays with his feet. To me, it's more of an O-line controversy - who's gonna show up?